diff --git a/pkg/repo/index.go b/pkg/repo/index.go
index 55b984eea..43f1e1c87 100644
--- a/pkg/repo/index.go
+++ b/pkg/repo/index.go
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@ type IndexFile struct {
 	Generated  time.Time                `json:"generated"`
 	Entries    map[string]ChartVersions `json:"entries"`
 	PublicKeys []string                 `json:"publicKeys,omitempty"`
+
+	// Annotations are additional mappings uninterpreted by Helm. They are made available for
+	// other applications to add information to the index file.
+	Annotations map[string]string `json:"annotations,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // NewIndexFile initializes an index.
diff --git a/pkg/repo/index_test.go b/pkg/repo/index_test.go
index c22588971..00135f97c 100644
--- a/pkg/repo/index_test.go
+++ b/pkg/repo/index_test.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	testfile            = "testdata/local-index.yaml"
+	annotationstestfile = "testdata/local-index-annotations.yaml"
 	chartmuseumtestfile = "testdata/chartmuseum-index.yaml"
 	unorderedTestfile   = "testdata/local-index-unordered.yaml"
 	testRepo            = "test-repo"
@@ -153,6 +154,21 @@ func TestLoadIndexFile(t *testing.T) {
 	verifyLocalIndex(t, i)
 }
 
+func TestLoadIndexFileAnnotations(t *testing.T) {
+	i, err := LoadIndexFile(annotationstestfile)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	verifyLocalIndex(t, i)
+
+	if len(i.Annotations) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 1 annotation but got %d", len(i.Annotations))
+	}
+	if i.Annotations["helm.sh/test"] != "foo bar" {
+		t.Error("Did not get expected value for helm.sh/test annotation")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestLoadUnorderedIndex(t *testing.T) {
 	b, err := ioutil.ReadFile(unorderedTestfile)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/repo/testdata/local-index-annotations.yaml b/pkg/repo/testdata/local-index-annotations.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ffaaa15aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/repo/testdata/local-index-annotations.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+apiVersion: v1
+entries:
+  nginx:
+    - urls:
+        - https://kubernetes-charts.storage.googleapis.com/nginx-0.2.0.tgz
+      name: nginx
+      description: string
+      version: 0.2.0
+      home: https://github.com/something/else
+      digest: "sha256:1234567890abcdef"
+      keywords:
+        - popular
+        - web server
+        - proxy
+    - urls:
+        - https://kubernetes-charts.storage.googleapis.com/nginx-0.1.0.tgz
+      name: nginx
+      description: string
+      version: 0.1.0
+      home: https://github.com/something
+      digest: "sha256:1234567890abcdef"
+      keywords:
+        - popular
+        - web server
+        - proxy
+  alpine:
+    - urls:
+        - https://kubernetes-charts.storage.googleapis.com/alpine-1.0.0.tgz
+        - http://storage2.googleapis.com/kubernetes-charts/alpine-1.0.0.tgz
+      name: alpine
+      description: string
+      version: 1.0.0
+      home: https://github.com/something
+      keywords:
+        - linux
+        - alpine
+        - small
+        - sumtin
+      digest: "sha256:1234567890abcdef"
+  chartWithNoURL:
+    - name: chartWithNoURL
+      description: string
+      version: 1.0.0
+      home: https://github.com/something
+      keywords:
+        - small
+        - sumtin
+      digest: "sha256:1234567890abcdef"
+annotations:
+  helm.sh/test: foo bar