diff --git a/awx/api/management/__init__.py b/awx/api/management/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/awx/api/management/commands/__init__.py b/awx/api/management/commands/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/awx/api/management/commands/uses_mongo.py b/awx/api/management/commands/uses_mongo.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b9bda26a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/awx/api/management/commands/uses_mongo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2015 Ansible, Inc.
+# All Rights Reserved
+
+import sys
+
+from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
+
+from awx.main.task_engine import TaskSerializer
+
+
+class Command(BaseCommand):
+    """Return a exit status of 0 if MongoDB should be active, and an
+    exit status of 1 otherwise.
+
+    This script is intended to be used by bash and init scripts to
+    conditionally start MongoDB, so its focus is on being bash-friendly.
+    """
+    def handle(self, **kwargs):
+        # Get the license data.
+        license_reader = TaskSerializer()
+        license_data = license_reader.from_file()
+
+        # Does the license contain the system tracking feature?
+        # If and only if it does, MongoDB should run.
+        system_tracking = license_data['features']['system_tracking']
+
+        # Okay, do we need MongoDB to be turned on?
+        # This is a silly variable assignment right now, but I expect the
+        # rules here will grow more complicated over time.
+        # FIXME: Most likely this should be False if HA is active
+        #        (not just enabled by license, but actually in use).
+        uses_mongo = system_tracking  # noqa
+
+        # If we do not need Mongo, return a non-zero exit status.
+        print('MongoDB NOT required')
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+        # We do need Mongo, return zero.
+        print('MongoDB required')
+        sys.exit(0)
diff --git a/awx/api/views.py b/awx/api/views.py
index 2a5cda34b3..3da808b3e8 100644
--- a/awx/api/views.py
+++ b/awx/api/views.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import datetime
 import dateutil
 import time
 import socket
+import subprocess
 import sys
 
 # Django
@@ -228,10 +229,21 @@ class ApiV1ConfigView(APIView):
         except Exception:
             # FIX: Log
             return Response({"error": "Invalid License"}, status=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
+
+        # If the license is valid, write it to disk.
         if license_data['valid_key']:
             fh = open(TASK_FILE, "w")
             fh.write(data_actual)
             fh.close()
+
+            # Spawn a task to ensure that MongoDB is started (or stopped)
+            # as appropriate, based on whether the license uses it.
+            if license_data['features']['system_tracking']:
+                subprocess.call('sudo service mongod start', shell=True)
+            else:
+                subprocess.call('sudo service mongod stop', shell=True)
+
+            # Done; return the response.
             return Response(license_data)
         return Response({"error": "Invalid license"}, status=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
 
diff --git a/tools/scripts/ansible-tower b/tools/scripts/ansible-tower
index 1d48843184..a338d75e24 100755
--- a/tools/scripts/ansible-tower
+++ b/tools/scripts/ansible-tower
@@ -27,7 +27,16 @@ fi
 [ -e "${TOWER_CONFIG}" ] && . "${TOWER_CONFIG}"
 
 service_action() {
-    for svc in ${TOWER_SERVICES}; do
+    SERVICES=$TOWER_SERVICES
+
+    # Should MongoDB be managed by this script?
+    # We only manage MongoDB if the license uses it.
+    tower-manage uses_mongo > /dev/null 2> /dev/null
+    if [ $? == 0 ]; then
+        SERVICES="$SERVICES mongod"
+    fi
+
+    for svc in ${SERVICES}; do
         service ${svc} $1
         this_return=$?
         if [ $this_return -gt $worst_return ]; then