diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sensor/miflora.py b/homeassistant/components/sensor/miflora.py
index 063c4e8068e..349e55abb5d 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sensor/miflora.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sensor/miflora.py
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ from homeassistant.components.sensor import PLATFORM_SCHEMA
 from homeassistant.helpers.entity import Entity
 import homeassistant.helpers.config_validation as cv
 from homeassistant.const import (
-    CONF_MONITORED_CONDITIONS, CONF_NAME, CONF_MAC)
+    CONF_FORCE_UPDATE, CONF_MONITORED_CONDITIONS, CONF_NAME, CONF_MAC
+)
 
 REQUIREMENTS = ['miflora==0.1.16']
 
@@ -20,7 +21,6 @@ _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 CONF_ADAPTER = 'adapter'
 CONF_CACHE = 'cache_value'
-CONF_FORCE_UPDATE = 'force_update'
 CONF_MEDIAN = 'median'
 CONF_RETRIES = 'retries'
 CONF_TIMEOUT = 'timeout'
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sensor/mqtt.py b/homeassistant/components/sensor/mqtt.py
index 70b1294c13f..bf7de94b5d7 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sensor/mqtt.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sensor/mqtt.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ import voluptuous as vol
 from homeassistant.core import callback
 from homeassistant.components.mqtt import CONF_STATE_TOPIC, CONF_QOS
 from homeassistant.const import (
-    CONF_NAME, CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE, STATE_UNKNOWN, CONF_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT)
+    CONF_FORCE_UPDATE, CONF_NAME, CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE, STATE_UNKNOWN,
+    CONF_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT)
 from homeassistant.helpers.entity import Entity
 import homeassistant.components.mqtt as mqtt
 import homeassistant.helpers.config_validation as cv
@@ -22,7 +23,6 @@ from homeassistant.util import dt as dt_util
 
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-CONF_FORCE_UPDATE = 'force_update'
 CONF_EXPIRE_AFTER = 'expire_after'
 
 DEFAULT_NAME = 'MQTT Sensor'
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sensor/rest.py b/homeassistant/components/sensor/rest.py
index 86362e8f2d9..19f5a1c271e 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sensor/rest.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sensor/rest.py
@@ -13,10 +13,11 @@ from requests.auth import HTTPBasicAuth, HTTPDigestAuth
 
 from homeassistant.components.sensor import PLATFORM_SCHEMA
 from homeassistant.const import (
-    CONF_PAYLOAD, CONF_NAME, CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE, CONF_METHOD, CONF_RESOURCE,
-    CONF_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT, STATE_UNKNOWN, CONF_VERIFY_SSL, CONF_USERNAME,
-    CONF_PASSWORD, CONF_AUTHENTICATION, HTTP_BASIC_AUTHENTICATION,
-    HTTP_DIGEST_AUTHENTICATION, CONF_HEADERS)
+    CONF_AUTHENTICATION, CONF_FORCE_UPDATE, CONF_HEADERS, CONF_NAME,
+    CONF_METHOD, CONF_PASSWORD, CONF_PAYLOAD, CONF_RESOURCE,
+    CONF_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT, CONF_USERNAME,
+    CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE, CONF_VERIFY_SSL,
+    HTTP_BASIC_AUTHENTICATION, HTTP_DIGEST_AUTHENTICATION, STATE_UNKNOWN)
 from homeassistant.helpers.entity import Entity
 import homeassistant.helpers.config_validation as cv
 
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 DEFAULT_METHOD = 'GET'
 DEFAULT_NAME = 'REST Sensor'
 DEFAULT_VERIFY_SSL = True
+DEFAULT_FORCE_UPDATE = False
 
 CONF_JSON_ATTRS = 'json_attributes'
 METHODS = ['POST', 'GET']
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ PLATFORM_SCHEMA = PLATFORM_SCHEMA.extend({
     vol.Optional(CONF_USERNAME): cv.string,
     vol.Optional(CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
     vol.Optional(CONF_VERIFY_SSL, default=DEFAULT_VERIFY_SSL): cv.boolean,
+    vol.Optional(CONF_FORCE_UPDATE, default=DEFAULT_FORCE_UPDATE): cv.boolean,
 })
 
 
@@ -59,6 +62,7 @@ def setup_platform(hass, config, add_devices, discovery_info=None):
     unit = config.get(CONF_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT)
     value_template = config.get(CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE)
     json_attrs = config.get(CONF_JSON_ATTRS)
+    force_update = config.get(CONF_FORCE_UPDATE)
 
     if value_template is not None:
         value_template.hass = hass
@@ -74,14 +78,15 @@ def setup_platform(hass, config, add_devices, discovery_info=None):
     rest.update()
 
     add_devices([RestSensor(
-        hass, rest, name, unit, value_template, json_attrs)], True)
+        hass, rest, name, unit, value_template, json_attrs, force_update
+    )], True)
 
 
 class RestSensor(Entity):
     """Implementation of a REST sensor."""
 
-    def __init__(self, hass, rest, name,
-                 unit_of_measurement, value_template, json_attrs):
+    def __init__(self, hass, rest, name, unit_of_measurement,
+                 value_template, json_attrs, force_update):
         """Initialize the REST sensor."""
         self._hass = hass
         self.rest = rest
@@ -91,6 +96,7 @@ class RestSensor(Entity):
         self._value_template = value_template
         self._json_attrs = json_attrs
         self._attributes = None
+        self._force_update = force_update
 
     @property
     def name(self):
@@ -112,6 +118,11 @@ class RestSensor(Entity):
         """Return the state of the device."""
         return self._state
 
+    @property
+    def force_update(self):
+        """Force update."""
+        return self._force_update
+
     def update(self):
         """Get the latest data from REST API and update the state."""
         self.rest.update()
diff --git a/homeassistant/const.py b/homeassistant/const.py
index 85047f0482e..4f075249e57 100644
--- a/homeassistant/const.py
+++ b/homeassistant/const.py
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ CONF_EXCLUDE = 'exclude'
 CONF_FILE_PATH = 'file_path'
 CONF_FILENAME = 'filename'
 CONF_FOR = 'for'
+CONF_FORCE_UPDATE = 'force_update'
 CONF_FRIENDLY_NAME = 'friendly_name'
 CONF_HEADERS = 'headers'
 CONF_HOST = 'host'
diff --git a/tests/components/sensor/test_rest.py b/tests/components/sensor/test_rest.py
index 1bda8ab82f3..eddab8caf4d 100644
--- a/tests/components/sensor/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/components/sensor/test_rest.py
@@ -132,10 +132,12 @@ class TestRestSensor(unittest.TestCase):
         self.unit_of_measurement = 'MB'
         self.value_template = template('{{ value_json.key }}')
         self.value_template.hass = self.hass
+        self.force_update = False
 
-        self.sensor = rest.RestSensor(self.hass, self.rest, self.name,
-                                      self.unit_of_measurement,
-                                      self.value_template, [])
+        self.sensor = rest.RestSensor(
+            self.hass, self.rest, self.name, self.unit_of_measurement,
+            self.value_template, [], self.force_update
+        )
 
     def tearDown(self):
         """Stop everything that was started."""
@@ -154,6 +156,11 @@ class TestRestSensor(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(
             self.unit_of_measurement, self.sensor.unit_of_measurement)
 
+    def test_force_update(self):
+        """Test the unit of measurement."""
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.force_update, self.sensor.force_update)
+
     def test_state(self):
         """Test the initial state."""
         self.sensor.update()
@@ -182,7 +189,8 @@ class TestRestSensor(unittest.TestCase):
                                 side_effect=self.update_side_effect(
                                     'plain_state'))
         self.sensor = rest.RestSensor(self.hass, self.rest, self.name,
-                                      self.unit_of_measurement, None, [])
+                                      self.unit_of_measurement, None, [],
+                                      self.force_update)
         self.sensor.update()
         self.assertEqual('plain_state', self.sensor.state)
         self.assertTrue(self.sensor.available)
@@ -193,7 +201,8 @@ class TestRestSensor(unittest.TestCase):
                                 side_effect=self.update_side_effect(
                                     '{ "key": "some_json_value" }'))
         self.sensor = rest.RestSensor(self.hass, self.rest, self.name,
-                                      self.unit_of_measurement, None, ['key'])
+                                      self.unit_of_measurement, None, ['key'],
+                                      self.force_update)
         self.sensor.update()
         self.assertEqual('some_json_value',
                          self.sensor.device_state_attributes['key'])
@@ -205,7 +214,8 @@ class TestRestSensor(unittest.TestCase):
                                 side_effect=self.update_side_effect(
                                     '["list", "of", "things"]'))
         self.sensor = rest.RestSensor(self.hass, self.rest, self.name,
-                                      self.unit_of_measurement, None, ['key'])
+                                      self.unit_of_measurement, None, ['key'],
+                                      self.force_update)
         self.sensor.update()
         self.assertEqual({}, self.sensor.device_state_attributes)
         self.assertTrue(mock_logger.warning.called)
@@ -217,7 +227,8 @@ class TestRestSensor(unittest.TestCase):
                                 side_effect=self.update_side_effect(
                                     'This is text rather than JSON data.'))
         self.sensor = rest.RestSensor(self.hass, self.rest, self.name,
-                                      self.unit_of_measurement, None, ['key'])
+                                      self.unit_of_measurement, None, ['key'],
+                                      self.force_update)
         self.sensor.update()
         self.assertEqual({}, self.sensor.device_state_attributes)
         self.assertTrue(mock_logger.warning.called)
@@ -230,12 +241,14 @@ class TestRestSensor(unittest.TestCase):
                                     '{ "key": "json_state_updated_value" }'))
         self.sensor = rest.RestSensor(self.hass, self.rest, self.name,
                                       self.unit_of_measurement,
-                                      self.value_template, ['key'])
+                                      self.value_template, ['key'],
+                                      self.force_update)
         self.sensor.update()
 
         self.assertEqual('json_state_updated_value', self.sensor.state)
         self.assertEqual('json_state_updated_value',
-                         self.sensor.device_state_attributes['key'])
+                         self.sensor.device_state_attributes['key'],
+                         self.force_update)
 
 
 class TestRestData(unittest.TestCase):