diff --git a/checks.d/gearmand.py b/checks.d/gearmand.py
index cae486a7c8..2d9586991e 100644
--- a/checks.d/gearmand.py
+++ b/checks.d/gearmand.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import gearman
 
 class Gearman(AgentCheck):
+    SERVICE_CHECK_NAME = 'gearman.can_connect'
 
     def get_library_versions(self):
         return {"gearman": gearman.__version__}
@@ -57,4 +58,12 @@ def check(self, instance):
         host, port, tags = self._get_conf(instance)
         client = self._get_client(host, port)
         self.log.debug("Connected to gearman")
-        self._get_metrics(client, tags)
+
+        try:
+            self._get_metrics(client, tags)
+            self.service_check(self.SERVICE_CHECK_NAME, AgentCheck.OK,
+                message="Connection to %s:%s succeeded." % (host, port))
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.service_check(self.SERVICE_CHECK_NAME, AgentCheck.CRITICAL,
+                message=str(e))
+            raise
diff --git a/tests/test_gearman.py b/tests/test_gearman.py
index 2f5ad3be69..5aebfa1ba8 100644
--- a/tests/test_gearman.py
+++ b/tests/test_gearman.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import unittest
 from nose.plugins.attrib import attr
 from tests.common import load_check
+from checks import AgentCheck
 
 @attr(requires='gearman')
 class GearmanTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
-    def testMetrics(self):
-
+    def test_metrics(self):
         config = {
             'instances': [{
                 'tags': ['first_tag', 'second_tag']
@@ -18,10 +18,35 @@ def testMetrics(self):
         }
 
         self.check = load_check('gearmand', config, agentConfig)
-
         self.check.check(config['instances'][0])
 
         metrics = self.check.get_metrics()
         self.assertTrue(type(metrics) == type([]), metrics)
         self.assertTrue(len(metrics) == 4)
         self.assertTrue(len([k for k in metrics if "second_tag" in k[3]['tags']]) == 4)
+
+    def test_service_checks(self):
+        config = {
+            'instances': [
+                {'host': '127.0.0.1', 'port': 4730},
+                {'host': '127.0.0.1', 'port': 4731}]
+        }
+        agentConfig = {
+            'version': '0.1',
+            'api_key': 'toto'
+        }
+
+        self.check = load_check('gearmand', config, agentConfig)
+        self.check.check(config['instances'][0])
+        self.assertRaises(self.check.check, Exception, config['instances'][1])
+
+        service_checks = self.check.get_service_checks()
+        self.assertEqual(len(service_checks), 2)
+
+        ok_svc_check = service_checks[0]
+        self.assertEqual(ok_svc_check['check'], self.check.SERVICE_CHECK_NAME)
+        self.assertEqual(ok_svc_check['status'], AgentCheck.OK)
+
+        cr_svc_check = service_checks[1]
+        self.assertEqual(cr_svc_check['check'], self.check.SERVICE_CHECK_NAME)
+        self.assertEqual(cr_svc_check['status'], AgentCheck.CRITICAL)