diff --git a/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go b/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go
index e898f4173..f220759d2 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 			Description: b.config.AMIDescription,
 			Users:       b.config.AMIUsers,
 			Groups:      b.config.AMIGroups,
+			Visibility:  b.config.AMIVisibility,
 		},
 		&awscommon.StepCreateTags{
 			Tags: b.config.AMITags,
diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/ami_config.go b/builder/amazon/common/ami_config.go
index 50e831c9d..2602c6cf6 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/ami_config.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/ami_config.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ type AMIConfig struct {
 	AMIProductCodes []string          `mapstructure:"ami_product_codes"`
 	AMIRegions      []string          `mapstructure:"ami_regions"`
 	AMITags         map[string]string `mapstructure:"tags"`
+	AMIVisibility   string            `mapstructure:"ami_visibility"`
 }
 
 func (c *AMIConfig) Prepare(t *packer.ConfigTemplate) []error {
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ func (c *AMIConfig) Prepare(t *packer.ConfigTemplate) []error {
 	templates := map[string]*string{
 		"ami_name":        &c.AMIName,
 		"ami_description": &c.AMIDescription,
+		"ami_visibility":  &c.AMIVisibility,
 	}
 
 	errs := make([]error, 0)
diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/step_modify_ami_attributes.go b/builder/amazon/common/step_modify_ami_attributes.go
index 533d4cfd9..1a31459d3 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/step_modify_ami_attributes.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/step_modify_ami_attributes.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ type StepModifyAMIAttributes struct {
 	Groups       []string
 	ProductCodes []string
 	Description  string
+	Visibility   string
 }
 
 func (s *StepModifyAMIAttributes) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ func (s *StepModifyAMIAttributes) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAc
 	valid = valid || (s.Users != nil && len(s.Users) > 0)
 	valid = valid || (s.Groups != nil && len(s.Groups) > 0)
 	valid = valid || (s.ProductCodes != nil && len(s.ProductCodes) > 0)
+	valid = valid || s.Visibility == "public"
 
 	if !valid {
 		return multistep.ActionContinue
@@ -59,6 +61,14 @@ func (s *StepModifyAMIAttributes) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAc
 		}
 	}
 
+	if s.Visibility == "public" {
+		group := make([]string, 1)
+		group[0] = "all"
+		options["public ami"] = &ec2.ModifyImageAttribute{
+			AddGroups: group,
+		}
+	}
+
 	for region, ami := range amis {
 		ui.Say(fmt.Sprintf("Modifying attributes on AMI (%s)...", ami))
 		regionconn := ec2.New(ec2conn.Auth, aws.Regions[region])
diff --git a/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go b/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go
index 5d68f9470..b2193a020 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 			Description: b.config.AMIDescription,
 			Users:       b.config.AMIUsers,
 			Groups:      b.config.AMIGroups,
+			Visibility:  b.config.AMIVisibility,
 		},
 		&awscommon.StepCreateTags{
 			Tags: b.config.AMITags,
diff --git a/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go b/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go
index 455a7cd01..1c3bd2889 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 			Users:        b.config.AMIUsers,
 			Groups:       b.config.AMIGroups,
 			ProductCodes: b.config.AMIProductCodes,
+			Visibility:   b.config.AMIVisibility,
 		},
 		&awscommon.StepCreateTags{
 			Tags: b.config.AMITags,