diff --git a/include/maxscale/config.h b/include/maxscale/config.h
index 06490ef64..9939da27d 100644
--- a/include/maxscale/config.h
+++ b/include/maxscale/config.h
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ MXS_BEGIN_DECLS
 #define MXS_JSON_PTR_PARAM_SSL_VERIFY_PEER_CERT  MXS_JSON_PTR_PARAMETERS "/ssl_verify_peer_certificate"
 
 /** Non-parameter JSON pointers */
+#define MXS_JSON_PTR_ROUTER   "/data/attributes/router"
 #define MXS_JSON_PTR_MODULE   "/data/attributes/module"
 #define MXS_JSON_PTR_PASSWORD "/data/attributes/password"
 #define MXS_JSON_PTR_ACCOUNT  "/data/attributes/account"
diff --git a/server/core/config_runtime.cc b/server/core/config_runtime.cc
index aacb7e563..8453d40b8 100644
--- a/server/core/config_runtime.cc
+++ b/server/core/config_runtime.cc
@@ -1078,6 +1078,53 @@ bool runtime_create_filter(const char *name, const char *module, MXS_CONFIG_PARA
     return rval;
 }
 
+static bool runtime_create_service(const char *name, const char *router, MXS_CONFIG_PARAMETER* params)
+{
+    mxs::SpinLockGuard guard(crt_lock);
+    bool rval = false;
+
+    if (service_find(name) == NULL)
+    {
+        SERVICE* service = NULL;
+        CONFIG_CONTEXT ctx{(char*)""};
+        ctx.parameters = load_defaults(router, MODULE_FILTER, CN_FILTER);
+
+        if (ctx.parameters)
+        {
+            for (MXS_CONFIG_PARAMETER* p = params; p; p = p->next)
+            {
+                config_replace_param(&ctx, p->name, p->value);
+            }
+
+            if ((service = service_alloc(name, router, ctx.parameters)) == NULL)
+            {
+                runtime_error("Could not create service '%s' with module '%s'", name, router);
+            }
+
+            config_parameter_free(ctx.parameters);
+        }
+
+        if (service)
+        {
+            if (service_serialize(service))
+            {
+                MXS_NOTICE("Created service '%s'", name);
+                rval = true;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                runtime_error("Failed to serialize service '%s'", name);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        runtime_error("Can't create service '%s', it already exists", name);
+    }
+
+    return rval;
+}
+
 bool runtime_destroy_service(SERVICE* service)
 {
     bool rval = false;
@@ -1815,6 +1862,28 @@ MXS_FILTER_DEF* runtime_create_filter_from_json(json_t* json)
     return rval;
 }
 
+SERVICE* runtime_create_service_from_json(json_t* json)
+{
+    SERVICE* rval = NULL;
+
+    if (validate_object_json(json, {MXS_JSON_PTR_ROUTER}, {service_to_filter, object_to_server}))
+    {
+        const char* name = json_string_value(mxs_json_pointer(json, MXS_JSON_PTR_ID));
+        const char* router = json_string_value(mxs_json_pointer(json, MXS_JSON_PTR_ROUTER));
+        MXS_CONFIG_PARAMETER* params = extract_parameters_from_json(json);
+
+        if (runtime_create_service(name, router, params))
+        {
+            rval = service_find(name);
+            ss_dassert(rval);
+        }
+
+        config_parameter_free(params);
+    }
+
+    return rval;
+}
+
 bool object_to_server_relations(const char* target, json_t* old_json, json_t* new_json)
 {
     if (mxs_json_pointer(new_json, MXS_JSON_PTR_RELATIONSHIPS) == NULL)
diff --git a/server/core/internal/config_runtime.h b/server/core/internal/config_runtime.h
index d4ab6fd62..6ac49885a 100644
--- a/server/core/internal/config_runtime.h
+++ b/server/core/internal/config_runtime.h
@@ -275,6 +275,15 @@ MXS_MONITOR* runtime_create_monitor_from_json(json_t* json);
  */
 MXS_FILTER_DEF* runtime_create_filter_from_json(json_t* json);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Create a new service from JSON
+ *
+ * @param json JSON defining the service
+ *
+ * @return Created service or NULL on error
+ */
+SERVICE* runtime_create_service_from_json(json_t* json);
+
 /**
  * @brief Alter a monitor using JSON
  *
diff --git a/server/core/resource.cc b/server/core/resource.cc
index 135615ca7..bf79c1e69 100644
--- a/server/core/resource.cc
+++ b/server/core/resource.cc
@@ -337,6 +337,18 @@ HttpResponse cb_create_filter(const HttpRequest& request)
     return HttpResponse(MHD_HTTP_FORBIDDEN, runtime_get_json_error());
 }
 
+HttpResponse cb_create_service(const HttpRequest& request)
+{
+    ss_dassert(request.get_json());
+
+    if (runtime_create_service_from_json(request.get_json()))
+    {
+        return HttpResponse(MHD_HTTP_NO_CONTENT);
+    }
+
+    return HttpResponse(MHD_HTTP_FORBIDDEN, runtime_get_json_error());
+}
+
 HttpResponse cb_create_service_listener(const HttpRequest& request)
 {
     SERVICE* service = service_find(request.uri_part(1).c_str());
@@ -885,6 +897,7 @@ public:
         m_post.push_back(SResource(new Resource(cb_create_server, 1, "servers")));
         m_post.push_back(SResource(new Resource(cb_create_monitor, 1, "monitors")));
         m_post.push_back(SResource(new Resource(cb_create_filter, 1, "filters")));
+        m_post.push_back(SResource(new Resource(cb_create_service, 1, "services")));
         m_post.push_back(SResource(new Resource(cb_create_service_listener, 3,
                                                 "services", ":service", "listeners")));
         m_post.push_back(SResource(new Resource(cb_create_user, 2, "users", "inet")));