diff --git a/p2p/peer_error.go b/p2p/peer_error.go
index ab61bfef06..64c5b1f041 100644
--- a/p2p/peer_error.go
+++ b/p2p/peer_error.go
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ const (
 	DiscUnexpectedIdentity
 	DiscSelf
 	DiscReadTimeout
+	DiscPermissionFailed
 	DiscSubprotocolError = 0x10
 )
 
diff --git a/p2p/permissions.go b/p2p/permissions.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..635b08a4be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/p2p/permissions.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package p2p
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p/discover"
+)
+
+const (
+	NODE_NAME_LENGTH    = 32
+	PERMISSIONED_CONFIG = "permissioned-nodes.json"
+)
+
+// check if a given node is permissioned to connect to the change
+func isNodePermissioned(nodename string, currentNode string, datadir string, direction string) bool {
+
+	var permissionedList []string
+	nodes := parsePermissionedNodes(datadir)
+	for _, v := range nodes {
+		permissionedList = append(permissionedList, v.ID.String())
+	}
+
+	log.Debug("isNodePermissioned", "permissionedList", permissionedList)
+	for _, v := range permissionedList {
+		if v == nodename {
+			log.Debug("isNodePermissioned", "connection", direction, "nodename", nodename[:NODE_NAME_LENGTH], "ALLOWED-BY", currentNode[:NODE_NAME_LENGTH])
+			return true
+		}
+		log.Debug("isNodePermissioned", "connection", direction, "nodename", nodename[:NODE_NAME_LENGTH], "DENIED-BY", currentNode[:NODE_NAME_LENGTH])
+	}
+	log.Debug("isNodePermissioned", "connection", direction, "nodename", nodename[:NODE_NAME_LENGTH], "DENIED-BY", currentNode[:NODE_NAME_LENGTH])
+	return false
+}
+
+//this is a shameless copy from the config.go. It is a duplication of the code
+//for the timebeing to allow reload of the permissioned nodes while the server is running
+
+func parsePermissionedNodes(DataDir string) []*discover.Node {
+
+	log.Debug("parsePermissionedNodes", "DataDir", DataDir, "file", PERMISSIONED_CONFIG)
+
+	path := filepath.Join(DataDir, PERMISSIONED_CONFIG)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(path); err != nil {
+		log.Error("Read Error for permissioned-nodes.json file. This is because 'permissioned' flag is specified but no permissioned-nodes.json file is present.", "err", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+	// Load the nodes from the config file
+	blob, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("parsePermissionedNodes: Failed to access nodes", "err", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	nodelist := []string{}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(blob, &nodelist); err != nil {
+		log.Error("parsePermissionedNodes: Failed to load nodes", "err", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+	// Interpret the list as a discovery node array
+	var nodes []*discover.Node
+	for _, url := range nodelist {
+		if url == "" {
+			log.Error("parsePermissionedNodes: Node URL blank")
+			continue
+		}
+		node, err := discover.ParseNode(url)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Error("parsePermissionedNodes: Node URL", "url", url, "err", err)
+			continue
+		}
+		//log.Error("json node:   "+node.String())
+		nodes = append(nodes, node)
+	}
+	return nodes
+}
diff --git a/p2p/server.go b/p2p/server.go
index cdb5b1926e..b0189dd305 100644
--- a/p2p/server.go
+++ b/p2p/server.go
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	// Logger is a custom logger to use with the p2p.Server.
 	Logger log.Logger `toml:",omitempty"`
+
+	EnableNodePermission bool `toml:",omitempty"`
+
+	DataDir string `toml:",omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Server manages all peer connections.
@@ -820,6 +824,38 @@ func (srv *Server) setupConn(c *conn, flags connFlag, dialDest *discover.Node) e
 		srv.log.Trace("Failed RLPx handshake", "addr", c.fd.RemoteAddr(), "conn", c.flags, "err", err)
 		return err
 	}
+
+	//START Permissioning
+	currentNode := srv.NodeInfo().ID
+	cnodeName := srv.NodeInfo().Name
+	log.Trace("Quorum permissioning",
+		"EnableNodePermission", srv.EnableNodePermission,
+		"DataDir", srv.DataDir,
+		"Current Node ID", currentNode,
+		"Node Name", cnodeName,
+		"Dialed Dest", dialDest,
+		"Connection ID", c.id,
+		"Connection String", c.id.String())
+
+
+		log.Trace("Node Permissioning is Enabled.")
+		node := c.id.String()
+		direction := "INCOMING"
+		if dialDest != nil {
+			node = dialDest.ID.String()
+			direction = "OUTGOING"
+			log.Trace("Node Permissioning", "Connection Direction", direction)
+		}
+
+		//log.Error("entry permission check.")
+		if !isNodePermissioned(node, currentNode, srv.DataDir, direction) {
+			//log.Error("permission check failed.")
+			return DiscPermissionFailed
+		}
+
+
+	//END Permissioning
+
 	clog := srv.log.New("id", c.id, "addr", c.fd.RemoteAddr(), "conn", c.flags)
 	// For dialed connections, check that the remote public key matches.
 	if dialDest != nil && c.id != dialDest.ID {