diff --git a/docs/sources/http_api/dashboard.md b/docs/sources/http_api/dashboard.md
index 7bb85c38986..8fdbbf8df29 100644
--- a/docs/sources/http_api/dashboard.md
+++ b/docs/sources/http_api/dashboard.md
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ Authorization: Bearer eyJrIjoiT0tTcG1pUlY2RnVKZTFVaDFsNFZXdE9ZWmNrMkZYbk
     "tags": [ "templated" ],
     "timezone": "browser",
     "schemaVersion": 16,
-    "version": 0
+    "version": 0,
+    "refresh": "25s"
   },
   "folderId": 0,
   "overwrite": false
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ JSON Body schema:
 - **folderId** – The id of the folder to save the dashboard in.
 - **overwrite** – Set to true if you want to overwrite existing dashboard with newer version, same dashboard title in folder or same dashboard uid.
 - **message** - Set a commit message for the version history.
+- **refresh** - Set the dashboard refresh interval. If this is lower than [the minimum refresh interval]({{< relref "../administration/configuration.md#min_refresh_interval">}}), then Grafana will ignore it and will enforce the minimum refresh interval.
 
 For adding or updating an alert rule for a dashboard panel the user should declare a
 `dashboard.panels.alert` block.
diff --git a/pkg/services/dashboards/dashboard_service.go b/pkg/services/dashboards/dashboard_service.go
index 0674e74c115..6b1b999dc5f 100644
--- a/pkg/services/dashboards/dashboard_service.go
+++ b/pkg/services/dashboards/dashboard_service.go
@@ -277,6 +277,11 @@ func (dr *dashboardServiceImpl) SaveFolderForProvisionedDashboards(dto *SaveDash
 }
 
 func (dr *dashboardServiceImpl) SaveDashboard(dto *SaveDashboardDTO, allowUiUpdate bool) (*models.Dashboard, error) {
+	if err := validateDashboardRefreshInterval(dto.Dashboard); err != nil {
+		dr.log.Warn("Changing refresh interval for imported dashboard to minimum refresh interval", "dashboardUid", dto.Dashboard.Uid, "dashboardTitle", dto.Dashboard.Title, "minRefreshInterval", setting.MinRefreshInterval)
+		dto.Dashboard.Data.Set("refresh", setting.MinRefreshInterval)
+	}
+
 	cmd, err := dr.buildSaveDashboardCommand(dto, true, !allowUiUpdate)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err