diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5c80dbb..fa6779c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -358,13 +358,13 @@ To do so, the default laravel exception handler normaly located in `app\Exceptio
 
 ### Health Checks
 
+**IMPORTANT: Management plugin is required to be installed in order to perform health checks.**
+
 Based on [this Reliability Guide](https://www.rabbitmq.com/reliability.html), Bowler figured that it would be beneficial to provide
 a tool to check the health of connected consumers and is provided through the `bowler:healthcheck:consumer` command with the following signature:
 
 ```
-bowler:healthcheck:consumer
-    {queueName : The queue name}
-    {--c|consumers=1 : The expected number of consumers to be connected to the queue specified by queueName}
+bowler:healthcheck:consumer {queueName : The queue name}
 ```
 
 Example: `php artisan bowler:healthcheck:consumer the-queue`
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 8cdeac0..4678f6b 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@
 		"php": ">=7.0",
 		"php-amqplib/php-amqplib": "v2.6.1",
         "illuminate/console": "5.*",
-        "illuminate/support": "5.*"
+        "illuminate/support": "5.*",
+		"vinelab/http": "^1.5",
+		"illuminate/filesystem": "5.x"
     },
 
     "require-dev": {
diff --git a/src/BowlerServiceProvider.php b/src/BowlerServiceProvider.php
index 647b10b..79de40e 100644
--- a/src/BowlerServiceProvider.php
+++ b/src/BowlerServiceProvider.php
@@ -19,10 +19,16 @@ class BowlerServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
      */
     public function register()
     {
+        // register facade to resolve instance
         $this->app->singleton('vinelab.bowler.registrator', function ($app) {
             return new RegisterQueues();
         });
 
+        // use the same Registrator instance all over the app (to make it injectable).
+        $this->app->singleton(RegisterQueues::class, function ($app) {
+            return $app['vinelab.bowler.registrator'];
+        });
+
         // Bind connection to env configuration
         $rbmqHost = config('queue.connections.rabbitmq.host');
         $rbmqPort = config('queue.connections.rabbitmq.port');
diff --git a/src/Connection.php b/src/Connection.php
index 0774e46..6309102 100644
--- a/src/Connection.php
+++ b/src/Connection.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 define('__ROOT__', dirname(dirname(dirname(__FILE__))));
 //require_once(__ROOT__.'/vendor/autoload.php');
 
+use Vinelab\Http\Client as HTTPClient;
 use PhpAmqpLib\Connection\AMQPStreamConnection;
 
 /**
@@ -29,6 +30,34 @@ class Connection
      */
     private $channel;
 
+    /**
+     * RabbitMQ server host.
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    private $host = 'localhost';
+
+    /**
+     * Management plugin's port.
+     *
+     * @var int
+     */
+    private $managementPort = 15672;
+
+    /**
+     * RabbitMQ server username.
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    private $username = 'guest';
+
+    /**
+     * RabbitMQ server password.
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    private $password = 'guest';
+
     /**
      * @param string $host      the ip of the rabbitmq server, default: localhost
      * @param int    $port.     default: 5672
@@ -37,6 +66,11 @@ class Connection
      */
     public function __construct($host = 'localhost', $port = 5672, $username = 'guest', $password = 'guest')
     {
+        $this->host = $host;
+        $this->poart = $port;
+        $this->username = $username;
+        $this->password = $password;
+
         $this->connection = new AMQPStreamConnection(
             $host,
             $port,
@@ -67,6 +101,30 @@ public function getChannel()
         return $this->channel;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Fetch the list of consumers details for the given queue name using the management API.
+     *
+     * @param  string $queueName
+     * @param  string $columns
+     *
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function fetchQueueConsumers($queueName, string $columns = 'consumer_details.consumer_tag')
+    {
+        $http = app(HTTPClient::class);
+
+        $request = [
+            'url' => $this->host.':'.$this->managementPort.'/api/queues/%2F/'.$queueName,
+            'params' => ['columns' => $columns],
+            'auth' => [
+                'username' => $this->username,
+                'password' => $this->password,
+            ],
+        ];
+
+        return $http->get($request)->json();
+    }
+
     public function __destruct()
     {
         $this->channel->close();
diff --git a/src/Console/Commands/ConsumeCommand.php b/src/Console/Commands/ConsumeCommand.php
index 0e2547d..73aa0a7 100644
--- a/src/Console/Commands/ConsumeCommand.php
+++ b/src/Console/Commands/ConsumeCommand.php
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@
 
 namespace Vinelab\Bowler\Console\Commands;
 
-use Vinelab\Bowler\Consumer;
-use Vinelab\Bowler\Connection;
 use Illuminate\Console\Command;
-use Vinelab\Bowler\Facades\Registrator;
-use Vinelab\Bowler\Exceptions\UnregisteredQueueException;
+use Vinelab\Bowler\Connection;
+use Vinelab\Bowler\Consumer;
 use Vinelab\Bowler\Exceptions\Handler as BowlerExceptionHandler;
+use Vinelab\Bowler\Exceptions\UnregisteredQueueException;
+use Vinelab\Bowler\Facades\Registrator;
+use Vinelab\Bowler\RegisterQueues;
 
 /**
  * @author Ali Issa <ali@vinelab.com>
@@ -17,9 +18,11 @@ class ConsumeCommand extends Command
 {
     protected $registerQueues;
 
-    public function __construct()
+    public function __construct(RegisterQueues $registrator)
     {
         parent::__construct();
+
+        $this->registrator = $registrator;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -70,8 +73,8 @@ public function handle()
         $deadLetterRoutingKey = $this->option('deadLetterRoutingKey');
         $messageTTL = ($ttl = $this->option('messageTTL')) ? (int) $ttl : null;
 
-        require app_path().'/Messaging/queues.php';
-        $handlers = Registrator::getHandlers();
+        $this->loadQueuesDefinitions();
+        $handlers = $this->registrator->getHandlers();
 
         foreach ($handlers as $handler) {
             if ($handler->queueName == $queueName) {
@@ -83,6 +86,7 @@ public function handle()
               }
 
                 $bowlerConsumer = new Consumer(app(Connection::class), $handler->queueName, $exchangeName, $exchangeType, $bindingKeys, $passive, $durable, $autoDelete);
+
                 if ($deadLetterQueueName) {
 
                     // If configured as options and deadLetterExchangeName is not specified, default to deadLetterQueueName.
@@ -90,10 +94,22 @@ public function handle()
 
                     $bowlerConsumer->configureDeadLettering($deadLetterQueueName, $deadLetterExchangeName, $deadLetterExchangeType, $deadLetterRoutingKey, $messageTTL);
                 }
+
                 $bowlerConsumer->listenToQueue($handler->className, app(BowlerExceptionHandler::class));
             }
         }
 
         throw new UnregisteredQueueException('No registered queue found with name '.$queueName.'.');
     }
+
+    public function loadQueuesDefinitions()
+    {
+        $path = app_path().'/Messaging/queues.php';
+
+        if (!file_exists($path)) {
+            return $this->error('Queues definitions file not found. Please create it at '.$path);
+        }
+
+        require $path;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/Console/Commands/ConsumerHealthCheckCommand.php b/src/Console/Commands/ConsumerHealthCheckCommand.php
index 52aee09..2959a77 100644
--- a/src/Console/Commands/ConsumerHealthCheckCommand.php
+++ b/src/Console/Commands/ConsumerHealthCheckCommand.php
@@ -3,30 +3,32 @@
 namespace Vinelab\Bowler\Console\Commands;
 
 use ErrorException;
-use Vinelab\Bowler\Connection;
 use Illuminate\Console\Command;
 use PhpAmqpLib\Exception\AMQPProtocolChannelException;
+use Vinelab\Bowler\Connection;
+use Vinelab\Bowler\Traits\ConsumerTagTrait;
 
 /**
  * @author Abed Halawi <abed.halawi@vinelab.com>
  */
 class ConsumerHealthCheckCommand extends Command
 {
+    use ConsumerTagTrait;
+
     /**
      * The console command name.
      *
      * @var string
      */
     protected $signature = 'bowler:healthcheck:consumer
-                            {queueName : The queue name}
-                            {--c|consumers=1 : The expected number of consumers to be connected to the queue specified by queueName}';
+                            {queueName : The queue name}';
 
     /**
      * The console command description.
      *
      * @var string
      */
-    protected $description = 'Check the health of connected consumers to a queue, with a minimum of 1 connection.';
+    protected $description = 'Check the health of connected consumers to a given queue.';
 
     /**
      * Run the command.
@@ -34,13 +36,13 @@ class ConsumerHealthCheckCommand extends Command
     public function handle()
     {
         $queueName = $this->argument('queueName');
-        $expectedConsumers = (int) $this->option('consumers');
 
         // may or may not be able to connect
         try {
             $connection = app(Connection::class);
         } catch (ErrorException $e) {
             $this->error('Unable to connect to RabbitMQ.');
+
             return 1;
         }
 
@@ -56,15 +58,31 @@ public function handle()
                 []
             );
 
-            // consumer count and minimum consumers connected should match
-            if ($consumerCount !== $expectedConsumers) {
-                $this->error('Health check failed. Minimum consumer count not met: expected '.$expectedConsumers.' got '.$consumerCount);
+            $response = $connection->fetchQueueConsumers($queueName);
+
+            if ($response && isset($response->consumer_details) && !empty($response->consumer_details)) {
+                // read consumer tag
+                $tag = $this->readConsumerTag();
+
+                // find consumer tag within the list of returned consumers
+                foreach ($response->consumer_details as $consumer) {
+                    if (isset($consumer->consumer_tag) && $consumer->consumer_tag == $tag) {
+                        $this->info('Healthy consumer with tag '.$tag);
+
+                        return 0;
+                    }
+                }
+
+                $this->error('Health check failed! Could not find consumer with tag "'.$tag.'"');
+
                 return 1;
             }
 
-            $this->info('Consumers healthy with '.$consumerCount.' live connections.');
+            $this->error('No consumers connected to queue "'.$queueName.'"');
+
+            return 1;
         } catch (AMQPProtocolChannelException $e) {
-            switch($e->getCode()) {
+            switch ($e->getCode()) {
                 case 404:
                     $this->error('Queue with name '.$queueName.' does not exist.');
                     break;
diff --git a/src/Consumer.php b/src/Consumer.php
index 6c0bebc..2d90a6d 100644
--- a/src/Consumer.php
+++ b/src/Consumer.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace Vinelab\Bowler;
 
 use Vinelab\Bowler\Traits\AdminTrait;
+use Vinelab\Bowler\Traits\ConsumerTagTrait;
 use Vinelab\Bowler\Traits\DeadLetteringTrait;
 use Vinelab\Bowler\Traits\CompileParametersTrait;
 use Vinelab\Bowler\Exceptions\Handler as BowlerExceptionHandler;
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@
 class Consumer
 {
     use AdminTrait;
+    use ConsumerTagTrait;
     use DeadLetteringTrait;
     use CompileParametersTrait;
 
@@ -156,7 +158,9 @@ public function listenToQueue($handlerClass, BowlerExceptionHandler $exceptionHa
         };
 
         $channel->basic_qos(null, 1, null);
-        $channel->basic_consume($this->queueName, '', false, false, false, false, $callback);
+        $tag = $channel->basic_consume($this->queueName, '', false, false, false, false, $callback);
+
+        $this->writeConsumerTag($tag);
 
         echo ' [*] Listening to Queue: ', $this->queueName, ' To exit press CTRL+C', "\n";
 
diff --git a/src/Traits/ConsumerTagTrait.php b/src/Traits/ConsumerTagTrait.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f0e63e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Traits/ConsumerTagTrait.php
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Vinelab\Bowler\Traits;
+
+use Storage;
+
+/**
+ * @author Abed Halawi <abed.halawi@vinelab.com>
+ */
+trait ConsumerTagTrait
+{
+    public function getConsumerTagFilename()
+    {
+        return 'rabbitmq-consumer.tag';
+    }
+
+    private function writeConsumerTag($tag)
+    {
+        Storage::disk('local')->put($this->getConsumerTagFilename(), $tag);
+    }
+
+    public function readConsumerTag()
+    {
+        return Storage::disk('local')->get($this->getConsumerTagFilename());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/ConnectionTest.php b/tests/ConnectionTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..098519a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ConnectionTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Vinelab\Bowler\Tests;
+
+use Mockery as M;
+use Vinelab\Bowler\Connection;
+use Vinelab\Http\Client as HTTPClient;
+
+/**
+ * @author Abed Halawi <abed.halawi@vinelab.com>
+ */
+class ConnectionTest extends TestCase
+{
+    public function tearDown()
+    {
+        M::close();
+    }
+
+    public function test_fetching_consumers_default()
+    {
+        $queueName = 'the-queue';
+        $mClient = M::mock(HTTPClient::class);
+        $request = [
+            'url' => 'localhost:15672/api/queues/%2F/'.$queueName,
+            'params' => ['columns' => 'consumer_details.consumer_tag'],
+            'auth' => [
+                'username' => 'guest',
+                'password' => 'guest',
+            ],
+        ];
+
+        $mClient->shouldReceive('get')->once()->with($request)->andReturn($mClient);
+        $mClient->shouldReceive('json')->once()->withNoArgs()->andReturn('response');
+
+        $this->app->bind(HTTPClient::class, function () use ($mClient) {
+            return $mClient;
+        });
+
+        $mConnection = M::mock(Connection::class)->makePartial();
+        $this->app->bind(Connection::class, function () use ($mConnection) {
+            return $mConnection;
+        });
+
+        $connection = $this->app[Connection::class];
+        $response = $connection->fetchQueueConsumers($queueName);
+
+        $this->assertEquals('response', $response);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/Console/Commands/ConsumerHealthCheckCommandTest.php b/tests/Console/Commands/ConsumerHealthCheckCommandTest.php
index ebb347e..adf8228 100644
--- a/tests/Console/Commands/ConsumerHealthCheckCommandTest.php
+++ b/tests/Console/Commands/ConsumerHealthCheckCommandTest.php
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@
 namespace Vinelab\Bowler\Tests\Console\Commands;
 
 use Mockery as M;
-use PhpAmqpLib\Channel\AMQPChannel;
-use PhpAmqpLib\Exception\AMQPProtocolChannelException;
 use Vinelab\Bowler\Connection;
-use Vinelab\Bowler\Console\Commands\ConsumerHealthCheckCommand;
 use Vinelab\Bowler\Tests\TestCase;
+use PhpAmqpLib\Channel\AMQPChannel;
+use PhpAmqpLib\Exception\AMQPProtocolChannelException;
 
+/**
+ * @author Abed Halawi <abed.halawi@vinelab.com>
+ */
 class ConsumerHealthCheckCommandTest extends TestCase
 {
     public function tearDown()
@@ -18,19 +20,28 @@ public function tearDown()
 
     public function test_checking_consumer_successfully()
     {
-        $command = M::mock('Vinelab\Bowler\Console\Commands\ConsumerHealthCheckCommand[error]');
-
-        $queueName = 'queue-to-consume';
+        $command = M::mock('Vinelab\Bowler\Console\Commands\ConsumerHealthCheckCommand[error,readConsumerTag]');
+        $queueName = 'the-queue';
+        $consumerTag = 'tag-1234';
 
         $this->app['Illuminate\Contracts\Console\Kernel']->registerCommand($command);
 
         $mConnection = M::mock(Connection::class);
+
+        $command->shouldReceive('readConsumerTag')->once()->andReturn($consumerTag);
+        $mConnection->shouldReceive('fetchQueueConsumers')->once()->andReturn(json_decode(json_encode([
+            'consumer_details' => [
+                ['consumer_tag' => $consumerTag],
+                ['consumer_tag' => 'another-tag-here'],
+            ],
+        ])));
+
         $mChannel = M::mock(AMQPChannel::class);
         $mChannel::$PROTOCOL_CONSTANTS_CLASS = 'PhpAmqpLib\Wire\Constants091';
         $mChannel->shouldReceive('queue_declare')->once()->andReturn([$queueName, 10, 1]);
         $mConnection->shouldReceive('getChannel')->once()->andReturn($mChannel);
 
-        $this->app->bind(Connection::class, function() use($mConnection) {
+        $this->app->bind(Connection::class, function () use ($mConnection) {
             return $mConnection;
         });
 
@@ -39,52 +50,65 @@ public function test_checking_consumer_successfully()
         $this->assertEquals(0, $code);
     }
 
-    public function test_with_0_expected_1_connected()
+    public function test_with_no_consumers_connected()
     {
         // should err out requesting minimum to be greater than 0
         $command = M::mock('Vinelab\Bowler\Console\Commands\ConsumerHealthCheckCommand[error]');
-        $command->shouldReceive('error')->once()->with('Health check failed. Minimum consumer count not met: expected 0 got 1');
+        $command->shouldReceive('error')->once()->with('No consumers connected to queue "queue-to-consume"');
 
         $queueName = 'queue-to-consume';
 
         $this->app['Illuminate\Contracts\Console\Kernel']->registerCommand($command);
 
         $mConnection = M::mock(Connection::class);
+        $mConnection->shouldReceive('fetchQueueConsumers')->once()->andReturn(json_decode(json_encode([])));
+
         $mChannel = M::mock(AMQPChannel::class);
         $mChannel::$PROTOCOL_CONSTANTS_CLASS = 'PhpAmqpLib\Wire\Constants091';
         $mChannel->shouldReceive('queue_declare')->once()->andReturn([$queueName, 10, 1]);
         $mConnection->shouldReceive('getChannel')->once()->andReturn($mChannel);
 
-        $this->app->bind(Connection::class, function() use($mConnection) {
+        $this->app->bind(Connection::class, function () use ($mConnection) {
             return $mConnection;
         });
 
-        $code = $this->artisan('bowler:healthcheck:consumer', ['queueName' => $queueName, '--consumers' => 0]);
+        $code = $this->artisan('bowler:healthcheck:consumer', ['queueName' => $queueName]);
 
         $this->assertEquals(1, $code);
     }
 
-    public function test_with_1_expected_0_connected()
+    public function test_with_consumer_tag_not_found()
     {
         // should err out requesting minimum to be greater than 0
-        $command = M::mock('Vinelab\Bowler\Console\Commands\ConsumerHealthCheckCommand[error]');
-        $command->shouldReceive('error')->once()->with('Health check failed. Minimum consumer count not met: expected 1 got 0');
+        $command = M::mock('Vinelab\Bowler\Console\Commands\ConsumerHealthCheckCommand[error,readConsumerTag]');
 
         $queueName = 'queue-to-consume';
+        $consumerTag = 'amqp.98oyiuahksjdf';
+
+        $command->shouldReceive('error')->once()->with('Health check failed! Could not find consumer with tag "'.$consumerTag.'"');
 
         $this->app['Illuminate\Contracts\Console\Kernel']->registerCommand($command);
 
         $mConnection = M::mock(Connection::class);
+
+        $command->shouldReceive('readConsumerTag')->once()->andReturn($consumerTag);
+        $mConnection->shouldReceive('fetchQueueConsumers')->once()->andReturn(json_decode(json_encode([
+            'consumer_details' => [
+                ['consumer_tag' => 'nope-not-me'],
+                ['consumer_tag' => 'another-tag-here'],
+            ],
+        ])));
+
         $mChannel = M::mock(AMQPChannel::class);
         $mChannel::$PROTOCOL_CONSTANTS_CLASS = 'PhpAmqpLib\Wire\Constants091';
         $mChannel->shouldReceive('queue_declare')->once()->andReturn([$queueName, 10, 0]);
         $mConnection->shouldReceive('getChannel')->once()->andReturn($mChannel);
 
-        $this->app->bind(Connection::class, function() use($mConnection) {
+        $this->app->bind(Connection::class, function () use ($mConnection) {
             return $mConnection;
         });
 
-        $code = $this->artisan('bowler:healthcheck:consumer', ['queueName' => $queueName, '--consumers' => 1]);
+        $code = $this->artisan('bowler:healthcheck:consumer', ['queueName' => $queueName]);
 
         $this->assertEquals(1, $code);
     }
@@ -106,7 +130,7 @@ public function test_healthcheck_with_queue_does_not_exist()
             ->andThrow($exception);
         $mConnection->shouldReceive('getChannel')->once()->andReturn($mChannel);
 
-        $this->app->bind(Connection::class, function() use($mConnection) {
+        $this->app->bind(Connection::class, function () use ($mConnection) {
             return $mConnection;
         });