diff --git a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLoader.java b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLoader.java
index 8460af01..d23f8683 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLoader.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLoader.java
@@ -125,10 +125,16 @@ public abstract class AbstractConfigDataLoader<L extends AbstractConfigDataLocat
 		catch (Exception e) {
 			error = e;
 		}
-		if (properties.isFailFast()) {
-			throw new IllegalStateException(
-					"Could not locate PropertySource and the fail fast property is set, failing"
-							+ (errorBody == null ? "" : ": " + errorBody),
+		if (properties.isFailFast() || !location.isOptional()) {
+			String reason;
+			if (properties.isFailFast()) {
+				reason = "the fail fast property is set";
+			}
+			else {
+				reason = "the location is not optional";
+			}
+			throw new IllegalStateException("Could not locate PropertySource and "
+					+ reason + ", failing" + (errorBody == null ? "" : ": " + errorBody),
 					error);
 		}
 		logger.warn("Could not locate PropertySource: "
diff --git a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLocation.java b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLocation.java
index 24c6e3b6..9120ba12 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLocation.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLocation.java
@@ -29,12 +29,15 @@ public abstract class AbstractConfigDataLocation extends ConfigDataLocation {
 
 	private final ConfigClientProperties properties;
 
+	private final boolean optional;
+
 	private final Profiles profiles;
 
 	public AbstractConfigDataLocation(RestTemplate restTemplate,
-			ConfigClientProperties properties, Profiles profiles) {
+			ConfigClientProperties properties, boolean optional, Profiles profiles) {
 		this.restTemplate = restTemplate;
 		this.properties = properties;
+		this.optional = optional;
 		this.profiles = profiles;
 	}
 
@@ -46,6 +49,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractConfigDataLocation extends ConfigDataLocation {
 		return this.properties;
 	}
 
+	public boolean isOptional() {
+		return this.optional;
+	}
+
 	public Profiles getProfiles() {
 		return this.profiles;
 	}
@@ -61,18 +68,21 @@ public abstract class AbstractConfigDataLocation extends ConfigDataLocation {
 		AbstractConfigDataLocation that = (AbstractConfigDataLocation) o;
 		return Objects.equals(this.restTemplate, that.restTemplate)
 				&& Objects.equals(this.properties, that.properties)
+				&& Objects.equals(this.optional, that.optional)
 				&& Objects.equals(this.profiles, that.profiles);
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public int hashCode() {
-		return Objects.hash(this.restTemplate, this.properties, this.profiles);
+		return Objects.hash(this.restTemplate, this.properties, this.optional,
+				this.profiles);
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public String toString() {
 		return new ToStringCreator(this).append("uris", properties.getUri())
-				.append("profiles", profiles.getAccepted()).toString();
+				.append("optional", optional).append("profiles", profiles.getAccepted())
+				.toString();
 
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLocationResolver.java b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLocationResolver.java
index 12ab00fc..70f7ebc8 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLocationResolver.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/AbstractConfigDataLocationResolver.java
@@ -103,12 +103,13 @@ public abstract class AbstractConfigDataLocationResolver<L extends AbstractConfi
 		return PREFIX;
 	}
 
-	public List<L> resolve(ConfigDataLocationResolverContext context, String location) {
+	public List<L> resolve(ConfigDataLocationResolverContext context, String location,
+			boolean optional) {
 		return Collections.emptyList();
 	}
 
 	public List<L> resolveProfileSpecific(ConfigDataLocationResolverContext context,
-			String location, Profiles profiles) {
+			String location, boolean optional, Profiles profiles) {
 
 		ConfigClientProperties properties = loadProperties(context.getBinder());
 
@@ -123,12 +124,13 @@ public abstract class AbstractConfigDataLocationResolver<L extends AbstractConfi
 		RestTemplate restTemplate = createRestTemplate(properties);
 
 		List<L> locations = new ArrayList<>();
-		locations.add(createConfigDataLocation(profiles, properties, restTemplate));
+		locations.add(
+				createConfigDataLocation(optional, profiles, properties, restTemplate));
 
 		return locations;
 	}
 
-	protected abstract L createConfigDataLocation(Profiles profiles,
+	protected abstract L createConfigDataLocation(boolean optional, Profiles profiles,
 			ConfigClientProperties properties, RestTemplate restTemplate);
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/ConfigServerConfigDataLocation.java b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/ConfigServerConfigDataLocation.java
index f3df9478..c5f1cd25 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/ConfigServerConfigDataLocation.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/ConfigServerConfigDataLocation.java
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ import org.springframework.web.client.RestTemplate;
 public class ConfigServerConfigDataLocation extends AbstractConfigDataLocation {
 
 	public ConfigServerConfigDataLocation(RestTemplate restTemplate,
-			ConfigClientProperties properties, Profiles profiles) {
-		super(restTemplate, properties, profiles);
+			ConfigClientProperties properties, boolean optional, Profiles profiles) {
+		super(restTemplate, properties, optional, profiles);
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/ConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver.java b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/ConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver.java
index 35489a6e..abb5fb04 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/ConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/ConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver.java
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@ public class ConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	protected ConfigServerConfigDataLocation createConfigDataLocation(Profiles profiles,
-			ConfigClientProperties properties, RestTemplate restTemplate) {
-		return new ConfigServerConfigDataLocation(restTemplate, properties, profiles);
+	protected ConfigServerConfigDataLocation createConfigDataLocation(boolean optional,
+			Profiles profiles, ConfigClientProperties properties,
+			RestTemplate restTemplate) {
+		return new ConfigServerConfigDataLocation(restTemplate, properties, optional,
+				profiles);
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/TestConfigServerConfigDataLocation.java b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/TestConfigServerConfigDataLocation.java
index 7d63d589..5e632445 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/TestConfigServerConfigDataLocation.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/TestConfigServerConfigDataLocation.java
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ import org.springframework.web.client.RestTemplate;
 public class TestConfigServerConfigDataLocation extends AbstractConfigDataLocation {
 
 	public TestConfigServerConfigDataLocation(RestTemplate restTemplate,
-			ConfigClientProperties properties, Profiles profiles) {
-		super(restTemplate, properties, profiles);
+			ConfigClientProperties properties, boolean optional, Profiles profiles) {
+		super(restTemplate, properties, optional, profiles);
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/TestConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver.java b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/TestConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver.java
index 85c51dca..bb64c427 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-config-client/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/TestConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-config-client/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/client/TestConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver.java
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ public class TestConfigServerConfigDataLocationResolver
 
 	@Override
 	protected TestConfigServerConfigDataLocation createConfigDataLocation(
-			Profiles profiles, ConfigClientProperties properties,
+			boolean optional, Profiles profiles, ConfigClientProperties properties,
 			RestTemplate restTemplate) {
-		return new TestConfigServerConfigDataLocation(restTemplate, properties, profiles);
+		return new TestConfigServerConfigDataLocation(restTemplate, properties, optional,
+				profiles);
 	}
 
 }