diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/ami.go b/builder/amazon/common/ami.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6a305aa37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/ami.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"github.com/mitchellh/goamz/ec2"
+	"log"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// WaitForAMI waits for the given AMI ID to become ready.
+func WaitForAMI(c *ec2.EC2, imageId string) error {
+	for {
+		imageResp, err := c.Images([]string{imageId}, ec2.NewFilter())
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if imageResp.Images[0].State == "available" {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		log.Printf("Image in state %s, sleeping 2s before checking again",
+			imageResp.Images[0].State)
+		time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/builder/amazon/ebs/step_create_ami.go b/builder/amazon/ebs/step_create_ami.go
index a33021b49..0b08bc7c9 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/ebs/step_create_ami.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/ebs/step_create_ami.go
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/goamz/ec2"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	awscommon "github.com/mitchellh/packer/builder/amazon/common"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
-	"log"
 	"strconv"
 	"text/template"
 	"time"
@@ -57,23 +57,11 @@ func (s *stepCreateAMI) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
 
 	// Wait for the image to become ready
 	ui.Say("Waiting for AMI to become ready...")
-	for {
-		imageResp, err := ec2conn.Images([]string{createResp.ImageId}, ec2.NewFilter())
-		if err != nil {
-			err := fmt.Errorf("Error querying images: %s", err)
-			state["error"] = err
-			ui.Error(err.Error())
-			return multistep.ActionHalt
-		}
-
-		if imageResp.Images[0].State == "available" {
-			break
-		}
-
-		log.Printf("Image in state %s, sleeping 2s before checking again",
-			imageResp.Images[0].State)
-
-		time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+	if err := awscommon.WaitForAMI(ec2conn, createResp.ImageId); err != nil {
+		err := fmt.Errorf("Error waiting for AMI: %s", err)
+		state["error"] = err
+		ui.Error(err.Error())
+		return multistep.ActionHalt
 	}
 
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
diff --git a/builder/amazon/instance/step_register_ami.go b/builder/amazon/instance/step_register_ami.go
index 56ce784b9..d95deb888 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/instance/step_register_ami.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/instance/step_register_ami.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/goamz/ec2"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	awscommon "github.com/mitchellh/packer/builder/amazon/common"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
 	"strconv"
 	"text/template"
@@ -52,6 +53,15 @@ func (s *StepRegisterAMI) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction
 	amis[config.Region] = registerResp.ImageId
 	state["amis"] = amis
 
+	// Wait for the image to become ready
+	ui.Say("Waiting for AMI to become ready...")
+	if err := awscommon.WaitForAMI(ec2conn, registerResp.ImageId); err != nil {
+		err := fmt.Errorf("Error waiting for AMI: %s", err)
+		state["error"] = err
+		ui.Error(err.Error())
+		return multistep.ActionHalt
+	}
+
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
 }