diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c9c5505843039..deca822359e24 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ based on _prefix_ in addition to globs. This means that a filter like
 - [#1110](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/pull/1110): Sanitize * to - in graphite serializer. Thanks @goodeggs!
 - [#1118](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/pull/1118): Sanitize Counter names for `win_perf_counters` input.
 - [#1125](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/pull/1125): Wrap all exec command runners with a timeout, so hung os processes don't halt Telegraf.
+- [#1113](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/pull/1113): Set MaxRetry and RequiredAcks defaults in Kafka output.
 
 ## v0.12.1 [2016-04-14]
 
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/kafka/kafka.go b/plugins/outputs/kafka/kafka.go
index 1fafa13538262..1b350ac6c75a4 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/kafka/kafka.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/kafka/kafka.go
@@ -181,6 +181,9 @@ func (k *Kafka) Write(metrics []telegraf.Metric) error {
 
 func init() {
 	outputs.Add("kafka", func() telegraf.Output {
-		return &Kafka{}
+		return &Kafka{
+			MaxRetry:     3,
+			RequiredAcks: -1,
+		}
 	})
 }