diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/Representable.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/Representable.scala
index 223f1c1154..4ec0c7efdc 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/Representable.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/Representable.scala
@@ -93,6 +93,16 @@ private trait RepresentableBimonad[F[_], R] extends RepresentableMonad[F, R] wit
     R.index(fa)(M.empty)
 }
 
+private trait RepresentableDistributive[F[_], R] extends Distributive[F] {
+
+  def R: Representable.Aux[F, R]
+
+  override def distribute[G[_], A, B](ga: G[A])(f: A => F[B])(implicit G: Functor[G]): F[G[B]] =
+    R.tabulate(r => G.map(ga)(a => R.index(f(a))(r)))
+
+  override def map[A, B](fa: F[A])(f: A => B): F[B] = R.F.map(fa)(f)
+}
+
 object Representable {
   type Aux[F[_], R] = Representable[F] { type Representation = R }
 
@@ -119,7 +129,7 @@ object Representable {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Derives a `Bimonad` instance for any `Representable` functor whos representation
+   * Derives a `Bimonad` instance for any `Representable` functor whose representation
    * has a `Monoid` instance.
    */
   def bimonad[F[_], R](implicit Rep: Representable.Aux[F, R], Mon: Monoid[R]): Bimonad[F] =
@@ -127,4 +137,12 @@ object Representable {
       override def R: Representable.Aux[F, R] = Rep
       override def M: Monoid[R] = Mon
     }
+
+  /**
+   * Derives a `Distributive` instance for any `Representable` functor
+   */
+  def distributive[F[_]](implicit Rep: Representable[F]): Distributive[F] =
+    new RepresentableDistributive[F, Rep.Representation] {
+      override def R: Aux[F, Rep.Representation] = Rep
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/RepresentableSuite.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/RepresentableSuite.scala
index c114c2e006..002127a708 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/RepresentableSuite.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/RepresentableSuite.scala
@@ -3,7 +3,14 @@ package cats.tests
 import cats.laws.discipline.SemigroupalTests.Isomorphisms
 import cats.laws.discipline.arbitrary._
 import cats.laws.discipline.eq._
-import cats.laws.discipline.{BimonadTests, MiniInt, MonadTests, RepresentableTests, SerializableTests}
+import cats.laws.discipline.{
+  BimonadTests,
+  DistributiveTests,
+  MiniInt,
+  MonadTests,
+  RepresentableTests,
+  SerializableTests
+}
 import cats.{Bimonad, Eq, Eval, Id, Representable}
 import org.scalacheck.Arbitrary
 import cats.data.Kleisli
@@ -60,7 +67,7 @@ class RepresentableSuite extends CatsSuite {
   }
 
   {
-    //the monadInstance below made a conflict to resolve this one.
+    // the monadInstance below made a conflict to resolve this one.
     // TODO ceedubs is this needed?
     implicit val isoFun1: Isomorphisms[MiniInt => ?] = Isomorphisms.invariant[MiniInt => ?]
 
@@ -68,6 +75,11 @@ class RepresentableSuite extends CatsSuite {
     checkAll("MiniInt => ?", MonadTests[MiniInt => ?].monad[String, String, String])
   }
 
+  {
+    implicit val distributiveInstance = Representable.distributive[Pair]
+    checkAll("Pair[Int]", DistributiveTests[Pair].distributive[Int, Int, Int, Option, MiniInt => ?])
+  }
+
   // Syntax tests. If it compiles is "passes"
   {
     // Pair