diff --git a/compose/config/config.py b/compose/config/config.py
index dccd11e0d..73a340172 100644
--- a/compose/config/config.py
+++ b/compose/config/config.py
@@ -649,6 +649,8 @@ def process_service(service_config):
     if 'sysctls' in service_dict:
         service_dict['sysctls'] = build_string_dict(parse_sysctls(service_dict['sysctls']))
 
+    service_dict = process_depends_on(service_dict)
+
     for field in ['dns', 'dns_search', 'tmpfs']:
         if field in service_dict:
             service_dict[field] = to_list(service_dict[field])
@@ -658,6 +660,14 @@ def process_service(service_config):
     return service_dict
 
 
+def process_depends_on(service_dict):
+    if 'depends_on' in service_dict and not isinstance(service_dict['depends_on'], dict):
+        service_dict['depends_on'] = dict([
+            (svc, {'condition': 'service_started'}) for svc in service_dict['depends_on']
+        ])
+    return service_dict
+
+
 def process_healthcheck(service_dict, service_name):
     if 'healthcheck' not in service_dict:
         return service_dict
@@ -665,7 +675,7 @@ def process_healthcheck(service_dict, service_name):
     hc = {}
     raw = service_dict['healthcheck']
 
-    if raw.get('disable'):
+    if raw.get('disable') or raw.get('disabled'):
         if len(raw) > 1:
             raise ConfigurationError(
                 'Service "{}" defines an invalid healthcheck: '
diff --git a/compose/config/validation.py b/compose/config/validation.py
index 7452e9849..3f23f0a7a 100644
--- a/compose/config/validation.py
+++ b/compose/config/validation.py
@@ -180,11 +180,13 @@ def validate_links(service_config, service_names):
 
 
 def validate_depends_on(service_config, service_names):
-    for dependency in service_config.config.get('depends_on', []):
+    deps = service_config.config.get('depends_on', {})
+    for dependency in deps.keys():
         if dependency not in service_names:
             raise ConfigurationError(
                 "Service '{s.name}' depends on service '{dep}' which is "
-                "undefined.".format(s=service_config, dep=dependency))
+                "undefined.".format(s=service_config, dep=dependency)
+            )
 
 
 def get_unsupported_config_msg(path, error_key):
@@ -201,7 +203,7 @@ def anglicize_json_type(json_type):
 
 
 def is_service_dict_schema(schema_id):
-    return schema_id in ('config_schema_v1.json',  '#/properties/services')
+    return schema_id in ('config_schema_v1.json', '#/properties/services')
 
 
 def handle_error_for_schema_with_id(error, path):
diff --git a/compose/errors.py b/compose/errors.py
index 376cc5558..415b41e7f 100644
--- a/compose/errors.py
+++ b/compose/errors.py
@@ -10,3 +10,24 @@ class OperationFailedError(Exception):
 class StreamParseError(RuntimeError):
     def __init__(self, reason):
         self.msg = reason
+
+
+class HealthCheckException(Exception):
+    def __init__(self, reason):
+        self.msg = reason
+
+
+class HealthCheckFailed(HealthCheckException):
+    def __init__(self, container_id):
+        super(HealthCheckFailed, self).__init__(
+            'Container "{}" is unhealthy.'.format(container_id)
+        )
+
+
+class NoHealthCheckConfigured(HealthCheckException):
+    def __init__(self, service_name):
+        super(NoHealthCheckConfigured, self).__init__(
+            'Service "{}" is missing a healthcheck configuration'.format(
+                service_name
+            )
+        )
diff --git a/compose/parallel.py b/compose/parallel.py
index 267188728..b2654dcfd 100644
--- a/compose/parallel.py
+++ b/compose/parallel.py
@@ -165,13 +165,14 @@ def feed_queue(objects, func, get_deps, results, state):
     for obj in pending:
         deps = get_deps(obj)
 
-        if any(dep in state.failed for dep in deps):
+        if any(dep[0] in state.failed for dep in deps):
             log.debug('{} has upstream errors - not processing'.format(obj))
             results.put((obj, None, UpstreamError()))
             state.failed.add(obj)
         elif all(
-            dep not in objects or dep in state.finished
-            for dep in deps
+            dep not in objects or (
+                dep in state.finished and (not ready_check or ready_check(dep))
+            ) for dep, ready_check in deps
         ):
             log.debug('Starting producer thread for {}'.format(obj))
             t = Thread(target=producer, args=(obj, func, results))
diff --git a/compose/project.py b/compose/project.py
index 0178bbab0..d99ef7c93 100644
--- a/compose/project.py
+++ b/compose/project.py
@@ -227,7 +227,10 @@ class Project(object):
         services = self.get_services(service_names)
 
         def get_deps(service):
-            return {self.get_service(dep) for dep in service.get_dependency_names()}
+            return {
+                (self.get_service(dep), config)
+                for dep, config in service.get_dependency_configs().items()
+            }
 
         parallel.parallel_execute(
             services,
@@ -243,7 +246,7 @@ class Project(object):
 
         def get_deps(container):
             # actually returning inversed dependencies
-            return {other for other in containers
+            return {(other, None) for other in containers
                     if container.service in
                     self.get_service(other.service).get_dependency_names()}
 
@@ -394,7 +397,10 @@ class Project(object):
             )
 
         def get_deps(service):
-            return {self.get_service(dep) for dep in service.get_dependency_names()}
+            return {
+                (self.get_service(dep), config)
+                for dep, config in service.get_dependency_configs().items()
+            }
 
         results, errors = parallel.parallel_execute(
             services,
diff --git a/compose/service.py b/compose/service.py
index e3862b6ea..1338f1540 100644
--- a/compose/service.py
+++ b/compose/service.py
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ from .const import LABEL_PROJECT
 from .const import LABEL_SERVICE
 from .const import LABEL_VERSION
 from .container import Container
+from .errors import HealthCheckFailed
+from .errors import NoHealthCheckConfigured
 from .errors import OperationFailedError
 from .parallel import parallel_execute
 from .parallel import parallel_start
@@ -69,6 +71,9 @@ DOCKER_START_KEYS = [
     'volumes_from',
 ]
 
+CONDITION_STARTED = 'service_started'
+CONDITION_HEALTHY = 'service_healthy'
+
 
 class BuildError(Exception):
     def __init__(self, service, reason):
@@ -533,10 +538,38 @@ class Service(object):
 
     def get_dependency_names(self):
         net_name = self.network_mode.service_name
-        return (self.get_linked_service_names() +
-                self.get_volumes_from_names() +
-                ([net_name] if net_name else []) +
-                self.options.get('depends_on', []))
+        return (
+            self.get_linked_service_names() +
+            self.get_volumes_from_names() +
+            ([net_name] if net_name else []) +
+            list(self.options.get('depends_on', {}).keys())
+        )
+
+    def get_dependency_configs(self):
+        net_name = self.network_mode.service_name
+        configs = dict(
+            [(name, None) for name in self.get_linked_service_names()]
+        )
+        configs.update(dict(
+            [(name, None) for name in self.get_volumes_from_names()]
+        ))
+        configs.update({net_name: None} if net_name else {})
+        configs.update(self.options.get('depends_on', {}))
+        for svc, config in self.options.get('depends_on', {}).items():
+            if config['condition'] == CONDITION_STARTED:
+                configs[svc] = lambda s: True
+            elif config['condition'] == CONDITION_HEALTHY:
+                configs[svc] = lambda s: s.is_healthy()
+            else:
+                # The config schema already prevents this, but it might be
+                # bypassed if Compose is called programmatically.
+                raise ValueError(
+                    'depends_on condition "{}" is invalid.'.format(
+                        config['condition']
+                    )
+                )
+
+        return configs
 
     def get_linked_service_names(self):
         return [service.name for (service, _) in self.links]
@@ -871,6 +904,24 @@ class Service(object):
             else:
                 log.error(six.text_type(e))
 
+    def is_healthy(self):
+        """ Check that all containers for this service report healthy.
+            Returns false if at least one healthcheck is pending.
+            If an unhealthy container is detected, raise a HealthCheckFailed
+            exception.
+        """
+        result = True
+        for ctnr in self.containers():
+            ctnr.inspect()
+            status = ctnr.get('State.Health.Status')
+            if status is None:
+                raise NoHealthCheckConfigured(self.name)
+            elif status == 'starting':
+                result = False
+            elif status == 'unhealthy':
+                raise HealthCheckFailed(ctnr.short_id)
+        return result
+
 
 def short_id_alias_exists(container, network):
     aliases = container.get(
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/cli_test.py b/tests/acceptance/cli_test.py
index b9766226d..77d578404 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/cli_test.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/cli_test.py
@@ -928,7 +928,7 @@ class CLITestCase(DockerClientTestCase):
         assert foo_container.get('HostConfig.NetworkMode') == \
             'container:{}'.format(bar_container.id)
 
-    @v3_only()
+    @v2_1_only()
     def test_up_with_healthcheck(self):
         def wait_on_health_status(container, status):
             def condition():
diff --git a/tests/integration/project_test.py b/tests/integration/project_test.py
index de0732393..855974de1 100644
--- a/tests/integration/project_test.py
+++ b/tests/integration/project_test.py
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ from compose.config.types import VolumeSpec
 from compose.const import LABEL_PROJECT
 from compose.const import LABEL_SERVICE
 from compose.container import Container
+from compose.errors import HealthCheckFailed
+from compose.errors import NoHealthCheckConfigured
 from compose.project import Project
 from compose.project import ProjectError
 from compose.service import ConvergenceStrategy
@@ -1375,3 +1377,115 @@ class ProjectTest(DockerClientTestCase):
             ctnr for ctnr in project._labeled_containers()
             if ctnr.labels.get(LABEL_SERVICE) == 'service1'
         ]) == 0
+
+    @v2_1_only()
+    def test_project_up_healthy_dependency(self):
+        config_dict = {
+            'version': '2.1',
+            'services': {
+                'svc1': {
+                    'image': 'busybox:latest',
+                    'command': 'top',
+                    'healthcheck': {
+                        'test': 'exit 0',
+                        'retries': 1,
+                        'timeout': '10s',
+                        'interval': '0.1s'
+                    },
+                },
+                'svc2': {
+                    'image': 'busybox:latest',
+                    'command': 'top',
+                    'depends_on': {
+                        'svc1': {'condition': 'service_healthy'},
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        config_data = build_config(config_dict)
+        project = Project.from_config(
+            name='composetest', config_data=config_data, client=self.client
+        )
+        project.up()
+        containers = project.containers()
+        assert len(containers) == 2
+
+        svc1 = project.get_service('svc1')
+        svc2 = project.get_service('svc2')
+        assert 'svc1' in svc2.get_dependency_names()
+        assert svc1.is_healthy()
+
+    @v2_1_only()
+    def test_project_up_unhealthy_dependency(self):
+        config_dict = {
+            'version': '2.1',
+            'services': {
+                'svc1': {
+                    'image': 'busybox:latest',
+                    'command': 'top',
+                    'healthcheck': {
+                        'test': 'exit 1',
+                        'retries': 1,
+                        'timeout': '10s',
+                        'interval': '0.1s'
+                    },
+                },
+                'svc2': {
+                    'image': 'busybox:latest',
+                    'command': 'top',
+                    'depends_on': {
+                        'svc1': {'condition': 'service_healthy'},
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        config_data = build_config(config_dict)
+        project = Project.from_config(
+            name='composetest', config_data=config_data, client=self.client
+        )
+        with pytest.raises(HealthCheckFailed):
+            project.up()
+        containers = project.containers()
+        assert len(containers) == 1
+
+        svc1 = project.get_service('svc1')
+        svc2 = project.get_service('svc2')
+        assert 'svc1' in svc2.get_dependency_names()
+        with pytest.raises(HealthCheckFailed):
+            svc1.is_healthy()
+
+    @v2_1_only()
+    def test_project_up_no_healthcheck_dependency(self):
+        config_dict = {
+            'version': '2.1',
+            'services': {
+                'svc1': {
+                    'image': 'busybox:latest',
+                    'command': 'top',
+                    'healthcheck': {
+                        'disabled': True
+                    },
+                },
+                'svc2': {
+                    'image': 'busybox:latest',
+                    'command': 'top',
+                    'depends_on': {
+                        'svc1': {'condition': 'service_healthy'},
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        config_data = build_config(config_dict)
+        project = Project.from_config(
+            name='composetest', config_data=config_data, client=self.client
+        )
+        with pytest.raises(NoHealthCheckConfigured):
+            project.up()
+        containers = project.containers()
+        assert len(containers) == 1
+
+        svc1 = project.get_service('svc1')
+        svc2 = project.get_service('svc2')
+        assert 'svc1' in svc2.get_dependency_names()
+        with pytest.raises(NoHealthCheckConfigured):
+            svc1.is_healthy()
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/config_test.py b/tests/unit/config/config_test.py
index f7df3aee4..7a68333ff 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config/config_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/config/config_test.py
@@ -920,7 +920,10 @@ class ConfigTest(unittest.TestCase):
                 'build': {'context': os.path.abspath('/')},
                 'image': 'example/web',
                 'volumes': [VolumeSpec.parse('/home/user/project:/code')],
-                'depends_on': ['db', 'other'],
+                'depends_on': {
+                    'db': {'condition': 'container_start'},
+                    'other': {'condition': 'container_start'},
+                },
             },
             {
                 'name': 'db',
@@ -3055,7 +3058,9 @@ class ExtendsTest(unittest.TestCase):
                 image: example
         """)
         services = load_from_filename(str(tmpdir.join('docker-compose.yml')))
-        assert service_sort(services)[2]['depends_on'] == ['other']
+        assert service_sort(services)[2]['depends_on'] == {
+            'other': {'condition': 'container_start'}
+        }
 
 
 @pytest.mark.xfail(IS_WINDOWS_PLATFORM, reason='paths use slash')
diff --git a/tests/unit/parallel_test.py b/tests/unit/parallel_test.py
index 479c0f1d3..2a50b7189 100644
--- a/tests/unit/parallel_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/parallel_test.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ deps = {
 
 
 def get_deps(obj):
-    return deps[obj]
+    return [(dep, None) for dep in deps[obj]]
 
 
 def test_parallel_execute():