diff --git a/builder/openstack/builder.go b/builder/openstack/builder.go
index d30ede8d3..ab60afc0e 100644
--- a/builder/openstack/builder.go
+++ b/builder/openstack/builder.go
@@ -75,10 +75,11 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 			DebugKeyPath: fmt.Sprintf("os_%s.pem", b.config.PackerBuildName),
 		},
 		&StepRunSourceServer{
-			Name:           b.config.ImageName,
-			SourceImage:    b.config.SourceImage,
-			SecurityGroups: b.config.SecurityGroups,
-			Networks:       b.config.Networks,
+			Name:             b.config.ImageName,
+			SourceImage:      b.config.SourceImage,
+			SecurityGroups:   b.config.SecurityGroups,
+			Networks:         b.config.Networks,
+			AvailabilityZone: b.config.AvailabilityZone,
 		},
 		&StepWaitForRackConnect{
 			Wait: b.config.RackconnectWait,
diff --git a/builder/openstack/run_config.go b/builder/openstack/run_config.go
index de76fad20..4a6a1b81f 100644
--- a/builder/openstack/run_config.go
+++ b/builder/openstack/run_config.go
@@ -11,17 +11,18 @@ import (
 // RunConfig contains configuration for running an instance from a source
 // image and details on how to access that launched image.
 type RunConfig struct {
-	SourceImage     string   `mapstructure:"source_image"`
-	Flavor          string   `mapstructure:"flavor"`
-	RawSSHTimeout   string   `mapstructure:"ssh_timeout"`
-	SSHUsername     string   `mapstructure:"ssh_username"`
-	SSHPort         int      `mapstructure:"ssh_port"`
-	SSHInterface    string   `mapstructure:"ssh_interface"`
-	RackconnectWait bool     `mapstructure:"rackconnect_wait"`
-	FloatingIpPool  string   `mapstructure:"floating_ip_pool"`
-	FloatingIp      string   `mapstructure:"floating_ip"`
-	SecurityGroups  []string `mapstructure:"security_groups"`
-	Networks        []string `mapstructure:"networks"`
+	SourceImage      string   `mapstructure:"source_image"`
+	Flavor           string   `mapstructure:"flavor"`
+	RawSSHTimeout    string   `mapstructure:"ssh_timeout"`
+	SSHUsername      string   `mapstructure:"ssh_username"`
+	SSHPort          int      `mapstructure:"ssh_port"`
+	SSHInterface     string   `mapstructure:"ssh_interface"`
+	AvailabilityZone string   `mapstructure:"availability_zone"`
+	RackconnectWait  bool     `mapstructure:"rackconnect_wait"`
+	FloatingIpPool   string   `mapstructure:"floating_ip_pool"`
+	FloatingIp       string   `mapstructure:"floating_ip"`
+	SecurityGroups   []string `mapstructure:"security_groups"`
+	Networks         []string `mapstructure:"networks"`
 
 	// Not really used, but here for BC
 	OpenstackProvider string `mapstructure:"openstack_provider"`
diff --git a/builder/openstack/step_run_source_server.go b/builder/openstack/step_run_source_server.go
index 89d816297..4014f1d95 100644
--- a/builder/openstack/step_run_source_server.go
+++ b/builder/openstack/step_run_source_server.go
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 type StepRunSourceServer struct {
-	Name           string
-	SourceImage    string
-	SecurityGroups []string
-	Networks       []string
+	Name             string
+	SourceImage      string
+	SecurityGroups   []string
+	Networks         []string
+	AvailabilityZone string
 
 	server *servers.Server
 }
@@ -41,11 +42,12 @@ func (s *StepRunSourceServer) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction
 	ui.Say("Launching server...")
 	s.server, err = servers.Create(computeClient, keypairs.CreateOptsExt{
 		CreateOptsBuilder: servers.CreateOpts{
-			Name:           s.Name,
-			ImageRef:       s.SourceImage,
-			FlavorRef:      flavor,
-			SecurityGroups: s.SecurityGroups,
-			Networks:       networks,
+			Name:             s.Name,
+			ImageRef:         s.SourceImage,
+			FlavorRef:        flavor,
+			SecurityGroups:   s.SecurityGroups,
+			Networks:         networks,
+			AvailabilityZone: s.AvailabilityZone,
 		},
 
 		KeyName: keyName,
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/openstack.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/builders/openstack.html.markdown
index 3b5bf791d..a7fef29dc 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/openstack.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/openstack.html.markdown
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ each category, the available configuration keys are alphabetized.
 * `api_key` (string) - The API key used to access OpenStack. Some OpenStack
   installations require this.
 
+* `availability_zone` (string) - The availability zone to launch the
+  server in. If this isn't specified, the default enforced by your OpenStack
+  cluster will be used. This may be required for some OpenStack clusters.
+
 * `floating_ip` (string) - A specific floating IP to assign to this instance.
   `use_floating_ip` must also be set to true for this to have an affect.