diff --git a/hc/api/views.py b/hc/api/views.py
index 70b3f3ed..9139cb5f 100644
--- a/hc/api/views.py
+++ b/hc/api/views.py
@@ -55,8 +55,20 @@ def checks(request):
         return JsonResponse(doc)
 
     elif request.method == "POST":
+
+        unique = bool(request.json.get("unique", False))
+        name = str(request.json.get("name", ""))
+
+        if unique:
+            existing_checks = Check.objects.filter(user=request.user, name=name)
+
+            if existing_checks.count() > 0:
+                # There might be more than one check with the same name since name
+                # uniqueness isn't enforced in the model
+                return JsonResponse(existing_checks.first().to_dict(), status=200)
+
         check = Check(user=request.user)
-        check.name = str(request.json.get("name", ""))
+        check.name = name
         check.tags = str(request.json.get("tags", ""))
         if "timeout" in request.json:
             check.timeout = td(seconds=request.json["timeout"])
diff --git a/templates/front/docs_api.html b/templates/front/docs_api.html
index b176b095..a680d46e 100644
--- a/templates/front/docs_api.html
+++ b/templates/front/docs_api.html
@@ -127,6 +127,14 @@ The response may contain a JSON document with additional data.
             to automatically assign all existing notification channels.</p>
         </td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <th>unique</th>
+        <td>
+            <p>bool, optional, default value: False.</p>
+            <p>When true a check won't be created if there exists a check with the
+            same name. If any existing checks match then the first one will be returned.</p>
+        </td>
+    </tr>
 </table>
 
 <h3 class="api-section">Example Request</h3>