diff --git a/caravel/forms.py b/caravel/forms.py
index c226ad59c4aa6..f67078828949f 100644
--- a/caravel/forms.py
+++ b/caravel/forms.py
@@ -214,6 +214,15 @@ def __init__(self, viz):
                 'Y',
                 choices=self.choicify(datasource.column_names),
                 description="Columns to display"),
+            'druid_time_origin': SelectField(
+                'Origin',
+                choices=(
+                    ('', 'default'),
+                    ('now', 'now'),
+                ),
+                description=(
+                    "Defines the origin where time buckets start, "
+                    "accepts natural dates as in 'now', 'sunday' or '1970-01-01'")),
             'granularity': FreeFormSelectField(
                 'Time Granularity', default="one day",
                 choices=self.choicify([
@@ -617,9 +626,10 @@ def add_to_form(attrs):
                 time_fields = 'granularity_sqla'
                 add_to_form((time_fields, ))
         else:
-            time_fields = 'granularity'
-            add_to_form(('granularity',))
+            time_fields = ('granularity', 'druid_time_origin')
+            add_to_form(('granularity', 'druid_time_origin'))
             field_css_classes['granularity'] = ['form-control', 'select2_freeform']
+            field_css_classes['druid_time_origin'] = ['form-control', 'select2_freeform']
         add_to_form(('since', 'until'))
 
         QueryForm.fieldsets = ({
diff --git a/caravel/models.py b/caravel/models.py
index 57500b9c35ab4..8fdf1450175d7 100644
--- a/caravel/models.py
+++ b/caravel/models.py
@@ -1013,6 +1013,10 @@ def query(
                 granularity).total_seconds() * 1000
         if not isinstance(granularity, string_types):
             granularity = {"type": "duration", "duration": granularity}
+            origin = extras.get('druid_time_origin')
+            if origin:
+                dttm = utils.parse_human_datetime(origin)
+                granularity['origin'] = dttm.isoformat()
 
         qry = dict(
             datasource=self.datasource_name,
diff --git a/caravel/viz.py b/caravel/viz.py
index 79548446ed5d1..9d5f56fc4fbaf 100644
--- a/caravel/viz.py
+++ b/caravel/viz.py
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ def query_obj(self):
             'where': form_data.get("where", ''),
             'having': form_data.get("having", ''),
             'time_grain_sqla': form_data.get("time_grain_sqla", ''),
+            'druid_time_origin': form_data.get("druid_time_origin", ''),
         }
         d = {
             'granularity': granularity,