diff --git a/plugins/inputs/docker/README.md b/plugins/inputs/docker/README.md
index 849450b33cd40..9e865b8f28428 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/docker/README.md
+++ b/plugins/inputs/docker/README.md
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ for the stat structure can be found
   ## Note that an empty array for both will include all labels as tags
   docker_label_include = []
   docker_label_exclude = []
+
+  ## disable metrics collection for non-running containers
+  only_running = true
   
 ```
 
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/docker/docker.go b/plugins/inputs/docker/docker.go
index a439af0686ed2..c436db40239f9 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/docker/docker.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/docker/docker.go
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ type Docker struct {
 
 	testing             bool
 	labelFiltersCreated bool
+
+	onlyRunning bool `toml:"only_running"`
 }
 
 // infoWrapper wraps client.Client.List for testing.
@@ -112,6 +114,10 @@ var sampleConfig = `
   ## Note that an empty array for both will include all labels as tags
   docker_label_include = []
   docker_label_exclude = []
+
+  ## Only monitor running containers
+  only_running = true
+
 `
 
 // Description returns input description
@@ -176,10 +182,13 @@ func (d *Docker) Gather(acc telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 	for _, container := range containers {
 		go func(c types.Container) {
 			defer wg.Done()
-			err := d.gatherContainer(c, acc)
-			if err != nil {
-				acc.AddError(fmt.Errorf("E! Error gathering container %s stats: %s\n",
-					c.Names, err.Error()))
+
+			if (d.onlyRunning && c.State == "running") || (!d.onlyRunning) {
+				err := d.gatherContainer(c, acc)
+				if err != nil {
+					acc.AddError(fmt.Errorf("E! Error gathering container %s stats: %s\n",
+						c.Names, err.Error()))
+				}
 			}
 		}(container)
 	}