diff --git a/docsite/rst/playbooks_delegation.rst b/docsite/rst/playbooks_delegation.rst
index e298ebd6904..7fa49733a77 100644
--- a/docsite/rst/playbooks_delegation.rst
+++ b/docsite/rst/playbooks_delegation.rst
@@ -118,6 +118,40 @@ Here is an example::
 Note that you must have passphrase-less SSH keys or an ssh-agent configured for this to work, otherwise rsync
 will need to ask for a passphrase.
 
+.. _run_once:
+
+Run Once
+````````
+
+In some cases there may be a need to only run a task one time and only on one host. This can be achieved
+by configuring "run_once" on a task::
+
+    ---
+    # ...
+
+      tasks:
+
+        # ...
+
+        - command: /opt/application/upgrade_db.py
+          run_once: true
+
+        # ...
+
+This can be optionally paired with "delegate_to" to specify an individual host to execute on::
+
+        - command: /opt/application/upgrade_db.py
+          run_once: true
+          delegate_to: web01.example.org
+
+When "run_once" is not used with "delegate_to" it will execute on the first host, as defined by inventory,
+in the group(s) of hosts targeted by the play. e.g. webservers[0] if the play targeted "hosts: webservers".
+
+This aproach is similar, although more concise and cleaner than applying a conditional to a task such as::
+
+        - command: /opt/application/upgrade_db.py
+          when: inventory_hostname == webservers[0]
+
 .. _local_playbooks:
 
 Local Playbooks
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py
index 525e10efec4..bfa438afcb3 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ class PlayBook(object):
             vault_pass = self.vault_password,
             run_hosts=hosts,
             no_log=task.no_log,
+            run_once=task.run_once,
         )
 
         runner.module_vars.update({'play_hosts': hosts})
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
index 0a7e5515a80..bd9b0d0d12b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class Task(object):
         'local_action', 'transport', 'sudo', 'remote_user', 'sudo_user', 'sudo_pass',
         'items_lookup_plugin', 'items_lookup_terms', 'environment', 'args',
         'any_errors_fatal', 'changed_when', 'failed_when', 'always_run', 'delay', 'retries', 'until',
-        'su', 'su_user', 'su_pass', 'no_log',
+        'su', 'su_user', 'su_pass', 'no_log', 'run_once',
     ]
 
     # to prevent typos and such
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class Task(object):
          'delegate_to', 'local_action', 'transport', 'remote_user', 'sudo', 'sudo_user',
          'sudo_pass', 'when', 'connection', 'environment', 'args',
          'any_errors_fatal', 'changed_when', 'failed_when', 'always_run', 'delay', 'retries', 'until',
-         'su', 'su_user', 'su_pass', 'no_log',
+         'su', 'su_user', 'su_pass', 'no_log', 'run_once',
     ]
 
     def __init__(self, play, ds, module_vars=None, default_vars=None, additional_conditions=None, role_name=None):
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ class Task(object):
         self.environment  = ds.get('environment', {})
         self.role_name    = role_name
         self.no_log       = utils.boolean(ds.get('no_log', "false"))
+        self.run_once     = utils.boolean(ds.get('run_once', 'false'))
 
         #Code to allow do until feature in a Task 
         if 'until' in ds:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
index adc9b7bcbd1..6eb2e1039f9 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         vault_pass=None,
         run_hosts=None,                     # an optional list of pre-calculated hosts to run on
         no_log=False,                       # option to enable/disable logging for a given task
+        run_once=False,                     # option to enable/disable host bypass loop for a given task
         ):
 
         # used to lock multiprocess inputs and outputs at various levels
@@ -197,6 +198,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         self.su_pass          = su_pass
         self.vault_pass       = vault_pass
         self.no_log           = no_log
+        self.run_once         = run_once
 
         if self.transport == 'smart':
             # if the transport is 'smart' see if SSH can support ControlPersist if not use paramiko
@@ -1218,7 +1220,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         if self.forks == 0 or self.forks > len(hosts):
             self.forks = len(hosts)
 
-        if p and getattr(p, 'BYPASS_HOST_LOOP', None):
+        if (p and (getattr(p, 'BYPASS_HOST_LOOP', None)) or self.run_once):
 
             # Expose the current hostgroup to the bypassing plugins
             self.host_set = hosts