diff --git a/docs/sources/http_api/annotations.md b/docs/sources/http_api/annotations.md
index 2f148e9aded..7aab127cb0c 100644
--- a/docs/sources/http_api/annotations.md
+++ b/docs/sources/http_api/annotations.md
@@ -120,6 +120,37 @@ Content-Type: application/json
 {"message":"Annotation added"}
 ```
 
+## Create Annotation in Graphite format
+
+Creates an annotation by using Graphite-compatible event format. The `when` and `data` fields are optional. If `when` is not specified then the current time will be used as annotation's timestamp. The `tags` field can also be in prior to Graphite `0.10.0`
+format (string with multiple tags being separated by a space).
+
+`POST /api/annotations/graphite`
+
+**Example Request**:
+
+```json
+POST /api/annotations/graphite HTTP/1.1
+Accept: application/json
+Content-Type: application/json
+
+{
+  "what": "Event - deploy",
+  "tags": ["deploy", "production"],
+  "when": 1467844481,
+  "data": "deploy of master branch happened at Wed Jul 6 22:34:41 UTC 2016"
+}
+```
+
+**Example Response**:
+
+```json
+HTTP/1.1 200
+Content-Type: application/json
+
+{"message":"Graphite annotation added"}
+```
+
 ## Update Annotation
 
 `PUT /api/annotations/:id`
diff --git a/pkg/api/annotations.go b/pkg/api/annotations.go
index be069f2b07e..e6454e9cf86 100644
--- a/pkg/api/annotations.go
+++ b/pkg/api/annotations.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package api
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -41,9 +40,22 @@ func GetAnnotations(c *middleware.Context) Response {
 	return Json(200, items)
 }
 
+type CreateAnnotationError struct {
+	message string
+}
+
+func (e *CreateAnnotationError) Error() string {
+	return e.message
+}
+
 func PostAnnotation(c *middleware.Context, cmd dtos.PostAnnotationsCmd) Response {
 	repo := annotations.GetRepository()
 
+	if cmd.Text == "" {
+		err := &CreateAnnotationError{"text field should not be empty"}
+		return ApiError(500, "Failed to save annotation", err)
+	}
+
 	item := annotations.Item{
 		OrgId:       c.OrgId,
 		UserId:      c.UserId,
@@ -55,6 +67,10 @@ func PostAnnotation(c *middleware.Context, cmd dtos.PostAnnotationsCmd) Response
 		Tags:        cmd.Tags,
 	}
 
+	if item.Epoch == 0 {
+		item.Epoch = time.Now().Unix()
+	}
+
 	if err := repo.Save(&item); err != nil {
 		return ApiError(500, "Failed to save annotation", err)
 	}
@@ -82,21 +98,22 @@ func PostAnnotation(c *middleware.Context, cmd dtos.PostAnnotationsCmd) Response
 	return ApiSuccess("Annotation added")
 }
 
-type GraphiteAnnotationError struct {
-	message string
-}
-
-func (e *GraphiteAnnotationError) Error() string {
-	return e.message
-}
-
 func formatGraphiteAnnotation(what string, data string) string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%s\n%s", what, data)
+	text := what
+	if data != "" {
+		text = text + "\n" + data
+	}
+	return text
 }
 
 func PostGraphiteAnnotation(c *middleware.Context, cmd dtos.PostGraphiteAnnotationsCmd) Response {
 	repo := annotations.GetRepository()
 
+	if cmd.What == "" {
+		err := &CreateAnnotationError{"what field should not be empty"}
+		return ApiError(500, "Failed to save Graphite annotation", err)
+	}
+
 	if cmd.When == 0 {
 		cmd.When = time.Now().Unix()
 	}
@@ -106,18 +123,22 @@ func PostGraphiteAnnotation(c *middleware.Context, cmd dtos.PostGraphiteAnnotati
 	var tagsArray []string
 	switch tags := cmd.Tags.(type) {
 	case string:
-		tagsArray = strings.Split(tags, " ")
+		if tags != "" {
+			tagsArray = strings.Split(tags, " ")
+		} else {
+			tagsArray = []string{}
+		}
 	case []interface{}:
 		for _, t := range tags {
 			if tagStr, ok := t.(string); ok {
 				tagsArray = append(tagsArray, tagStr)
 			} else {
-				err := &GraphiteAnnotationError{"tag should be a string"}
+				err := &CreateAnnotationError{"tag should be a string"}
 				return ApiError(500, "Failed to save Graphite annotation", err)
 			}
 		}
 	default:
-		err := &GraphiteAnnotationError{"unsupported tags format"}
+		err := &CreateAnnotationError{"unsupported tags format"}
 		return ApiError(500, "Failed to save Graphite annotation", err)
 	}
 
@@ -133,7 +154,7 @@ func PostGraphiteAnnotation(c *middleware.Context, cmd dtos.PostGraphiteAnnotati
 		return ApiError(500, "Failed to save Graphite annotation", err)
 	}
 
-	return ApiSuccess("Graphite Annotation added")
+	return ApiSuccess("Graphite annotation added")
 }
 
 func UpdateAnnotation(c *middleware.Context, cmd dtos.UpdateAnnotationsCmd) Response {