diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e2958f08d..b15609585 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ IMPROVEMENTS:
   * client: Artifact support for git and hg as well as netrc support [GH-2386]
   * client: Add metrics to show number of allocations on in each state [GH-2425]
   * client: Add `NOMAD_{IP,PORT}_<task>_<label>` environment variables [GH-2426]
-  * client: Allow specification of cpu_compute to override fingerprinter
+  * client: Allow specification of `cpu_total_compute` to override fingerprinter
     [GH-2447]
   * client: Reproducible Node ID on OSes that provide system-level UUID
     [GH-2277]
diff --git a/client/fingerprint/cpu.go b/client/fingerprint/cpu.go
index 0aef536a1..421614824 100644
--- a/client/fingerprint/cpu.go
+++ b/client/fingerprint/cpu.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func (f *CPUFingerprint) Fingerprint(cfg *config.Config, node *structs.Node) (bo
 		f.logger.Printf("[ERR] fingerprint.cpu: %v", err)
 		f.logger.Printf("[INFO] fingerprint.cpu: cpu compute may be set manually"+
 			" using the client config option %q on machines where cpu information"+
-			" can not be automatically detected.", "cpu_compute")
+			" can not be automatically detected.", "cpu_total_compute")
 
 		return false, err
 	}
diff --git a/command/agent/config-test-fixtures/basic.hcl b/command/agent/config-test-fixtures/basic.hcl
index bd9bcbe6a..cd741295d 100644
--- a/command/agent/config-test-fixtures/basic.hcl
+++ b/command/agent/config-test-fixtures/basic.hcl
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ client {
 	}
 	network_interface = "eth0"
 	network_speed = 100
-	cpu_compute = 4444
+	cpu_total_compute = 4444
 	reserved {
 		cpu = 10
 		memory = 10
diff --git a/command/agent/config.go b/command/agent/config.go
index 0528d8796..cccd095f1 100644
--- a/command/agent/config.go
+++ b/command/agent/config.go
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ type ClientConfig struct {
 	NetworkSpeed int `mapstructure:"network_speed"`
 
 	// CpuCompute is used to override any detected or default total CPU compute.
-	CpuCompute int `mapstructure:"cpu_compute"`
+	CpuCompute int `mapstructure:"cpu_total_compute"`
 
 	// MaxKillTimeout allows capping the user-specifiable KillTimeout.
 	MaxKillTimeout string `mapstructure:"max_kill_timeout"`
diff --git a/command/agent/config_parse.go b/command/agent/config_parse.go
index 10516a845..43e9e5b22 100644
--- a/command/agent/config_parse.go
+++ b/command/agent/config_parse.go
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ func parseClient(result **ClientConfig, list *ast.ObjectList) error {
 		"chroot_env",
 		"network_interface",
 		"network_speed",
-		"cpu_compute",
+		"cpu_total_compute",
 		"max_kill_timeout",
 		"client_max_port",
 		"client_min_port",
diff --git a/website/source/docs/agent/configuration/client.html.md b/website/source/docs/agent/configuration/client.html.md
index 025107d29..38cf28317 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/agent/configuration/client.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/agent/configuration/client.html.md
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ client {
   clients can determine their speed automatically, and thus in most cases this
   should be left unset.
 
+- `cpu_total_compute` `(int: 0)` - Specifies an override for the total cpu
+  compute. This value should be set to `# Cores * Core MHz`. For example, a
+  quadcore running at 2GHz would have a total compute of 8000 (4 * 2000). Most
+  clients can determine their total cpu compute automatically, and thus in most
+  cases this should be left unset.
+
 - `node_class` `(string: "")` - Specifies an arbitrary string used to logically
   group client nodes by user-defined class. This can be used during job
   placement as a filter.