diff --git a/agent/agent.go b/agent/agent.go
index 284d078ebf..a5750e22ca 100644
--- a/agent/agent.go
+++ b/agent/agent.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 const (
 	initialSessionFailureBackoff = 100 * time.Millisecond
 	maxSessionFailureBackoff     = 8 * time.Second
+	nodeUpdatePeriod             = 20 * time.Second
 )
 
 // Agent implements the primary node functionality for a member of a swarm
@@ -134,9 +135,18 @@ func (a *Agent) run(ctx context.Context) {
 	log.G(ctx).Debugf("(*Agent).run")
 	defer log.G(ctx).Debugf("(*Agent).run exited")
 
+	// get the node description
+	nodeDescription, err := a.nodeDescriptionWithHostname(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.G(ctx).WithError(err).WithField("agent", a.config.Executor).Errorf("agent: node description unavailable")
+	}
+	// nodeUpdateTicker is used to periodically check for updates to node description
+	nodeUpdateTicker := time.NewTicker(nodeUpdatePeriod)
+	defer nodeUpdateTicker.Stop()
+
 	var (
 		backoff    time.Duration
-		session    = newSession(ctx, a, backoff, "") // start the initial session
+		session    = newSession(ctx, a, backoff, "", nodeDescription) // start the initial session
 		registered = session.registered
 		ready      = a.ready // first session ready
 		sessionq   chan sessionOperation
@@ -197,10 +207,42 @@ func (a *Agent) run(ctx context.Context) {
 			log.G(ctx).Debugf("agent: rebuild session")
 
 			// select a session registration delay from backoff range.
-			delay := time.Duration(rand.Int63n(int64(backoff)))
-			session = newSession(ctx, a, delay, session.sessionID)
+			delay := time.Duration(0)
+			if backoff > 0 {
+				delay = time.Duration(rand.Int63n(int64(backoff)))
+			}
+			session = newSession(ctx, a, delay, session.sessionID, nodeDescription)
 			registered = session.registered
 			sessionq = a.sessionq
+		case <-nodeUpdateTicker.C:
+			// skip this case if the registration isn't finished
+			if registered != nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			// get the current node description
+			newNodeDescription, err := a.nodeDescriptionWithHostname(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.G(ctx).WithError(err).WithField("agent", a.config.Executor).Errorf("agent: updated node description unavailable")
+			}
+
+			// if newNodeDescription is nil, it will cause a panic when
+			// trying to create a session. Typically this can happen
+			// if the engine goes down
+			if newNodeDescription == nil {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// if the node description has changed, update it to the new one
+			// and close the session. The old session will be stopped and a
+			// new one will be created with the updated description
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(nodeDescription, newNodeDescription) {
+				nodeDescription = newNodeDescription
+				// close the session
+				log.G(ctx).Info("agent: found node update")
+				if err := session.close(); err != nil {
+					log.G(ctx).WithError(err).Error("agent: closing session for node update failed")
+				}
+			}
 		case <-a.stopped:
 			// TODO(stevvooe): Wait on shutdown and cleanup. May need to pump
 			// this loop a few times.
@@ -337,6 +379,17 @@ func (a *Agent) UpdateTaskStatus(ctx context.Context, taskID string, status *api
 	}
 }
 
+// nodeDescriptionWithHostname retrieves node description, and overrides hostname if available
+func (a *Agent) nodeDescriptionWithHostname(ctx context.Context) (*api.NodeDescription, error) {
+	desc, err := a.config.Executor.Describe(ctx)
+
+	// Override hostname
+	if a.config.Hostname != "" && desc != nil {
+		desc.Hostname = a.config.Hostname
+	}
+	return desc, err
+}
+
 // nodesEqual returns true if the node states are functionaly equal, ignoring status,
 // version and other superfluous fields.
 //
diff --git a/agent/session.go b/agent/session.go
index 43c0dc881c..c720a54f0c 100644
--- a/agent/session.go
+++ b/agent/session.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ type session struct {
 	closed     chan struct{}
 }
 
-func newSession(ctx context.Context, agent *Agent, delay time.Duration, sessionID string) *session {
+func newSession(ctx context.Context, agent *Agent, delay time.Duration, sessionID string, description *api.NodeDescription) *session {
 	s := &session{
 		agent:      agent,
 		sessionID:  sessionID,
@@ -68,14 +68,14 @@ func newSession(ctx context.Context, agent *Agent, delay time.Duration, sessionI
 	s.addr = peer.Addr
 	s.conn = cc
 
-	go s.run(ctx, delay)
+	go s.run(ctx, delay, description)
 	return s
 }
 
-func (s *session) run(ctx context.Context, delay time.Duration) {
+func (s *session) run(ctx context.Context, delay time.Duration, description *api.NodeDescription) {
 	time.Sleep(delay) // delay before registering.
 
-	if err := s.start(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err := s.start(ctx, description); err != nil {
 		select {
 		case s.errs <- err:
 		case <-s.closed:
@@ -94,24 +94,14 @@ func (s *session) run(ctx context.Context, delay time.Duration) {
 }
 
 // start begins the session and returns the first SessionMessage.
-func (s *session) start(ctx context.Context) error {
+func (s *session) start(ctx context.Context, description *api.NodeDescription) error {
 	log.G(ctx).Debugf("(*session).start")
 
-	description, err := s.agent.config.Executor.Describe(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.G(ctx).WithError(err).WithField("executor", s.agent.config.Executor).
-			Errorf("node description unavailable")
-		return err
-	}
-	// Override hostname
-	if s.agent.config.Hostname != "" {
-		description.Hostname = s.agent.config.Hostname
-	}
-
 	errChan := make(chan error, 1)
 	var (
 		msg    *api.SessionMessage
 		stream api.Dispatcher_SessionClient
+		err    error
 	)
 	// Note: we don't defer cancellation of this context, because the
 	// streaming RPC is used after this function returned. We only cancel
diff --git a/manager/dispatcher/dispatcher.go b/manager/dispatcher/dispatcher.go
index 765651983f..791f7a7882 100644
--- a/manager/dispatcher/dispatcher.go
+++ b/manager/dispatcher/dispatcher.go
@@ -351,26 +351,10 @@ func (d *Dispatcher) isRunning() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// register is used for registration of node with particular dispatcher.
-func (d *Dispatcher) register(ctx context.Context, nodeID string, description *api.NodeDescription) (string, error) {
-	// prevent register until we're ready to accept it
-	if err := d.isRunningLocked(); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
-	if err := d.nodes.CheckRateLimit(nodeID); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
-	// TODO(stevvooe): Validate node specification.
-	var node *api.Node
-	d.store.View(func(tx store.ReadTx) {
-		node = store.GetNode(tx, nodeID)
-	})
-	if node == nil {
-		return "", ErrNodeNotFound
-	}
-
+// updateNode updates the description of a node and sets status to READY
+// this is used during registration when a new node description is provided
+// and during node updates when the node description changes
+func (d *Dispatcher) updateNode(nodeID string, description *api.NodeDescription) error {
 	d.nodeUpdatesLock.Lock()
 	d.nodeUpdates[nodeID] = nodeUpdate{status: &api.NodeStatus{State: api.NodeStatus_READY}, description: description}
 	numUpdates := len(d.nodeUpdates)
@@ -380,7 +364,7 @@ func (d *Dispatcher) register(ctx context.Context, nodeID string, description *a
 		select {
 		case d.processUpdatesTrigger <- struct{}{}:
 		case <-d.ctx.Done():
-			return "", d.ctx.Err()
+			return d.ctx.Err()
 		}
 
 	}
@@ -389,12 +373,39 @@ func (d *Dispatcher) register(ctx context.Context, nodeID string, description *a
 	d.processUpdatesLock.Lock()
 	select {
 	case <-d.ctx.Done():
-		return "", d.ctx.Err()
+		return d.ctx.Err()
 	default:
 	}
 	d.processUpdatesCond.Wait()
 	d.processUpdatesLock.Unlock()
 
+	return nil
+}
+
+// register is used for registration of node with particular dispatcher.
+func (d *Dispatcher) register(ctx context.Context, nodeID string, description *api.NodeDescription) (string, error) {
+	// prevent register until we're ready to accept it
+	if err := d.isRunningLocked(); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	if err := d.nodes.CheckRateLimit(nodeID); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	// TODO(stevvooe): Validate node specification.
+	var node *api.Node
+	d.store.View(func(tx store.ReadTx) {
+		node = store.GetNode(tx, nodeID)
+	})
+	if node == nil {
+		return "", ErrNodeNotFound
+	}
+
+	if err := d.updateNode(nodeID, description); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
 	expireFunc := func() {
 		nodeStatus := api.NodeStatus{State: api.NodeStatus_DOWN, Message: "heartbeat failure"}
 		log.G(ctx).Debugf("heartbeat expiration")
@@ -787,6 +798,10 @@ func (d *Dispatcher) Session(r *api.SessionRequest, stream api.Dispatcher_Sessio
 		}
 	} else {
 		sessionID = r.SessionID
+		// update the node description
+		if err := d.updateNode(nodeID, r.Description); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	fields := logrus.Fields{