diff --git a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/hub.py b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/hub.py
index c31765ff..35880681 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/hub.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/hub.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 # Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
 # Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 
+import json
+
 from tornado import web
 from tornado.ioloop import IOLoop
 
@@ -15,31 +17,32 @@ class ShutdownAPIHandler(APIHandler):
     def post(self):
         """POST /api/shutdown triggers a clean shutdown
         
-        URL parameters:
+        POST (JSON) parameters:
         
         - servers: specify whether single-user servers should be terminated
         - proxy: specify whether the proxy should be terminated
         """
         from ..app import JupyterHub
         app = JupyterHub.instance()
-        proxy = self.get_argument('proxy', '').lower()
-        if proxy == 'false':
-            app.cleanup_proxy = False
-        elif proxy == 'true':
-            app.cleanup_proxy = True
-        elif proxy:
-            raise web.HTTPError(400, "proxy must be true or false, got %r" % proxy)
-        servers = self.get_argument('servers', '').lower()
-        if servers == 'false':
-            app.cleanup_servers = False
-        elif servers == 'true':
-            app.cleanup_servers = True
-        elif servers:
-            raise web.HTTPError(400, "servers must be true or false, got %r" % servers)
+        
+        data = self.get_json_body()
+        if data:
+            if 'proxy' in data:
+                proxy = data['proxy']
+                if proxy not in {True, False}:
+                    raise web.HTTPError(400, "proxy must be true or false, got %r" % proxy)
+                app.cleanup_proxy = proxy
+            if 'servers' in data:
+                servers = data['servers']
+                if servers not in {True, False}:
+                    raise web.HTTPError(400, "servers must be true or false, got %r" % servers)
+                app.cleanup_servers = servers
         
         # finish the request
         self.set_status(202)
-        self.finish()
+        self.finish(json.dumps({
+            "message": "Shutting down Hub"
+        }))
         
         # stop the eventloop, which will trigger cleanup
         loop = IOLoop.current()
diff --git a/share/jupyter/hub/static/js/admin.js b/share/jupyter/hub/static/js/admin.js
index 5ff1d978..51b2d378 100644
--- a/share/jupyter/hub/static/js/admin.js
+++ b/share/jupyter/hub/static/js/admin.js
@@ -169,5 +169,21 @@ require(["jquery", "bootstrap", "moment", "jhapi", "utils"], function ($, bs, mo
             }
         });
     });
+
+    $("#shutdown-hub").click(function () {
+        var dialog = $("#shutdown-hub-dialog");
+        dialog.find("input[type=checkbox]").prop("checked", true);
+        dialog.modal();
+    });
+
+    $("#shutdown-hub-dialog").find(".shutdown-button").click(function () {
+        var dialog = $("#shutdown-hub-dialog");
+        var servers = dialog.find(".shutdown-servers-checkbox").prop("checked");
+        var proxy = dialog.find(".shutdown-proxy-checkbox").prop("checked");
+        api.shutdown_hub({
+            proxy: proxy,
+            servers: servers,
+        });
+    });
     
 });
diff --git a/share/jupyter/hub/static/js/jhapi.js b/share/jupyter/hub/static/js/jhapi.js
index 31051f75..15886e1e 100644
--- a/share/jupyter/hub/static/js/jhapi.js
+++ b/share/jupyter/hub/static/js/jhapi.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ define(['jquery', 'utils'], function ($, utils) {
     
     var default_options = {
         type: 'GET',
-        headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
+        contentType: "application/json",
         cache: false,
         dataType : "json",
         processData: false,
@@ -122,5 +122,14 @@ define(['jquery', 'utils'], function ($, utils) {
         );
     };
     
+    JHAPI.prototype.shutdown_hub = function (data, options) {
+        options = options || {};
+        options = update(options, {type: 'POST'});
+        if (data) {
+            options.data = JSON.stringify(data);
+        }
+        this.api_request('shutdown', options);
+    };
+    
     return JHAPI;
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/share/jupyter/hub/templates/admin.html b/share/jupyter/hub/templates/admin.html
index 99725deb..742bf8cf 100644
--- a/share/jupyter/hub/templates/admin.html
+++ b/share/jupyter/hub/templates/admin.html
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
     <tbody>
       <tr class="user-row add-user-row">
         <td colspan="5">
-          <a id="add-user" class="col-xs-12 btn btn-default">Add User</a>
+          <a id="add-user" class="col-xs-5 btn btn-default">Add User</a>
+          <a id="shutdown-hub" class="col-xs-4 col-xs-offset-3 btn btn-danger">Shutdown Hub</a>
         </td>
       </tr>
   {% for u in users %}
@@ -66,6 +67,21 @@
   This operation cannot be undone.
 {% endcall %}
 
+{% call modal('Shutdown Hub', btn_label='Shutdown', btn_class='btn-danger shutdown-button') %}
+  Are you sure you want to shutdown the Hub?
+  You can chose to leave the proxy and/or single-user servers running by unchecking the boxes below:
+  <div class="checkbox">
+    <label>
+      <input type="checkbox" class="shutdown-proxy-checkbox">Shutdown proxy
+    </label>
+  </div>
+  <div class="checkbox">
+    <label>
+      <input type="checkbox" class="shutdown-servers-checkbox">Shutdown single-user-servers
+    </label>
+  </div>
+{% endcall %}
+
 {% macro user_modal(name) %}
 {% call modal(name, btn_class='btn-primary save-button') %}
 <div class="form-group">