diff --git a/plugins/nginx-vhosts/command-functions b/plugins/nginx-vhosts/command-functions
index a2de9beaf..5efbd339c 100755
--- a/plugins/nginx-vhosts/command-functions
+++ b/plugins/nginx-vhosts/command-functions
@@ -235,6 +235,29 @@ cmd-nginx-stop() {
   fn-nginx-vhosts-nginx-init-cmd "disable"
 }
 
+cmd-nginx-reload() {
+  declare desc="reloads the nginx server config"
+  declare cmd="nginx:reload"
+  [[ "$1" == "$cmd" ]] && shift 1
+
+  local NGINX_LOCATION EXIT_CODE
+  NGINX_LOCATION=$(get_nginx_location)
+  if [[ -z "$NGINX_LOCATION" ]]; then
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  set +e
+  sudo "$NGINX_LOCATION" -t &>/dev/null
+  EXIT_CODE=$?
+  set -e
+  if [[ "$EXIT_CODE" -ne "0" ]]; then
+    sudo "$NGINX_LOCATION" -t
+    exit "$EXIT_CODE"
+  fi
+
+  fn-nginx-vhosts-nginx-init-cmd "reload"
+}
+
 cmd-nginx-validate-config() {
   declare desc="validates and optionally cleans up invalid nginx configurations"
   declare cmd="nginx:validate-config"
diff --git a/plugins/nginx-vhosts/help-functions b/plugins/nginx-vhosts/help-functions
index 53219a912..9286119be 100755
--- a/plugins/nginx-vhosts/help-functions
+++ b/plugins/nginx-vhosts/help-functions
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ fn-help-content() {
     nginx:report [<app>] [<flag>], Displays an nginx report for one or more apps
     nginx:set <app> <property> (<value>), Set or clear an nginx property for an app
     nginx:show-config <app>, Display app nginx config
+    nginx:reload, Reloads the nginx server config
     nginx:start, Starts the nginx server
     nginx:stop, Stops the nginx server
     nginx:validate-config [<app>] [--clean], Validates and optionally cleans up invalid nginx configurations
diff --git a/plugins/nginx-vhosts/subcommands/reload b/plugins/nginx-vhosts/subcommands/reload
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..62edc03a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/nginx-vhosts/subcommands/reload
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+source "$PLUGIN_AVAILABLE_PATH/nginx-vhosts/command-functions"
+set -eo pipefail
+[[ $DOKKU_TRACE ]] && set -x
+
+cmd-nginx-reload "$@"