diff --git a/nomad/acl.go b/nomad/acl.go
index 4e9433390..1743c85e4 100644
--- a/nomad/acl.go
+++ b/nomad/acl.go
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@ func (s *Server) ResolveToken(secretID string) (*acl.ACL, error) {
 	}
 	defer metrics.MeasureSince([]string{"nomad", "acl", "resolveToken"}, time.Now())
 
+	// Check if the secret ID is the leader secret ID, in which case treat it as
+	// a management token.
+	if secretID == s.getLeaderAcl() {
+		return acl.ManagementACL, nil
+	}
+
 	// Snapshot the state
 	snap, err := s.fsm.State().Snapshot()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/nomad/acl_test.go b/nomad/acl_test.go
index b123098c2..8fce091bb 100644
--- a/nomad/acl_test.go
+++ b/nomad/acl_test.go
@@ -9,10 +9,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/mock"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/state"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/testutil"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
 func TestResolveACLToken(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
 	// Create mock state store and cache
 	state := state.TestStateStore(t)
 	cache, err := lru.New2Q(16)
@@ -88,3 +91,19 @@ func TestResolveACLToken(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected cached value")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestResolveACLToken_LeaderToken(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+	s1, _ := testACLServer(t, nil)
+	defer s1.Shutdown()
+	testutil.WaitForLeader(t, s1.RPC)
+
+	leaderAcl := s1.getLeaderAcl()
+	assert.NotEmpty(leaderAcl)
+	token, err := s1.ResolveToken(leaderAcl)
+	assert.Nil(err)
+	if assert.NotNil(token) {
+		assert.True(token.IsManagement())
+	}
+}
diff --git a/nomad/leader.go b/nomad/leader.go
index 568563d93..45f353dae 100644
--- a/nomad/leader.go
+++ b/nomad/leader.go
@@ -117,6 +117,10 @@ WAIT:
 // previously inflight transactions have been committed and that our
 // state is up-to-date.
 func (s *Server) establishLeadership(stopCh chan struct{}) error {
+	// Generate a leader ACL token. This will allow the leader to issue work
+	// that requires a valid ACL token.
+	s.setLeaderAcl(uuid.Generate())
+
 	// Disable workers to free half the cores for use in the plan queue and
 	// evaluation broker
 	if numWorkers := len(s.workers); numWorkers > 1 {
diff --git a/nomad/server.go b/nomad/server.go
index bfe967eb9..afdffce77 100644
--- a/nomad/server.go
+++ b/nomad/server.go
@@ -166,6 +166,11 @@ type Server struct {
 	// aclCache is used to maintain the parsed ACL objects
 	aclCache *lru.TwoQueueCache
 
+	// leaderAcl is the management ACL token that is valid when resolved by the
+	// current leader.
+	leaderAcl     string
+	leaderAclLock sync.Mutex
+
 	// EnterpriseState is used to fill in state for Pro/Ent builds
 	EnterpriseState
 
@@ -1070,6 +1075,20 @@ func (s *Server) State() *state.StateStore {
 	return s.fsm.State()
 }
 
+// setLeaderAcl stores the given ACL token as the current leader's ACL token.
+func (s *Server) setLeaderAcl(token string) {
+	s.leaderAclLock.Lock()
+	s.leaderAcl = token
+	s.leaderAclLock.Unlock()
+}
+
+// getLeaderAcl retrieves the leader's ACL token
+func (s *Server) getLeaderAcl() string {
+	s.leaderAclLock.Lock()
+	defer s.leaderAclLock.Unlock()
+	return s.leaderAcl
+}
+
 // Regions returns the known regions in the cluster.
 func (s *Server) Regions() []string {
 	s.peerLock.RLock()