diff --git a/client/task_runner.go b/client/task_runner.go
index 4c068c570..78c609d61 100644
--- a/client/task_runner.go
+++ b/client/task_runner.go
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/armon/go-metrics"
+	"github.com/golang/snappy"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul-template/signals"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/allocdir"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/config"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/driver"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/getter"
@@ -85,6 +87,9 @@ type TaskRunner struct {
 	// downloaded
 	artifactsDownloaded bool
 
+	// payloadRendered tracks whether the payload has been rendered to disk
+	payloadRendered bool
+
 	// vaultFuture is the means to wait for and get a Vault token
 	vaultFuture *tokenFuture
 
@@ -129,6 +134,7 @@ type taskRunnerState struct {
 	Task               *structs.Task
 	HandleID           string
 	ArtifactDownloaded bool
+	PayloadRendered    bool
 }
 
 // TaskStateUpdater is used to signal that tasks state has changed.
@@ -231,6 +237,7 @@ func (r *TaskRunner) RestoreState() error {
 		r.task = snap.Task
 	}
 	r.artifactsDownloaded = snap.ArtifactDownloaded
+	r.payloadRendered = snap.PayloadRendered
 
 	if err := r.setTaskEnv(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("client: failed to create task environment for task %q in allocation %q: %v",
@@ -293,6 +300,7 @@ func (r *TaskRunner) SaveState() error {
 		Task:               r.task,
 		Version:            r.config.Version,
 		ArtifactDownloaded: r.artifactsDownloaded,
+		PayloadRendered:    r.payloadRendered,
 	}
 	r.handleLock.Lock()
 	if r.handle != nil {
@@ -704,6 +712,31 @@ func (r *TaskRunner) prestart(resultCh chan bool) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// If the job is a dispatch job and there is a payload write it to disk
+	requirePayload := len(r.alloc.Job.Payload) != 0 &&
+		(r.task.DispatchInput != nil && r.task.DispatchInput.File != "")
+	if !r.payloadRendered && requirePayload {
+		renderTo := filepath.Join(r.taskDir, allocdir.TaskLocal, r.task.DispatchInput.File)
+		decoded, err := snappy.Decode(nil, r.alloc.Job.Payload)
+		if err != nil {
+			r.setState(
+				structs.TaskStateDead,
+				structs.NewTaskEvent(structs.TaskSetupFailure).SetSetupError(err).SetFailsTask())
+			resultCh <- false
+			return
+		}
+
+		if err := ioutil.WriteFile(renderTo, decoded, 0777); err != nil {
+			r.setState(
+				structs.TaskStateDead,
+				structs.NewTaskEvent(structs.TaskSetupFailure).SetSetupError(err).SetFailsTask())
+			resultCh <- false
+			return
+		}
+
+		r.payloadRendered = true
+	}
+
 	for {
 		// Download the task's artifacts
 		if !r.artifactsDownloaded && len(r.task.Artifacts) > 0 {
diff --git a/client/task_runner_test.go b/client/task_runner_test.go
index f34c9460e..abed11996 100644
--- a/client/task_runner_test.go
+++ b/client/task_runner_test.go
@@ -8,10 +8,12 @@ import (
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"reflect"
 	"syscall"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/golang/snappy"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/allocdir"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/config"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/driver"
@@ -1244,3 +1246,66 @@ func TestTaskRunner_VaultManager_Signal(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	})
 }
+
+// Test that the payload is written to disk
+func TestTaskRunner_SimpleRun_Dispatch(t *testing.T) {
+	alloc := mock.Alloc()
+	task := alloc.Job.TaskGroups[0].Tasks[0]
+	task.Driver = "mock_driver"
+	task.Config = map[string]interface{}{
+		"exit_code": "0",
+		"run_for":   "1s",
+	}
+	fileName := "test"
+	task.DispatchInput = &structs.DispatchInputConfig{
+		File: fileName,
+	}
+	alloc.Job.Constructor = &structs.ConstructorConfig{}
+
+	// Add an encrypted payload
+	expected := []byte("hello world")
+	compressed := snappy.Encode(nil, expected)
+	alloc.Job.Payload = compressed
+
+	upd, tr := testTaskRunnerFromAlloc(false, alloc)
+	tr.MarkReceived()
+	defer tr.Destroy(structs.NewTaskEvent(structs.TaskKilled))
+	defer tr.ctx.AllocDir.Destroy()
+	go tr.Run()
+
+	select {
+	case <-tr.WaitCh():
+	case <-time.After(time.Duration(testutil.TestMultiplier()*15) * time.Second):
+		t.Fatalf("timeout")
+	}
+
+	if len(upd.events) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("should have 3 updates: %#v", upd.events)
+	}
+
+	if upd.state != structs.TaskStateDead {
+		t.Fatalf("TaskState %v; want %v", upd.state, structs.TaskStateDead)
+	}
+
+	if upd.events[0].Type != structs.TaskReceived {
+		t.Fatalf("First Event was %v; want %v", upd.events[0].Type, structs.TaskReceived)
+	}
+
+	if upd.events[1].Type != structs.TaskStarted {
+		t.Fatalf("Second Event was %v; want %v", upd.events[1].Type, structs.TaskStarted)
+	}
+
+	if upd.events[2].Type != structs.TaskTerminated {
+		t.Fatalf("Third Event was %v; want %v", upd.events[2].Type, structs.TaskTerminated)
+	}
+
+	// Check that the file was written to disk properly
+	payloadPath := filepath.Join(tr.taskDir, allocdir.TaskLocal, fileName)
+	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(payloadPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to read file: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(data, expected) {
+		t.Fatalf("Bad; got %v; want %v", string(data), string(expected))
+	}
+}