diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/step_create_tags.go b/builder/amazon/common/step_create_tags.go
index 7c89e5a59..4750d7a08 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/step_create_tags.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/step_create_tags.go
@@ -34,8 +34,13 @@ func (s *StepCreateTags) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 			// Declare list of resources to tag
 			resourceIds := []*string{&ami}
 
+			regionconn := ec2.New(&aws.Config{
+				Credentials: ec2conn.Config.Credentials,
+				Region:      region,
+			})
+
 			// Retrieve image list for given AMI
-			imageResp, err := ec2conn.DescribeImages(&ec2.DescribeImagesInput{
+			imageResp, err := regionconn.DescribeImages(&ec2.DescribeImagesInput{
 				ImageIDs: resourceIds,
 			})
 
@@ -63,11 +68,6 @@ func (s *StepCreateTags) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 				}
 			}
 
-			regionconn := ec2.New(&aws.Config{
-				Credentials: ec2conn.Config.Credentials,
-				Region:      region,
-			})
-
 			_, err = regionconn.CreateTags(&ec2.CreateTagsInput{
 				Resources: resourceIds,
 				Tags:      ec2Tags,