diff --git a/lib/cartodb/backends/layer-stats/mapnik-layer-stats.js b/lib/cartodb/backends/layer-stats/mapnik-layer-stats.js
index 3a7a3358..d8320334 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/backends/layer-stats/mapnik-layer-stats.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/backends/layer-stats/mapnik-layer-stats.js
@@ -146,13 +146,20 @@ function mergeColumns(results) {
     }
 }
 
+const SAMPLE_SEED = 0.5;
+const DEFAULT_SAMPLE_ROWS = 100;
+
 function _sample(ctx, numRows) {
     if (ctx.metaOptions.sample) {
-        const sampleProb = Math.min(ctx.metaOptions.sample / numRows, 1);
+        const sampleProb = Math.min(ctx.metaOptions.sample.num_rows / numRows, 1);
         // We'll use a safety limit just in case numRows is a bad estimate
-        const limit = Math.ceil(ctx.metaOptions.sample * 1.5);
-        return queryPromise(ctx.dbConnection, _getSQL(ctx, sql => queryUtils.getQuerySample(sql, sampleProb, limit)))
-            .then(res => ({ sample: res.rows }));
+        const requestedRows = ctx.metaOptions.sample.num_rows || DEFAULT_SAMPLE_ROWS;
+        const limit = Math.ceil(requestedRows * 1.5);
+        let columns = ctx.metaOptions.sample.include_columns;
+        return queryPromise(ctx.dbConnection, _getSQL(
+            ctx,
+            sql => queryUtils.getQuerySample(sql, sampleProb, limit, SAMPLE_SEED, columns)
+        )).then(res => ({ sample: res.rows }));
     }
     return Promise.resolve();
 }
@@ -265,6 +272,8 @@ function (layer, dbConnection, callback) {
     // (if metaOptions.geometryType) from it.
 
     // TODO: compute _sample with _featureCount when available
+    // TODO: add support for sample.exclude option by, in that case, forcing the columns query and
+    // passing the results to the sample query function.
 
     Promise.all([
         _estimatedFeatureCount(ctx).then(
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/utils/query-utils.js b/lib/cartodb/utils/query-utils.js
index 22d99eef..867db0cd 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/utils/query-utils.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/utils/query-utils.js
@@ -88,17 +88,30 @@ module.exports.getQueryTopCategories = function(query, column, topN, includeNull
     `;
 };
 
-module.exports.getQuerySample = function(query, sampleProb, limit = null, randomSeed = 0.5) {
+function columnSelector(columns) {
+    if (!columns) {
+        return '*';
+    }
+    if (typeof columns === 'string') {
+        return columns;
+    }
+    if (Array.isArray(columns)) {
+        return columns.map(name => `"${name}"`).join(', ');
+    }
+    throw new TypeError(`Bad argument type for columns: ${typeof columns}`);
+}
+
+module.exports.getQuerySample = function(query, sampleProb, limit = null, randomSeed = 0.5, columns = null) {
     const singleTable = simpleQueryTable(query);
     if (singleTable) {
-        return getTableSample(singleTable.table, singleTable.columns, sampleProb, limit, randomSeed);
+        return getTableSample(singleTable.table, columns || singleTable.columns, sampleProb, limit, randomSeed);
     }
     const limitClause = limit ? `LIMIT ${limit}` : '';
     return `
         WITH __cdb_rndseed AS (
             SELECT setseed(${randomSeed})
         )
-        SELECT *
+        SELECT ${columnSelector(columns)}
             FROM (${query}) AS __cdb_query
             WHERE random() < ${sampleProb}
             ${limitClause}
@@ -110,7 +123,9 @@ function getTableSample(table, columns, sampleProb, limit = null, randomSeed = 0
     sampleProb *= 100;
     randomSeed *= Math.pow(2, 31) -1;
     return `
-        SELECT ${columns} FROM ${table} TABLESAMPLE BERNOULLI (${sampleProb}) REPEATABLE (${randomSeed}) ${limitClause}
+        SELECT ${columnSelector(columns)}
+        FROM ${table}
+        TABLESAMPLE BERNOULLI (${sampleProb}) REPEATABLE (${randomSeed}) ${limitClause}
     `;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/acceptance/stats/mapnik_stats_layergroup.js b/test/acceptance/stats/mapnik_stats_layergroup.js
index 46c4368a..4e8413ae 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/stats/mapnik_stats_layergroup.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/stats/mapnik_stats_layergroup.js
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ describe('Create mapnik layergroup', function() {
             version: '1.4.0',
             layers: [
                 layerWithMetadata(mapnikLayer4, {
-                    sample: 3
+                    sample: { num_rows: 3 }
                 })
             ]
         });
@@ -529,6 +529,31 @@ describe('Create mapnik layergroup', function() {
         });
     });
 
+    it('can specify sample columns', function(done) {
+        var testClient = new TestClient({
+            version: '1.4.0',
+            layers: [
+                layerWithMetadata(mapnikLayer4, {
+                    sample: {
+                        num_rows: 3,
+                        include_columns:  [ 'cartodb_id', 'address', 'the_geom' ]
+                    }
+                })
+            ]
+        });
+
+        testClient.getLayergroup(function(err, layergroup) {
+            assert.ifError(err);
+            assert.equal(layergroup.metadata.layers[0].id, mapnikBasicLayerId(0));
+            assert.equal(layergroup.metadata.layers[0].meta.stats.estimatedFeatureCount, 5);
+            assert(layergroup.metadata.layers[0].meta.stats.sample.length > 0);
+            const expectedCols = [ 'cartodb_id', 'address', 'the_geom' ].sort();
+            assert.deepEqual(Object.keys(layergroup.metadata.layers[0].meta.stats.sample[0]).sort(), expectedCols);
+            testClient.drain(done);
+        });
+    });
+
+
     it('should only provide requested optional metadata', function(done) {
         var testClient = new TestClient({
             version: '1.4.0',