diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 185bfcc..5398209 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 ---
 # defaults file for ansible-consul
+consul_bin_path: "/usr/local/bin"
 consul_server: True
 consul_ui: True
+consul_config_path: "/etc/consul.d"
+consul_bootstrap_state: "{{ consul_config_path }}/.consul_bootstrapped"
 consul_iface: "{{ ansible_default_ipv4.interface }}"
 consul_bind_address: "{{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_'+ consul_iface | replace('-', '_')]['ipv4']['address']}}"
 consul_client_addr: "127.0.0.1"
@@ -9,8 +12,7 @@ consul_bootstrap: False
 consul_domain: "consul"
 consul_data_dir: "/opt/consul"
 consul_datacenter: "dc1"
-consul_gossip_encryption_key:
-
+consul_encrypt_enable: True
 consul_ansible_group: "consul"
 consul_servers_list: "\
   {% set _consul_servers_list = [] %}\
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 6edd5e7..ead628f 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 ---
+- name: Read bootstrapped state
+  stat:
+    path: "{{ consul_bootstrap_state }}"
+  register: bootstrap_state
+  ignore_errors: true
+
+
 - name: Include OS-specific variables
   include_vars: "{{ item }}"
   with_first_found:
@@ -19,12 +26,93 @@
     path: "{{ consul_data_dir }}"
     mode: 0755
 
+- block:
+    - block:
+        - name: Check for gossip encryption key on previously boostrapped server
+          slurp:
+            src: "{{ consul_config_path }}/config.json"
+          register: consul_config_b64
+          ignore_errors: true
+        - debug:
+            msg: "{{consul_config_b64}}"
+        - name: Deserialize existing configuration
+          set_fact:
+            consul_config: "{{ consul_config_b64.content | b64decode | from_json }}"
+          when: consul_config_b64.content is defined and consul_config_b64.content != ""
+
+        - name: Save gossip encryption key from existing configuration
+          set_fact:
+            consul_raw_key: "{{ consul_config.encrypt }}"
+          when: consul_config is defined
+
+      when:
+        - consul_raw_key is not defined
+        - bootstrap_state.stat.exists | bool
+        - inventory_hostname in consul_servers_list
+
+    # Key provided by extra vars or the above block
+    - name: Write gossip encryption key locally for use with new servers
+      copy:
+        content: "{{ consul_raw_key }}"
+        dest: '/tmp/consul_raw.key'
+        mode: 0600
+      become: false
+      vars:
+        ansible_become: false
+      no_log: true
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      changed_when: false
+      when: consul_raw_key is defined
+
+    # Generate new key if none was found
+    - block:
+        - name: Generate gossip encryption key
+          shell: "PATH={{ consul_bin_path }}:$PATH consul keygen"
+          register: consul_keygen
+
+        - name: Write key locally to share with other nodes
+          copy:
+            content: "{{ consul_keygen.stdout }}"
+            dest: '/tmp/consul_raw.key'
+          become: false
+          vars:
+            ansible_become: false
+          delegate_to: localhost
+
+      no_log: true
+      run_once: true
+      when:
+        # if files '/tmp/consul_raw.key' exist
+        - lookup('first_found', dict(files=['/tmp/consul_raw.key'], skip=true)) | ternary(false, true)
+        - not bootstrap_state.stat.exists | bool
+
+    - name: Read gossip encryption key for servers that require it
+      set_fact:
+        consul_raw_key: "{{ lookup('file', '/tmp/consul_raw.key') }}"
+      no_log: true
+      when:
+        - consul_raw_key is not defined
+
+    - name: Delete gossip encryption key file
+      file:
+        path: '/tmp/consul_raw.key'
+        state: absent
+      become: false
+      vars:
+        ansible_become: false
+      run_once: true
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      changed_when: false
+  #no_log: true
+  when:
+    - consul_encrypt_enable | bool
+
 - name: apply config template
   block:
     - name: server template
       template:
-        src: config.hcl.j2
-        dest: /etc/consul.d/config.hcl
+        src: config.json.j2
+        dest: "{{ consul_config_path}}/config.json"
         owner: consul
         mode: 0644
   notify: reload consul configuration
@@ -45,11 +133,19 @@
         job: "{{ consul_data_dir }}/cs-backup.sh {{ consul_backup_location }}"
         hour: "{{consul_cron_hour}}"
   when: consul_snapshot
+
 - name: ensure service is started
   systemd:
     name: "{{  consul_service_name }}"
     state: started
     enabled: True
 
+- name: Create bootstrapped state file
+  file:
+    dest: "{{ consul_bootstrap_state }}"
+    state: touch
+    mode: 0600
+  when: not bootstrap_state.stat.exists
+
 - include_tasks: dnsmasq.yml
   when: consul_dnsmasq_enable | bool
diff --git a/templates/config.hcl.j2 b/templates/config.json.j2
similarity index 54%
rename from templates/config.hcl.j2
rename to templates/config.json.j2
index 81a3b05..b17837b 100644
--- a/templates/config.hcl.j2
+++ b/templates/config.json.j2
@@ -1,35 +1,30 @@
-
-bootstrap= {{consul_bootstrap|lower}}
-server= {{consul_server|lower}}
+{
+"bootstrap": {{consul_bootstrap|lower}},
+"server": {{consul_server|lower}},
 {% if consul_server %}
-bootstrap_expect= {{consul_bootstrap_expect}}
+"bootstrap_expect": {{consul_bootstrap_expect}},
 {% endif %}
-domain= "{{consul_domain}}"
+"domain": "{{consul_domain}}",
 {% if consul_bind_address %}
-bind_addr="{{consul_bind_address}}"
+"bind_addr":"{{consul_bind_address}}",
 {% endif %}
 {% if consul_client_addr %}
-client_addr="{{consul_client_addr}}"
-{% endif %}
-
-{%if consul_ui %}
-ui_config {
-  enabled = true
-}
-{%endif%}
-
-{% if consul_gossip_encryption_key %}
-encrypt= "{{consul_gossip_encryption_key}}"
+"client_addr":"{{consul_client_addr}}",
 {% endif %}
 
 
-datacenter= "{{consul_datacenter}}"
-data_dir= "{{consul_data_dir}}"
-acl {
-  enabled = false
-  default_policy = "allow"
-  enable_token_persistence = true
-}
+{% if consul_raw_key %}
+"encrypt": "{{consul_raw_key}}",
+{% endif %}
+
+
+"datacenter": "{{consul_datacenter}}",
+"data_dir": "{{consul_data_dir}}",
+"acl": {
+  "enabled": false,
+  "default_policy": "allow",
+  "enable_token_persistence": true
+},
 {%if consul_retry_join_force %}
 {% for server in consul_retry_join_force %}
   {% set _ = consul_join.append(server) %}
@@ -39,11 +34,15 @@ acl {
 {%   set _ = consul_join.append(hostvars[server]['consul_bind_address'] | default(hostvars[server]['ansible_default_ipv4']['address'],true) | mandatory) %}
 {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}
-retry_join= {{ consul_join | map('ipwrap') | list | to_json }}
+"retry_join": {{ consul_join | map('ipwrap') | list | to_json }},
 
 {% if _consul_wan_servercount | int > 0 %}
   {% for server in _consul_wan_servers %}
   {%   set _ = consul_join_wan.append(hostvars[server]['consul_bind_address']|default(hostvars[server]['ansible_default_ipv4']['address'],true) | mandatory) %}
   {% endfor %}
-retry_join_wan= {{ consul_join_wan | map('ipwrap') | list | to_json }}
+"retry_join_wan": {{ consul_join_wan | map('ipwrap') | list | to_json }},
 {% endif %}
+"ui_config": {
+"enabled": {{consul_ui|bool|to_json}}
+}
+}