diff --git a/docs/storage/influxdb.md b/docs/storage/influxdb.md
index f0f20f88..3409e5cc 100644
--- a/docs/storage/influxdb.md
+++ b/docs/storage/influxdb.md
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ Specify what InfluxDB instance to push data to:
  -storage_driver_password
  # Use secure connection with database. False by default
  -storage_driver_secure
+ # retention policy. Default is '' which corresponds to the default retention policy of the influxdb database
+-storage_driver_influxdb_retention_policy
 ```
 
 # Examples
diff --git a/storage/influxdb/influxdb.go b/storage/influxdb/influxdb.go
index f728a723..f1fcf0dd 100644
--- a/storage/influxdb/influxdb.go
+++ b/storage/influxdb/influxdb.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package influxdb
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@ func init() {
 	storage.RegisterStorageDriver("influxdb", new)
 }
 
+var argDbRetentionPolicy = flag.String("storage_driver_influxdb_retention_policy", "", "retention policy")
+
 type influxdbStorage struct {
 	client          *influxdb.Client
 	machineName     string
@@ -82,6 +85,7 @@ func new() (storage.StorageDriver, error) {
 		hostname,
 		*storage.ArgDbTable,
 		*storage.ArgDbName,
+		*argDbRetentionPolicy,
 		*storage.ArgDbUsername,
 		*storage.ArgDbPassword,
 		*storage.ArgDbHost,
@@ -243,10 +247,11 @@ func (self *influxdbStorage) AddStats(ref info.ContainerReference, stats *info.C
 
 		batchTags := map[string]string{tagMachineName: self.machineName}
 		bp := influxdb.BatchPoints{
-			Points:   points,
-			Database: self.database,
-			Tags:     batchTags,
-			Time:     stats.Timestamp,
+			Points:          points,
+			Database:        self.database,
+			RetentionPolicy: self.retentionPolicy,
+			Tags:            batchTags,
+			Time:            stats.Timestamp,
 		}
 		response, err := self.client.Write(bp)
 		if err != nil || checkResponseForErrors(response) != nil {
@@ -268,6 +273,7 @@ func newStorage(
 	machineName,
 	tablename,
 	database,
+	retentionPolicy,
 	username,
 	password,
 	influxdbHost string,
@@ -294,12 +300,13 @@ func newStorage(
 	}
 
 	ret := &influxdbStorage{
-		client:         client,
-		machineName:    machineName,
-		database:       database,
-		bufferDuration: bufferDuration,
-		lastWrite:      time.Now(),
-		points:         make([]*influxdb.Point, 0),
+		client:          client,
+		machineName:     machineName,
+		database:        database,
+		retentionPolicy: retentionPolicy,
+		bufferDuration:  bufferDuration,
+		lastWrite:       time.Now(),
+		points:          make([]*influxdb.Point, 0),
 	}
 	ret.readyToFlush = ret.defaultReadyToFlush
 	return ret, nil
diff --git a/storage/influxdb/influxdb_test.go b/storage/influxdb/influxdb_test.go
index 0b8000c8..bf00e3a4 100644
--- a/storage/influxdb/influxdb_test.go
+++ b/storage/influxdb/influxdb_test.go
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ func runStorageTest(f func(test.TestStorageDriver, *testing.T), t *testing.T, bu
 	username := "root"
 	password := "root"
 	hostname := "localhost:8086"
+	retentionPolicy := "cadvisor_test_rp"
 	// percentilesDuration := 10 * time.Minute
 
 	config := influxdb.Config{
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ func runStorageTest(f func(test.TestStorageDriver, *testing.T), t *testing.T, bu
 	}
 
 	// Re-create the database first.
-	if err := prepareDatabase(client, database); err != nil {
+	if err := prepareDatabase(client, database, retentionPolicy); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ func runStorageTest(f func(test.TestStorageDriver, *testing.T), t *testing.T, bu
 	driver, err := newStorage(machineName,
 		table,
 		database,
+		retentionPolicy,
 		username,
 		password,
 		hostname,
@@ -133,6 +135,7 @@ func runStorageTest(f func(test.TestStorageDriver, *testing.T), t *testing.T, bu
 	driverForAnotherMachine, err := newStorage("machineB",
 		table,
 		database,
+		retentionPolicy,
 		username,
 		password,
 		hostname,
@@ -150,7 +153,7 @@ func runStorageTest(f func(test.TestStorageDriver, *testing.T), t *testing.T, bu
 	f(testDriver, t)
 }
 
-func prepareDatabase(client *influxdb.Client, database string) error {
+func prepareDatabase(client *influxdb.Client, database string, retentionPolicy string) error {
 	dropDbQuery := influxdb.Query{
 		Command: fmt.Sprintf("drop database \"%v\"", database),
 	}
@@ -161,7 +164,7 @@ func prepareDatabase(client *influxdb.Client, database string) error {
 	// Depending on the InfluxDB configuration it may be created automatically with the database or not.
 	// TODO create ret. policy only if not present
 	createPolicyQuery := influxdb.Query{
-		Command: fmt.Sprintf("create retention policy \"default\" on \"%v\" duration 1h replication 1 default", database),
+		Command: fmt.Sprintf("create retention policy \"%v\" on \"%v\" duration 1h replication 1 default", retentionPolicy, database),
 	}
 	_, err := client.Query(dropDbQuery)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -181,6 +184,7 @@ func TestContainerFileSystemStatsToPoints(t *testing.T) {
 	machineName := "testMachine"
 	table := "cadvisor_table"
 	database := "cadvisor_test"
+	retentionPolicy := "cadvisor_test_rp"
 	username := "root"
 	password := "root"
 	influxdbHost := "localhost:8086"
@@ -188,6 +192,7 @@ func TestContainerFileSystemStatsToPoints(t *testing.T) {
 	storage, err := newStorage(machineName,
 		table,
 		database,
+		retentionPolicy,
 		username,
 		password,
 		influxdbHost,
@@ -252,6 +257,7 @@ func createTestStorage() (*influxdbStorage, error) {
 	machineName := "testMachine"
 	table := "cadvisor_table"
 	database := "cadvisor_test"
+	retentionPolicy := "cadvisor_test_rp"
 	username := "root"
 	password := "root"
 	influxdbHost := "localhost:8086"
@@ -259,6 +265,7 @@ func createTestStorage() (*influxdbStorage, error) {
 	storage, err := newStorage(machineName,
 		table,
 		database,
+		retentionPolicy,
 		username,
 		password,
 		influxdbHost,