diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/run_config.go b/builder/amazon/common/run_config.go
index b6e13dcc0..9467d42bd 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/run_config.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/run_config.go
@@ -77,10 +77,6 @@ func (c *RunConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 		c.RunTags = make(map[string]string)
 	}
 
-	if c.SpotTags == nil {
-		c.SpotTags = make(map[string]string)
-	}
-
 	// Validation
 	errs := c.Comm.Prepare(ctx)
 
@@ -123,6 +119,13 @@ func (c *RunConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if c.SpotTags != nil {
+		if c.SpotPrice == "" || c.SpotPrice == "0" {
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf(
+				"spot_tags should not be set when not requesting a spot instance"))
+		}
+	}
+
 	if c.UserData != "" && c.UserDataFile != "" {
 		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Only one of user_data or user_data_file can be specified."))
 	} else if c.UserDataFile != "" {
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html.md b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html.md
index 2db8c6d9f..c09591768 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html.md
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ builder.
     `Linux/UNIX (Amazon VPC)`, `SUSE Linux (Amazon VPC)`, `Windows (Amazon VPC)`
 
 -   `spot_tags` (object of key/value strings) - Requires `spot_price` to
-    be set. This tells Packer to aplly tags to the spot request that is
+    be set. This tells Packer to apply tags to the spot request that is
     issued.
 
 -   `sriov_support` (boolean) - Enable enhanced networking (SriovNetSupport but not ENA)
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebssurrogate.html.md b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebssurrogate.html.md
index f29eb6507..881cce45e 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebssurrogate.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebssurrogate.html.md
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ builder.
     `Linux/UNIX (Amazon VPC)`, `SUSE Linux (Amazon VPC)`, `Windows (Amazon VPC)`
 
 -   `spot_tags` (object of key/value strings) - Requires `spot_price` to
-    be set. This tells Packer to aplly tags to the spot request that is
+    be set. This tells Packer to apply tags to the spot request that is
     issued.
 
 -   `sriov_support` (boolean) - Enable enhanced networking (SriovNetSupport but not ENA)
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebsvolume.html.md b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebsvolume.html.md
index 880d8b49f..a3ff74785 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebsvolume.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebsvolume.html.md
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ builder.
     `Linux/UNIX (Amazon VPC)`, `SUSE Linux (Amazon VPC)` or `Windows (Amazon VPC)`
 
 -   `spot_tags` (object of key/value strings) - Requires `spot_price` to
-    be set. This tells Packer to aplly tags to the spot request that is
+    be set. This tells Packer to apply tags to the spot request that is
     issued.
 
 -   `sriov_support` (boolean) - Enable enhanced networking (SriovNetSupport but not ENA)
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-instance.html.md b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-instance.html.md
index c3f3d76b8..00700dfb5 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-instance.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-instance.html.md
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ builder.
     `Linux/UNIX (Amazon VPC)`, `SUSE Linux (Amazon VPC)`, `Windows (Amazon VPC)`
 
 -   `spot_tags` (object of key/value strings) - Requires `spot_price` to
-    be set. This tells Packer to aplly tags to the spot request that is
+    be set. This tells Packer to apply tags to the spot request that is
     issued.
 
 -   `sriov_support` (boolean) - Enable enhanced networking (SriovNetSupport but not ENA)