diff --git a/docs/cli/file-format.md b/docs/cli/file-format.md
index cdb55d9b7d..e4f3192581 100644
--- a/docs/cli/file-format.md
+++ b/docs/cli/file-format.md
@@ -155,6 +155,22 @@ spec:
     );
 ```
 
+Labels can also be "manually managed". When defining the label, reference hosts
+by hostname:
+
+```yaml
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: label
+spec:
+  name: Manually Managed Example
+  label_membership_type: manual
+  hosts:
+    - hostname1
+    - hostname2
+    - hostname3
+```
+
+
 ## Osquery Configuration Options
 
 The following file describes options returned to osqueryd when it checks for configuration. See the [osquery documentation](https://osquery.readthedocs.io/en/stable/deployment/configuration/#options) for the available options. Existing options will be over-written by the application of this file.
diff --git a/frontend/components/forms/LabelForm/LabelForm.jsx b/frontend/components/forms/LabelForm/LabelForm.jsx
index 647a34991c..fc5d1f84ef 100644
--- a/frontend/components/forms/LabelForm/LabelForm.jsx
+++ b/frontend/components/forms/LabelForm/LabelForm.jsx
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ class LabelForm extends Component {
       platform: formFieldInterface.isRequired,
       query: formFieldInterface.isRequired,
     }).isRequired,
+    formData: PropTypes.shape({
+      label_membership_type: PropTypes.string,
+    }),
     handleSubmit: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     isEdit: PropTypes.bool,
     onCancel: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
@@ -50,24 +53,35 @@ class LabelForm extends Component {
   }
 
   render () {
-    const { baseError, fields, handleSubmit, isEdit, onCancel } = this.props;
+    const { baseError, fields, handleSubmit, isEdit, onCancel, formData } = this.props;
     const { onLoad } = this;
+    const isBuiltin = formData && (formData.label_type === 'builtin' || formData.type === 'status');
+    const isManual = formData && formData.label_membership_type === 'manual';
     const headerText = isEdit ? 'Edit Label' : 'New Label';
     const saveBtnText = isEdit ? 'Update Label' : 'Save Label';
     const aceHintText = isEdit ? 'Label queries are immutable. To change the query, delete this label and create a new one.' : '';
 
+    if (isBuiltin) {
+      return (
+        <form className={`${baseClass}__wrapper`} onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
+          <h1>Built in labels cannot be edited</h1>
+        </form>
+      );
+    }
+   
     return (
       <form className={`${baseClass}__wrapper`} onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
         <h1>{headerText}</h1>
-        <KolideAce
+        {!isManual && (<KolideAce
           {...fields.query}
           label="SQL"
           onLoad={onLoad}
           readOnly={isEdit}
           wrapperClassName={`${baseClass}__text-editor-wrapper`}
-          hint={<span>{aceHintText}</span>}
+          hint={aceHintText}
           handleSubmit={noop}
         />
+       )}
 
         {baseError && <div className="form__base-error">{baseError}</div>}
         <InputField
@@ -81,13 +95,14 @@ class LabelForm extends Component {
           label="Description"
           type="textarea"
         />
-        <div className="form-field form-field--dropdown">
+        {!isManual &&
+        (<div className="form-field form-field--dropdown">
           <label className="form-field__label" htmlFor="platform">Platform</label>
           <Dropdown
             {...fields.platform}
             options={helpers.platformOptions}
           />
-        </div>
+         </div>)}
         <div className={`${baseClass}__button-wrap`}>
           <Button
             className={`${baseClass}__cancel-btn`}
diff --git a/frontend/components/forms/LabelForm/validate.js b/frontend/components/forms/LabelForm/validate.js
index 59a77ba6cb..f5caf5b82b 100644
--- a/frontend/components/forms/LabelForm/validate.js
+++ b/frontend/components/forms/LabelForm/validate.js
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import { size } from 'lodash';
 import validateQuery from 'components/forms/validators/validate_query';
 
-export default ({ name, query }) => {
+export default ({ name, query, label_membership_type: membershipType }) => {
   const errors = {};
   const { error: queryError, valid: queryValid } = validateQuery(query);
 
-  if (!queryValid) {
+  if (membershipType !== 'manual' && !queryValid) {
     errors.query = queryError;
   }
 
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/ManageHostsPage/ManageHostsPage.jsx b/frontend/pages/hosts/ManageHostsPage/ManageHostsPage.jsx
index c1b494c1b6..78ec31f6d4 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/ManageHostsPage/ManageHostsPage.jsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/hosts/ManageHostsPage/ManageHostsPage.jsx
@@ -402,9 +402,15 @@ export class ManageHostsPage extends PureComponent {
 
   renderQuery = () => {
     const { selectedLabel } = this.props;
-    const { label_type: labelType, query } = selectedLabel;
+    const { slug, label_type: labelType, label_membership_type: membershipType, query } = selectedLabel;
 
-    if (!query || labelType === 1) {
+    if (membershipType === 'manual' && labelType !== 'builtin') {
+      return (
+        <h4 title="Manage manual labels with fleetctl">Manually managed</h4>
+      );
+    }
+   
+    if (!query || slug === 'all-hosts') {
       return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/server/datastore/datastore_labels_test.go b/server/datastore/datastore_labels_test.go
index a929261528..db1e6d8efe 100644
--- a/server/datastore/datastore_labels_test.go
+++ b/server/datastore/datastore_labels_test.go
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ func testLabels(t *testing.T, db kolide.Datastore) {
 
 	baseTime := time.Now()
 
-	// Only 'All Hosts' query should be returned
+	// No labels to check
 	queries, err := db.LabelQueriesForHost(host, baseTime)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Len(t, queries, 1)
+	assert.Len(t, queries, 0)
 
 	// Only 'All Hosts' label should be returned
 	labels, err := db.ListLabelsForHost(host.ID)
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ func testLabels(t *testing.T, db kolide.Datastore) {
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 
 	expectQueries := map[string]string{
-		"1": "select 1",
 		"2": "query3",
 		"3": "query1",
 		"4": "query2",
@@ -125,7 +124,7 @@ func testLabels(t *testing.T, db kolide.Datastore) {
 	expectQueries["7"] = "query6"
 	queries, err = db.LabelQueriesForHost(host, baseTime.Add(-1*time.Minute))
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Len(t, queries, 6)
+	assert.Len(t, queries, 5)
 
 	// After expiration, all queries should be returned
 	queries, err = db.LabelQueriesForHost(host, baseTime.Add((2 * time.Minute)))
@@ -147,7 +146,7 @@ func testLabels(t *testing.T, db kolide.Datastore) {
 	hosts[0].Platform = "darwin"
 	queries, err = db.LabelQueriesForHost(&hosts[0], time.Now())
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Len(t, queries, 6)
+	assert.Len(t, queries, 5)
 
 	// Only the 'All Hosts' label should apply for a host with no labels
 	// executed.
@@ -434,6 +433,19 @@ func testChangeLabelDetails(t *testing.T, db kolide.Datastore) {
 }
 
 func setupLabelSpecsTest(t *testing.T, ds kolide.Datastore) []*kolide.LabelSpec {
+	for i := 0; i < 1000; i++ {
+		_, err := ds.NewHost(&kolide.Host{
+			DetailUpdateTime: time.Now(),
+			LabelUpdateTime:  time.Now(),
+			SeenTime:         time.Now(),
+			OsqueryHostID:    strconv.Itoa(i),
+			NodeKey:          strconv.Itoa(i),
+			UUID:             strconv.Itoa(i),
+			HostName:         strconv.Itoa(i),
+		})
+		require.Nil(t, err)
+	}
+
 	expectedSpecs := []*kolide.LabelSpec{
 		&kolide.LabelSpec{
 			Name:        "foo",
@@ -450,9 +462,17 @@ func setupLabelSpecsTest(t *testing.T, ds kolide.Datastore) []*kolide.LabelSpec
 			Query: "select * from bing",
 		},
 		&kolide.LabelSpec{
-			Name:      "All Hosts",
-			Query:     "SELECT 1",
-			LabelType: kolide.LabelTypeBuiltIn,
+			Name:                "All Hosts",
+			Query:               "SELECT 1",
+			LabelType:           kolide.LabelTypeBuiltIn,
+			LabelMembershipType: kolide.LabelMembershipTypeManual,
+		},
+		&kolide.LabelSpec{
+			Name:                "Manual Label",
+			LabelMembershipType: kolide.LabelMembershipTypeManual,
+			Hosts: []string{
+				"1", "2", "3", "4",
+			},
 		},
 	}
 	err := ds.ApplyLabelSpecs(expectedSpecs)
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/hosts.go b/server/datastore/mysql/hosts.go
index 2e1737eb15..30e3286df7 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/hosts.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/hosts.go
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ func (d *Datastore) EnrollHost(osqueryHostID, nodeKey, secretName string) (*koli
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting the host to return")
 	}
 
-	_, err = d.db.Exec(`INSERT INTO label_membership (host_id, label_id) VALUES (?, (SELECT id FROM labels WHERE name = 'All Hosts' AND label_type = 1))`, id)
+	_, err = d.db.Exec(`INSERT IGNORE INTO label_membership (host_id, label_id) VALUES (?, (SELECT id FROM labels WHERE name = 'All Hosts' AND label_type = 1))`, id)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "insert new host into all hosts label")
 	}
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/labels.go b/server/datastore/mysql/labels.go
index bdbf54bc12..f0f1fc402f 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/labels.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/labels.go
@@ -18,14 +18,16 @@ func (d *Datastore) ApplyLabelSpecs(specs []*kolide.LabelSpec) (err error) {
 			description,
 			query,
 			platform,
-			label_type
-		) VALUES ( ?, ?, ?, ?, ? )
+			label_type,
+			label_membership_type
+		) VALUES ( ?, ?, ?, ?, ? , ?)
 		ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE
 			name = VALUES(name),
 			description = VALUES(description),
 			query = VALUES(query),
 			platform = VALUES(platform),
 			label_type = VALUES(label_type),
+			label_membership_type = VALUES(label_membership_type),
 			deleted = false
 	`
 		stmt, err := tx.Prepare(sql)
@@ -37,10 +39,54 @@ func (d *Datastore) ApplyLabelSpecs(specs []*kolide.LabelSpec) (err error) {
 			if s.Name == "" {
 				return errors.New("label name must not be empty")
 			}
-			_, err := stmt.Exec(s.Name, s.Description, s.Query, s.Platform, s.LabelType)
+			_, err := stmt.Exec(s.Name, s.Description, s.Query, s.Platform, s.LabelType, s.LabelMembershipType)
 			if err != nil {
 				return errors.Wrap(err, "exec ApplyLabelSpecs insert")
 			}
+
+			if s.LabelType == kolide.LabelTypeBuiltIn ||
+				s.LabelMembershipType != kolide.LabelMembershipTypeManual {
+				// No need to update membership
+				continue
+			}
+
+			var labelID uint
+			sql = `
+SELECT id from labels WHERE name = ?
+`
+			err = tx.Get(&labelID, sql, s.Name)
+			if err != nil {
+				return errors.Wrap(err, "get label ID")
+			}
+
+			sql = `
+DELETE FROM label_membership WHERE label_id = ?
+`
+			_, err = tx.Exec(sql, labelID)
+			if err != nil {
+				return errors.Wrap(err, "clear membership for ID")
+			}
+
+			if len(s.Hosts) == 0 {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// Split hostnames into batches to avoid parameter limit in MySQL.
+			for _, hostnames := range batchHostnames(s.Hosts) {
+				// Use ignore because duplicate hostnames could appear in
+				// different batches and would result in duplicate key errors.
+				sql = `
+INSERT IGNORE INTO label_membership (label_id, host_id) (SELECT ?, id FROM hosts where host_name IN (?))
+`
+				sql, args, err := sqlx.In(sql, labelID, hostnames)
+				if err != nil {
+					return errors.Wrap(err, "build membership IN statement")
+				}
+				_, err = tx.Exec(sql, args...)
+				if err != nil {
+					return errors.Wrap(err, "execute membership INSERT")
+				}
+			}
 		}
 
 		return nil
@@ -49,21 +95,46 @@ func (d *Datastore) ApplyLabelSpecs(specs []*kolide.LabelSpec) (err error) {
 	return errors.Wrap(err, "ApplyLabelSpecs transaction")
 }
 
+func batchHostnames(hostnames []string) [][]string {
+	// Split hostnames into batches so that they can all be inserted without
+	// overflowing the MySQL max number of parameters (somewhere around 65,000
+	// but not well documented). Algorithm from
+	// https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/SliceTricks#batching-with-minimal-allocation
+	const batchSize = 50000 // Large, but well under the undocumented limit
+	batches := make([][]string, 0, (len(hostnames)+batchSize-1)/batchSize)
+
+	for batchSize < len(hostnames) {
+		hostnames, batches = hostnames[batchSize:], append(batches, hostnames[0:batchSize:batchSize])
+	}
+	batches = append(batches, hostnames)
+	return batches
+}
+
 func (d *Datastore) GetLabelSpecs() ([]*kolide.LabelSpec, error) {
 	var specs []*kolide.LabelSpec
 	// Get basic specs
-	query := "SELECT name, description, query, platform, label_type FROM labels"
+	query := "SELECT name, description, query, platform, label_type, label_membership_type FROM labels"
 	if err := d.db.Select(&specs, query); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "get labels")
 	}
 
+	for _, spec := range specs {
+		if spec.LabelType != kolide.LabelTypeBuiltIn &&
+			spec.LabelMembershipType == kolide.LabelMembershipTypeManual {
+			err := d.getLabelHostnames(spec)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return specs, nil
 }
 
 func (d *Datastore) GetLabelSpec(name string) (*kolide.LabelSpec, error) {
 	var specs []*kolide.LabelSpec
 	query := `
-SELECT name, description, query, platform, label_type
+SELECT name, description, query, platform, label_type, label_membership_type
 FROM labels
 WHERE name = ?
 `
@@ -77,7 +148,34 @@ WHERE name = ?
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("expected 1 label row, got %d", len(specs))
 	}
 
-	return specs[0], nil
+	spec := specs[0]
+	if spec.LabelType != kolide.LabelTypeBuiltIn &&
+		spec.LabelMembershipType == kolide.LabelMembershipTypeManual {
+		err := d.getLabelHostnames(spec)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return spec, nil
+}
+
+func (d *Datastore) getLabelHostnames(label *kolide.LabelSpec) error {
+	sql := `
+		SELECT host_name
+		FROM hosts
+		WHERE id IN
+		(
+			SELECT host_id
+			FROM label_membership
+			WHERE label_id = (SELECT id FROM labels WHERE name = ?)
+		)
+	`
+	err := d.db.Select(&label.Hosts, sql, label.Name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "get hostnames for label")
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // NewLabel creates a new kolide.Label
@@ -97,8 +195,9 @@ func (d *Datastore) NewLabel(label *kolide.Label, opts ...kolide.OptionalArg) (*
 			description,
 			query,
 			platform,
-			label_type
-		) VALUES ( ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
+			label_type,
+			label_membership_type
+		) VALUES ( ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
 	`
 	case sql.ErrNoRows:
 		query = `
@@ -107,13 +206,22 @@ func (d *Datastore) NewLabel(label *kolide.Label, opts ...kolide.OptionalArg) (*
 			description,
 			query,
 			platform,
-			label_type
-		) VALUES ( ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
+			label_type,
+			label_membership_type
+		) VALUES ( ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
 	`
 	default:
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "check for existing label")
 	}
-	result, err := db.Exec(query, label.Name, label.Description, label.Query, label.Platform, label.LabelType)
+	result, err := db.Exec(
+		query,
+		label.Name,
+		label.Description,
+		label.Query,
+		label.Platform,
+		label.LabelType,
+		label.LabelMembershipType,
+	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "inserting label")
 	}
@@ -185,8 +293,10 @@ func (d *Datastore) LabelQueriesForHost(host *kolide.Host, cutoff time.Time) (ma
 		sql := `
 			SELECT id, query
 			FROM labels
-			WHERE platform = ? OR platform = ''`
-		rows, err = d.db.Query(sql, host.Platform)
+			WHERE platform = ? OR platform = ''
+			AND label_membership_type = ?
+`
+		rows, err = d.db.Query(sql, host.Platform, kolide.LabelMembershipTypeDynamic)
 	} else {
 		// Retrieve all labels (with matching platform) iff there is a label
 		// that has been created since this host last reported label query
@@ -195,8 +305,16 @@ func (d *Datastore) LabelQueriesForHost(host *kolide.Host, cutoff time.Time) (ma
 			SELECT id, query
 			FROM labels
 			WHERE ((SELECT max(created_at) FROM labels WHERE platform = ? OR platform = '') > ?)
-			AND (platform = ? OR platform = '')`
-		rows, err = d.db.Query(sql, host.Platform, host.LabelUpdateTime, host.Platform)
+			AND (platform = ? OR platform = '')
+			AND label_membership_type = ?
+`
+		rows, err = d.db.Query(
+			sql,
+			host.Platform,
+			host.LabelUpdateTime,
+			host.Platform,
+			kolide.LabelMembershipTypeDynamic,
+		)
 	}
 
 	if err != nil && err != sql.ErrNoRows {
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/migrations/tables/20200407120000_AddLabelMembershipType.go b/server/datastore/mysql/migrations/tables/20200407120000_AddLabelMembershipType.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f46421605
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/migrations/tables/20200407120000_AddLabelMembershipType.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package tables
+
+import (
+	"database/sql"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	MigrationClient.AddMigration(Up20200407120000, Down20200407120000)
+}
+
+func Up20200407120000(tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	if _, err := tx.Exec(
+		"ALTER TABLE `labels` " +
+			"ADD COLUMN `label_membership_type` int(10) unsigned NOT NULL default '0'",
+	); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "add label_membership_type column ")
+	}
+
+	// All hosts should now be the only "manual" label
+	if _, err := tx.Exec(
+		"UPDATE `labels` " +
+			"SET `label_membership_type` = 1 " +
+			"WHERE `name` = 'All Hosts' AND `label_type` = 1",
+	); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "drop label_query_executions")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func Down20200407120000(tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/mysql.go b/server/datastore/mysql/mysql.go
index 0c20ec53cc..69c28b8221 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/mysql.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/mysql.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	defaultSelectLimit = 100000
+	defaultSelectLimit = 1000000
 )
 
 var (
diff --git a/server/kolide/labels.go b/server/kolide/labels.go
index 47fe43f414..3298950a22 100644
--- a/server/kolide/labels.go
+++ b/server/kolide/labels.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package kolide
 import (
 	"context"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 type LabelStore interface {
@@ -103,15 +105,73 @@ const (
 	LabelTypeBuiltIn
 )
 
+func (t LabelType) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	switch t {
+	case LabelTypeRegular:
+		return []byte(`"regular"`), nil
+	case LabelTypeBuiltIn:
+		return []byte(`"builtin"`), nil
+	default:
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("invalid LabelType: %d", t)
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *LabelType) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
+	switch string(b) {
+	case `"regular"`:
+		*t = LabelTypeRegular
+	case `"builtin"`:
+		*t = LabelTypeBuiltIn
+	default:
+		return errors.Errorf("invalid LabelType: %s", string(b))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// LabelMembershipType sets how the membership of the label is determined.
+type LabelMembershipType uint
+
+const (
+	// LabelTypeDynamic indicates that the label is populated dynamically (by
+	// the execution of a label query).
+	LabelMembershipTypeDynamic LabelMembershipType = iota
+	// LabelTypeManual indicates that the label is populated manually.
+	LabelMembershipTypeManual
+)
+
+func (t LabelMembershipType) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	switch t {
+	case LabelMembershipTypeDynamic:
+		return []byte(`"dynamic"`), nil
+	case LabelMembershipTypeManual:
+		return []byte(`"manual"`), nil
+	default:
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("invalid LabelMembershipType: %d", t)
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *LabelMembershipType) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
+	switch string(b) {
+	case `"dynamic"`:
+		*t = LabelMembershipTypeDynamic
+	case `"manual"`:
+		*t = LabelMembershipTypeManual
+	default:
+		return errors.Errorf("invalid LabelMembershipType: %s", string(b))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 type Label struct {
 	UpdateCreateTimestamps
 	DeleteFields
-	ID          uint      `json:"id"`
-	Name        string    `json:"name"`
-	Description string    `json:"description"`
-	Query       string    `json:"query"`
-	Platform    string    `json:"platform"`
-	LabelType   LabelType `json:"label_type" db:"label_type"`
+	ID                  uint                `json:"id"`
+	Name                string              `json:"name"`
+	Description         string              `json:"description"`
+	Query               string              `json:"query"`
+	Platform            string              `json:"platform"`
+	LabelType           LabelType           `json:"label_type" db:"label_type"`
+	LabelMembershipType LabelMembershipType `json:"label_membership_type" db:"label_membership_type"`
 }
 
 type LabelQueryExecution struct {
@@ -123,10 +183,12 @@ type LabelQueryExecution struct {
 }
 
 type LabelSpec struct {
-	ID          uint
-	Name        string    `json:"name"`
-	Description string    `json:"description"`
-	Query       string    `json:"query"`
-	Platform    string    `json:"platform,omitempty"`
-	LabelType   LabelType `json:"label_type" db:"label_type"`
+	ID                  uint
+	Name                string              `json:"name"`
+	Description         string              `json:"description"`
+	Query               string              `json:"query"`
+	Platform            string              `json:"platform,omitempty"`
+	LabelType           LabelType           `json:"label_type,omitempty" db:"label_type"`
+	LabelMembershipType LabelMembershipType `json:"label_membership_type" db:"label_membership_type"`
+	Hosts               []string            `json:"hosts,omitempty"`
 }
diff --git a/server/service/service_labels.go b/server/service/service_labels.go
index 9d65cbcb6a..8182a06445 100644
--- a/server/service/service_labels.go
+++ b/server/service/service_labels.go
@@ -4,9 +4,19 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/kolide/fleet/server/kolide"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 func (svc service) ApplyLabelSpecs(ctx context.Context, specs []*kolide.LabelSpec) error {
+	for _, spec := range specs {
+		if spec.LabelMembershipType == kolide.LabelMembershipTypeDynamic && len(spec.Hosts) > 0 {
+			return errors.Errorf("label %s is declared as dynamic but contains `hosts` key", spec.Name)
+		}
+		if spec.LabelMembershipType == kolide.LabelMembershipTypeManual && spec.Hosts == nil {
+			// Hosts list doesn't need to contain anything, but it should at least not be nil.
+			return errors.Errorf("label %s is declared as manual but contains not `hosts key`", spec.Name)
+		}
+	}
 	return svc.ds.ApplyLabelSpecs(specs)
 }
 
diff --git a/server/test/new_objects.go b/server/test/new_objects.go
index 06f9fe1639..6b942fe5d3 100644
--- a/server/test/new_objects.go
+++ b/server/test/new_objects.go
@@ -78,9 +78,10 @@ func AddLabelToCampaign(t *testing.T, ds kolide.Datastore, campaignID, labelID u
 func AddAllHostsLabel(t *testing.T, ds kolide.Datastore) {
 	_, err := ds.NewLabel(
 		&kolide.Label{
-			Name:      "All Hosts",
-			Query:     "select 1",
-			LabelType: kolide.LabelTypeBuiltIn,
+			Name:                "All Hosts",
+			Query:               "select 1",
+			LabelType:           kolide.LabelTypeBuiltIn,
+			LabelMembershipType: kolide.LabelMembershipTypeManual,
 		},
 	)
 	require.Nil(t, err)