diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/cloudwatch/cloudwatch.go b/pkg/tsdb/cloudwatch/cloudwatch.go
index be14c6f96ec..fab8b92ef66 100644
--- a/pkg/tsdb/cloudwatch/cloudwatch.go
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/cloudwatch/cloudwatch.go
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ func (e *CloudWatchExecutor) executeGetMetricDataQuery(ctx context.Context, regi
 		}
 
 		queryRes.Series = append(queryRes.Series, &series)
+		queryRes.Meta = simplejson.New()
 		queryResponses = append(queryResponses, queryRes)
 	}
 
@@ -565,6 +566,12 @@ func parseResponse(resp *cloudwatch.GetMetricStatisticsOutput, query *CloudWatch
 		}
 
 		queryRes.Series = append(queryRes.Series, &series)
+		queryRes.Meta = simplejson.New()
+		if len(resp.Datapoints) > 0 && resp.Datapoints[0].Unit != nil {
+			if unit, ok := cloudwatchUnitMappings[*resp.Datapoints[0].Unit]; ok {
+				queryRes.Meta.Set("unit", unit)
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	return queryRes, nil
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/cloudwatch/constants.go b/pkg/tsdb/cloudwatch/constants.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..23817b1d133
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/cloudwatch/constants.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package cloudwatch
+
+var cloudwatchUnitMappings = map[string]string{
+	"Seconds":      "s",
+	"Microseconds": "µs",
+	"Milliseconds": "ms",
+	"Bytes":        "bytes",
+	"Kilobytes":    "kbytes",
+	"Megabytes":    "mbytes",
+	"Gigabytes":    "gbytes",
+	//"Terabytes":        "",
+	"Bits": "bits",
+	//"Kilobits":         "",
+	//"Megabits":         "",
+	//"Gigabits":         "",
+	//"Terabits":         "",
+	"Percent": "percent",
+	//"Count":            "",
+	"Bytes/Second":     "Bps",
+	"Kilobytes/Second": "KBs",
+	"Megabytes/Second": "MBs",
+	"Gigabytes/Second": "GBs",
+	//"Terabytes/Second": "",
+	"Bits/Second":     "bps",
+	"Kilobits/Second": "Kbits",
+	"Megabits/Second": "Mbits",
+	"Gigabits/Second": "Gbits",
+	//"Terabits/Second":  "",
+	//"Count/Second":     "",
+}
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/cloudwatch/datasource.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/cloudwatch/datasource.ts
index e2b99d69df9..e096e44ac25 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/cloudwatch/datasource.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/cloudwatch/datasource.ts
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export default class CloudWatchDatasource {
       if (res.results) {
         _.forEach(res.results, queryRes => {
           _.forEach(queryRes.series, series => {
-            data.push({ target: series.name, datapoints: series.points });
+            data.push({ target: series.name, datapoints: series.points, unit: queryRes.meta.unit || 'none' });
           });
         });
       }
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/cloudwatch/specs/datasource.test.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/cloudwatch/specs/datasource.test.ts
index 497c773687f..2825539f223 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/cloudwatch/specs/datasource.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/cloudwatch/specs/datasource.test.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ describe('CloudWatchDatasource', () => {
         A: {
           error: '',
           refId: 'A',
+          meta: {},
           series: [
             {
               name: 'CPUUtilization_Average',
@@ -221,6 +222,7 @@ describe('CloudWatchDatasource', () => {
         A: {
           error: '',
           refId: 'A',
+          meta: {},
           series: [
             {
               name: 'TargetResponseTime_p90.00',