diff --git a/src/components/fx/attributes.js b/src/components/fx/attributes.js
index 02ac2484487..90e33a82f1c 100644
--- a/src/components/fx/attributes.js
+++ b/src/components/fx/attributes.js
@@ -9,49 +9,26 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var fontAttrs = require('../../plots/font_attributes');
+var hoverLabelAttrs = require('./layout_attributes').hoverlabel;
+var extendFlat = require('../../lib/extend').extendFlat;
 
 module.exports = {
     hoverlabel: {
-        bgcolor: {
-            valType: 'color',
-            role: 'style',
+        bgcolor: extendFlat({}, hoverLabelAttrs.bgcolor, {
             arrayOk: true,
-            editType: 'none',
-            description: [
-                'Sets the background color of the hover labels for this trace'
-            ].join(' ')
-        },
-        bordercolor: {
-            valType: 'color',
-            role: 'style',
+            description: 'Sets the background color of the hover labels for this trace'
+        }),
+        bordercolor: extendFlat({}, hoverLabelAttrs.bordercolor, {
             arrayOk: true,
-            editType: 'none',
-            description: [
-                'Sets the border color of the hover labels for this trace.'
-            ].join(' ')
-        },
+            description: 'Sets the border color of the hover labels for this trace.'
+        }),
         font: fontAttrs({
             arrayOk: true,
             editType: 'none',
             description: 'Sets the font used in hover labels.'
         }),
-        namelength: {
-            valType: 'integer',
-            min: -1,
-            dflt: 15,
-            arrayOk: true,
-            role: 'style',
-            editType: 'none',
-            description: [
-                'Sets the length (in number of characters) of the trace name in',
-                'the hover labels for this trace. -1 shows the whole name',
-                'regardless of length. 0-3 shows the first 0-3 characters, and',
-                'an integer >3 will show the whole name if it is less than that',
-                'many characters, but if it is longer, will truncate to',
-                '`namelength - 3` characters and add an ellipsis.',
-                'Note that when `hovertemplate` is set, `namelength` defaults to *-1*.'
-            ].join(' ')
-        },
-        editType: 'calc'
+        align: extendFlat({}, hoverLabelAttrs.align, {arrayOk: true}),
+        namelength: extendFlat({}, hoverLabelAttrs.namelength, {arrayOk: true}),
+        editType: 'none'
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/components/fx/calc.js b/src/components/fx/calc.js
index 04e7a58cfb7..4d397764e4f 100644
--- a/src/components/fx/calc.js
+++ b/src/components/fx/calc.js
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ module.exports = function calc(gd) {
         fillFn(trace.hoverlabel.font.color, cd, 'htc');
         fillFn(trace.hoverlabel.font.family, cd, 'htf');
         fillFn(trace.hoverlabel.namelength, cd, 'hnl');
+        fillFn(trace.hoverlabel.align, cd, 'hta');
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/components/fx/hover.js b/src/components/fx/hover.js
index 203cb6bb674..ea96bdf8398 100644
--- a/src/components/fx/hover.js
+++ b/src/components/fx/hover.js
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ exports.loneHover = function loneHover(hoverItem, opts) {
         fontSize: hoverItem.fontSize,
         fontColor: hoverItem.fontColor,
         nameLength: hoverItem.nameLength,
+        textAlign: hoverItem.textAlign,
 
         // filler to make createHoverText happy
         trace: hoverItem.trace || {
@@ -182,6 +183,7 @@ exports.multiHovers = function multiHovers(hoverItems, opts) {
             fontSize: hoverItem.fontSize,
             fontColor: hoverItem.fontColor,
             nameLength: hoverItem.nameLength,
+            textAlign: hoverItem.textAlign,
 
             // filler to make createHoverText happy
             trace: hoverItem.trace || {
@@ -1281,20 +1283,18 @@ function alignHoverText(hoverLabels, rotateLabels) {
     // box around it
     hoverLabels.each(function(d) {
         var g = d3.select(this);
-        if(d.del) {
-            g.remove();
-            return;
-        }
+        if(d.del) return g.remove();
 
-        var horzSign = d.anchor === 'end' ? -1 : 1;
         var tx = g.select('text.nums');
-        var alignShift = {start: 1, end: -1, middle: 0}[d.anchor];
+        var anchor = d.anchor;
+        var horzSign = anchor === 'end' ? -1 : 1;
+        var alignShift = {start: 1, end: -1, middle: 0}[anchor];
         var txx = alignShift * (HOVERARROWSIZE + HOVERTEXTPAD);
         var tx2x = txx + alignShift * (d.txwidth + HOVERTEXTPAD);
         var offsetX = 0;
         var offsetY = d.offset;
 
-        if(d.anchor === 'middle') {
+        if(anchor === 'middle') {
             txx -= d.tx2width / 2;
             tx2x += d.txwidth / 2 + HOVERTEXTPAD;
         }
@@ -1303,7 +1303,7 @@ function alignHoverText(hoverLabels, rotateLabels) {
             offsetX = d.offset * YSHIFTX;
         }
 
-        g.select('path').attr('d', d.anchor === 'middle' ?
+        g.select('path').attr('d', anchor === 'middle' ?
             // middle aligned: rect centered on data
             ('M-' + (d.bx / 2 + d.tx2width / 2) + ',' + (offsetY - d.by / 2) +
               'h' + d.bx + 'v' + d.by + 'h-' + d.bx + 'Z') :
@@ -1316,8 +1316,21 @@ function alignHoverText(hoverLabels, rotateLabels) {
                 'V' + (offsetY - HOVERARROWSIZE) +
                 'Z'));
 
-        tx.call(svgTextUtils.positionText,
-            txx + offsetX, offsetY + d.ty0 - d.by / 2 + HOVERTEXTPAD);
+        var posX = txx + offsetX;
+        var posY = offsetY + d.ty0 - d.by / 2 + HOVERTEXTPAD;
+        var textAlign = d.textAlign || 'auto';
+
+        if(textAlign !== 'auto') {
+            if(textAlign === 'left' && anchor !== 'start') {
+                tx.attr('text-anchor', 'start');
+                posX = -d.bx - HOVERTEXTPAD;
+            } else if(textAlign === 'right' && anchor !== 'end') {
+                tx.attr('text-anchor', 'end');
+                posX = d.bx + HOVERTEXTPAD;
+            }
+        }
+
+        tx.call(svgTextUtils.positionText, posX, posY);
 
         if(d.tx2width) {
             g.select('text.name')
@@ -1364,6 +1377,7 @@ function cleanPoint(d, hovermode) {
     fill('fontSize', 'hts', 'hoverlabel.font.size');
     fill('fontColor', 'htc', 'hoverlabel.font.color');
     fill('nameLength', 'hnl', 'hoverlabel.namelength');
+    fill('textAlign', 'hta', 'hoverlabel.align');
 
     d.posref = (hovermode === 'y' || (hovermode === 'closest' && trace.orientation === 'h')) ?
         (d.xa._offset + (d.x0 + d.x1) / 2) :
diff --git a/src/components/fx/hoverlabel_defaults.js b/src/components/fx/hoverlabel_defaults.js
index f4c42943a20..cc6d868633b 100644
--- a/src/components/fx/hoverlabel_defaults.js
+++ b/src/components/fx/hoverlabel_defaults.js
@@ -17,4 +17,5 @@ module.exports = function handleHoverLabelDefaults(contIn, contOut, coerce, opts
     coerce('hoverlabel.bordercolor', opts.bordercolor);
     coerce('hoverlabel.namelength', opts.namelength);
     Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'hoverlabel.font', opts.font);
+    coerce('hoverlabel.align', opts.align);
 };
diff --git a/src/components/fx/layout_attributes.js b/src/components/fx/layout_attributes.js
index 219e8d6d5c2..01feb9d21bc 100644
--- a/src/components/fx/layout_attributes.js
+++ b/src/components/fx/layout_attributes.js
@@ -117,6 +117,17 @@ module.exports = {
             ].join(' ')
         },
         font: fontAttrs,
+        align: {
+            valType: 'enumerated',
+            values: ['left', 'right', 'auto'],
+            dflt: 'auto',
+            role: 'style',
+            editType: 'none',
+            description: [
+                'Sets the horizontal alignment of the text content within hover label box.',
+                'Has an effect only if the hover label text spans more two or more lines'
+            ].join(' ')
+        },
         namelength: {
             valType: 'integer',
             min: -1,
diff --git a/src/plots/gl2d/scene2d.js b/src/plots/gl2d/scene2d.js
index 5a25c5cbaa4..475a67eac70 100644
--- a/src/plots/gl2d/scene2d.js
+++ b/src/plots/gl2d/scene2d.js
@@ -687,7 +687,8 @@ proto.draw = function() {
                     fontFamily: Fx.castHoverOption(trace, ptNumber, 'font.family'),
                     fontSize: Fx.castHoverOption(trace, ptNumber, 'font.size'),
                     fontColor: Fx.castHoverOption(trace, ptNumber, 'font.color'),
-                    nameLength: Fx.castHoverOption(trace, ptNumber, 'namelength')
+                    nameLength: Fx.castHoverOption(trace, ptNumber, 'namelength'),
+                    textAlign: Fx.castHoverOption(trace, ptNumber, 'align')
                 }, {
                     container: this.svgContainer,
                     gd: this.graphDiv
diff --git a/src/plots/gl3d/scene.js b/src/plots/gl3d/scene.js
index 951f5851bef..972b28ccc71 100644
--- a/src/plots/gl3d/scene.js
+++ b/src/plots/gl3d/scene.js
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ function render(scene) {
                 fontSize: Fx.castHoverOption(traceNow, ptNumber, 'font.size'),
                 fontColor: Fx.castHoverOption(traceNow, ptNumber, 'font.color'),
                 nameLength: Fx.castHoverOption(traceNow, ptNumber, 'namelength'),
+                textAlign: Fx.castHoverOption(traceNow, ptNumber, 'align'),
                 hovertemplate: Lib.castOption(traceNow, ptNumber, 'hovertemplate'),
                 hovertemplateLabels: Lib.extendFlat({}, pointData, labels),
                 eventData: [pointData]
diff --git a/src/traces/pie/plot.js b/src/traces/pie/plot.js
index b4601220c70..7dd3929b157 100644
--- a/src/traces/pie/plot.js
+++ b/src/traces/pie/plot.js
@@ -380,6 +380,7 @@ function attachFxHandlers(sliceTop, gd, cd) {
                 fontSize: helpers.castOption(hoverFont.size, pt.pts),
                 fontColor: helpers.castOption(hoverFont.color, pt.pts),
                 nameLength: helpers.castOption(hoverLabel.namelength, pt.pts),
+                textAlign: helpers.castOption(hoverLabel.align, pt.pts),
                 hovertemplate: helpers.castOption(trace2.hovertemplate, pt.pts),
                 hovertemplateLabels: pt,
                 eventData: [eventData(pt, trace2)]
diff --git a/src/traces/sankey/plot.js b/src/traces/sankey/plot.js
index 769f6942ef7..739378db248 100644
--- a/src/traces/sankey/plot.js
+++ b/src/traces/sankey/plot.js
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ module.exports = function plot(gd, calcData) {
                 fontSize: castHoverOption(obj, 'font.size'),
                 fontColor: castHoverOption(obj, 'font.color'),
                 nameLength: castHoverOption(obj, 'namelength'),
+                textAlign: castHoverOption(obj, 'align'),
                 idealAlign: d3.event.x < hoverCenter[0] ? 'right' : 'left',
 
                 hovertemplate: obj.hovertemplate,
@@ -301,6 +302,7 @@ module.exports = function plot(gd, calcData) {
             fontSize: castHoverOption(obj, 'font.size'),
             fontColor: castHoverOption(obj, 'font.color'),
             nameLength: castHoverOption(obj, 'namelength'),
+            textAlign: castHoverOption(obj, 'align'),
             idealAlign: 'left',
 
             hovertemplate: obj.hovertemplate,
diff --git a/src/traces/sunburst/plot.js b/src/traces/sunburst/plot.js
index c453ed0d3e9..67742e89fc8 100644
--- a/src/traces/sunburst/plot.js
+++ b/src/traces/sunburst/plot.js
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ function attachFxHandlers(sliceTop, gd, cd) {
                 fontSize: _cast('hoverlabel.font.size'),
                 fontColor: _cast('hoverlabel.font.color'),
                 nameLength: _cast('hoverlabel.namelength'),
+                textAlign: _cast('hoverlabel.align'),
                 hovertemplate: hovertemplate,
                 hovertemplateLabels: hoverPt,
                 eventData: [makeEventData(pt, traceNow)]
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/fx_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/fx_test.js
index fbdf6ad0b97..601d70bb073 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/fx_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/fx_test.js
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ describe('Fx defaults', function() {
                 size: 40,
                 color: 'pink'
             },
+            align: 'auto',
             namelength: 15
         });
 
@@ -182,6 +183,7 @@ describe('Fx defaults', function() {
                 size: 20,
                 color: 'red'
             },
+            align: 'auto',
             namelength: 15
         });
 
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/hover_label_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/hover_label_test.js
index 808b84bc882..747bb06f5f1 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/hover_label_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/hover_label_test.js
@@ -2034,6 +2034,54 @@ describe('hover info', function() {
         .catch(failTest)
         .then(done);
     });
+
+    it('should honor *hoverlabel.align', function(done) {
+        var gd = createGraphDiv();
+
+        function _assert(msg, exp) {
+            var tx = d3.select('g.hovertext').select('text');
+            expect(tx.attr('text-anchor')).toBe(exp.textAnchor, 'text anchor|' + msg);
+            expect(Number(tx.attr('x'))).toBeWithin(exp.posX, 3, 'x position|' + msg);
+        }
+
+        Plotly.plot(gd, [{
+            y: [1, 2, 1],
+            text: 'LONG TEXT'
+        }], {
+            xaxis: {range: [0, 2]},
+            margin: {l: 0, t: 0, b: 0, r: 0},
+            hovermode: 'closest',
+            width: 400,
+            height: 400
+        })
+        .then(function() { _hoverNatural(gd, 0, 395); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('base left pt', {textAnchor: 'start', posX: 9}); })
+        .then(function() { _hoverNatural(gd, 395, 395); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('base right pt', {textAnchor: 'end', posX: -9}); })
+        .then(function() {
+            return Plotly.relayout(gd, 'hoverlabel.align', 'left');
+        })
+        .then(function() { _hoverNatural(gd, 0, 395); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('align:left left pt', {textAnchor: 'start', posX: 9}); })
+        .then(function() { _hoverNatural(gd, 395, 395); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('align:left right pt', {textAnchor: 'start', posX: -84.73}); })
+        .then(function() {
+            return Plotly.restyle(gd, 'hoverlabel.align', 'right');
+        })
+        .then(function() { _hoverNatural(gd, 0, 395); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('align:right left pt', {textAnchor: 'end', posX: 84.73}); })
+        .then(function() { _hoverNatural(gd, 395, 395); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('align:right right pt', {textAnchor: 'end', posX: -9}); })
+        .then(function() {
+            return Plotly.restyle(gd, 'hoverlabel.align', [['right', 'auto', 'left']]);
+        })
+        .then(function() { _hoverNatural(gd, 0, 395); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('arrayOk align:right left pt', {textAnchor: 'end', posX: 84.73}); })
+        .then(function() { _hoverNatural(gd, 395, 395); })
+        .then(function() { _assert('arrayOk align:left right pt', {textAnchor: 'start', posX: -84.73}); })
+        .catch(failTest)
+        .then(done);
+    });
 });
 
 describe('hover info on stacked subplots', function() {
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/pie_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/pie_test.js
index d8147d8a82e..7f122c28931 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/pie_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/pie_test.js
@@ -1187,6 +1187,61 @@ describe('pie hovering', function() {
             .catch(failTest)
             .then(done);
         });
+
+        it('should honor *hoverlabel.align*', function(done) {
+            function _assert(msg, exp) {
+                var tx = d3.select('g.hovertext').select('text');
+                expect(tx.attr('text-anchor')).toBe(exp.textAnchor, 'text anchor|' + msg);
+                expect(Number(tx.attr('x'))).toBeWithin(exp.posX, 3, 'x position|' + msg);
+            }
+
+            function _hoverLeft() {
+                mouseEvent('mouseover', 100, 200);
+                Lib.clearThrottle();
+            }
+
+            function _hoverRight() {
+                mouseEvent('mouseover', 300, 200);
+                Lib.clearThrottle();
+            }
+
+            Plotly.plot(gd, [{
+                type: 'pie',
+                labels: ['a', 'b']
+            }], {
+                showlegend: false,
+                margin: {l: 0, t: 0, b: 0, r: 0},
+                width: 400,
+                height: 400
+            })
+            .then(_hoverLeft)
+            .then(function() { _assert('base left sector', {textAnchor: 'start', posX: 9}); })
+            .then(_hoverRight)
+            .then(function() { _assert('base right sector', {textAnchor: 'end', posX: -9}); })
+            .then(function() {
+                return Plotly.relayout(gd, 'hoverlabel.align', 'left');
+            })
+            .then(_hoverLeft)
+            .then(function() { _assert('align:left left sector', {textAnchor: 'start', posX: 9}); })
+            .then(_hoverRight)
+            .then(function() { _assert('align:left right sector', {textAnchor: 'start', posX: -37.45}); })
+            .then(function() {
+                return Plotly.restyle(gd, 'hoverlabel.align', 'right');
+            })
+            .then(_hoverLeft)
+            .then(function() { _assert('align:right left sector', {textAnchor: 'end', posX: 37.45}); })
+            .then(_hoverRight)
+            .then(function() { _assert('align:right right sector', {textAnchor: 'end', posX: -9}); })
+            .then(function() {
+                return Plotly.restyle(gd, 'hoverlabel.align', [['left', 'right']]);
+            })
+            .then(_hoverLeft)
+            .then(function() { _assert('arrayOk align:right left sector', {textAnchor: 'end', posX: 37.45}); })
+            .then(_hoverRight)
+            .then(function() { _assert('arrayOk align:left right sector', {textAnchor: 'start', posX: -37.45}); })
+            .catch(failTest)
+            .then(done);
+        });
     });
 
     describe('should fit labels within graph div', function() {