diff --git a/src/components/legend/attributes.js b/src/components/legend/attributes.js
index 7179f99bcce..73544f6d9c0 100644
--- a/src/components/legend/attributes.js
+++ b/src/components/legend/attributes.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 var fontAttrs = require('../../plots/font_attributes');
 var colorAttrs = require('../color/attributes');
-
+var Drawing = require('../drawing');
 
 module.exports = {
     bgcolor: {
@@ -77,6 +77,16 @@ module.exports = {
             'or remain *constant* independent of the symbol size on the graph.'
         ].join(' ')
     },
+    itemsymbol: {
+        valType: 'enumerated',
+        values: ['trace'].concat(Drawing.symbolList),
+        dflt: 'trace',
+        editType: 'legend',
+        description: [
+            'Determines if the legend items symbols use the symbol of the first point in each *trace*',
+            'or the specified symbol name.'
+        ].join(' ')
+    },
     itemwidth: {
         valType: 'number',
         min: 30,
diff --git a/src/components/legend/defaults.js b/src/components/legend/defaults.js
index f1e434d8b6f..3dfc6507a7b 100644
--- a/src/components/legend/defaults.js
+++ b/src/components/legend/defaults.js
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ module.exports = function legendDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, fullData) {
     if(helpers.isGrouped(layoutOut.legend)) coerce('tracegroupgap');
 
     coerce('itemsizing');
+    coerce('itemsymbol');
     coerce('itemwidth');
 
     coerce('itemclick');
diff --git a/src/components/legend/style.js b/src/components/legend/style.js
index 0ef881e9af4..e7332de610a 100644
--- a/src/components/legend/style.js
+++ b/src/components/legend/style.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ module.exports = function style(s, gd, legend) {
     var fullLayout = gd._fullLayout;
     if(!legend) legend = fullLayout.legend;
     var constantItemSizing = legend.itemsizing === 'constant';
+    var customItemSymbol = legend.itemsymbol && legend.itemsymbol !== 'trace';
     var itemWidth = legend.itemwidth;
     var centerPos = (itemWidth + constants.itemGap * 2) / 2;
     var centerTransform = strTranslate(centerPos, 0);
@@ -204,6 +205,10 @@ module.exports = function style(s, gd, legend) {
                 valToBound = cst;
             }
 
+            if(customItemSymbol && attrIn === 'marker.symbol') {
+                valToBound = legend.itemsymbol;
+            }
+
             if(bounds) {
                 if(valToBound < bounds[0]) return bounds[0];
                 else if(valToBound > bounds[1]) return bounds[1];