diff --git a/docs/running-on-yarn.md b/docs/running-on-yarn.md
index 9bc20dbf926b2..ffc88dd2b822a 100644
--- a/docs/running-on-yarn.md
+++ b/docs/running-on-yarn.md
@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ Most of the configs are the same for Spark on YARN as for other deployment modes
      the environment of the executor launcher. 
   </td>
 </tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><code>spark.yarn.maxappattempts</code></td>
+  <td>YARN Default</td>
+  <td>
+  The maximum number of attempts that will be made to submit the application.
+  See <a href="https://hadoop.apache.org/docs/current/api/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/api/records/ApplicationSubmissionContext.html#setMaxAppAttempts%28int%29">this YARN Doc.</a>
+  </td>
+</tr>
 </table>
 
 # Launching Spark on YARN
diff --git a/yarn/stable/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/Client.scala b/yarn/stable/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/Client.scala
index 15f3c4f180ea3..80255f9ce3acc 100644
--- a/yarn/stable/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/Client.scala
+++ b/yarn/stable/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/Client.scala
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ class Client(clientArgs: ClientArguments, hadoopConf: Configuration, spConf: Spa
     appContext.setQueue(args.amQueue)
     appContext.setAMContainerSpec(amContainer)
     appContext.setApplicationType("SPARK")
+    sparkConf.getOption("spark.yarn.maxappattempts").map(_.toInt) match {
+      case Some(v) => appContext.setMaxAppAttempts(v)
+      case None => logDebug("Not setting spark.yarn.maxappattempts. Cluster default will be used.")
+    }
 
     // Memory for the ApplicationMaster.
     val memoryResource = Records.newRecord(classOf[Resource]).asInstanceOf[Resource]