diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/ssh.go b/builder/amazon/common/ssh.go
index da7f74ffb..6c38ad97c 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/ssh.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/ssh.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func SSHHost(e ec2Describer, private bool) func(multistep.StateBag) (string, err
 				} else if i.PrivateIpAddress != nil && *i.PrivateIpAddress != "" {
 					host = *i.PrivateIpAddress
 				}
-			} else if private {
+			} else if private && i.PrivateIpAddress != nil && *i.PrivateIpAddress != "" {
 				host = *i.PrivateIpAddress
 			} else if i.PublicDnsName != nil && *i.PublicDnsName != "" {
 				host = *i.PublicDnsName
diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/ssh_test.go b/builder/amazon/common/ssh_test.go
index 4d2583e6f..9f1d4a53e 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/ssh_test.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/ssh_test.go
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ func TestSSHHost(t *testing.T) {
 		wantHost string
 	}{
 		{1, "", false, true, publicDNS},
-		{1, "", true, true, publicDNS},
+		{1, "", true, true, privateIP},
 		{1, "vpc-id", false, true, publicIP},
 		{1, "vpc-id", true, true, privateIP},
 		{2, "", false, true, publicDNS},
-		{2, "", true, true, publicDNS},
+		{2, "", true, true, privateIP},
 		{2, "vpc-id", false, true, publicIP},
 		{2, "vpc-id", true, true, privateIP},
 		{3, "", false, false, ""},