diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/step_run_spot_instance.go b/builder/amazon/common/step_run_spot_instance.go
index 1d80b924a..dc196817a 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/step_run_spot_instance.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/step_run_spot_instance.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ type StepRunSpotInstance struct {
 	ExpectedRootDevice                string
 	InstanceInitiatedShutdownBehavior string
 	InstanceType                      string
+	Region                            string
 	SourceAMI                         string
 	SpotPrice                         string
 	SpotTags                          map[string]string
@@ -161,7 +162,6 @@ func (s *StepRunSpotInstance) LoadUserData() (string, error) {
 func (s *StepRunSpotInstance) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 	ec2conn := state.Get("ec2").(ec2iface.EC2API)
 	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
-	region := state.Get("region").(string)
 
 	ui.Say("Launching a spot AWS instance...")
 
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ func (s *StepRunSpotInstance) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag)
 	}
 
 	// Convert tags from the tag map provided by the user into *ec2.Tag s
-	ec2Tags, err := TagMap(s.Tags).EC2Tags(s.Ctx, region, state)
+	ec2Tags, err := TagMap(s.Tags).EC2Tags(s.Ctx, s.Region, state)
 	if err != nil {
 		err := fmt.Errorf("Error generating tags for source instance: %s", err)
 		state.Put("error", err)
@@ -223,6 +223,14 @@ func (s *StepRunSpotInstance) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag)
 	}
 	marketOptions.SetMarketType(ec2.MarketTypeSpot)
 
+	spotTags, err := TagMap(s.SpotTags).EC2Tags(s.Ctx, s.Region, state)
+	if err != nil {
+		err := fmt.Errorf("Error generating tags for spot request: %s", err)
+		state.Put("error", err)
+		ui.Error(err.Error())
+		return multistep.ActionHalt
+	}
+
 	// Create a launch template for the instance
 	ui.Message("Loading User Data File...")
 
@@ -244,12 +252,14 @@ func (s *StepRunSpotInstance) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag)
 		LaunchTemplateData: templateData,
 		LaunchTemplateName: aws.String(launchTemplateName),
 		VersionDescription: aws.String("template generated by packer for launching spot instances"),
-		TagSpecifications: []*ec2.TagSpecification{
+	}
+	if len(spotTags) > 0 {
+		launchTemplate.TagSpecifications = []*ec2.TagSpecification{
 			{
 				ResourceType: aws.String("launch-template"),
-				Tags:         ec2Tags,
+				Tags:         spotTags,
 			},
-		},
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Tell EC2 to create the template
@@ -369,14 +379,6 @@ func (s *StepRunSpotInstance) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag)
 	instance := describeOutput.Reservations[0].Instances[0]
 
 	// Tag the spot instance request (not the eventual spot instance)
-	spotTags, err := TagMap(s.SpotTags).EC2Tags(s.Ctx, region, state)
-	if err != nil {
-		err := fmt.Errorf("Error generating tags for spot request: %s", err)
-		state.Put("error", err)
-		ui.Error(err.Error())
-		return multistep.ActionHalt
-	}
-
 	if len(spotTags) > 0 && len(s.SpotTags) > 0 {
 		spotTags.Report(ui)
 		// Use the instance ID to find out the SIR, so that we can tag the spot
@@ -436,7 +438,7 @@ func (s *StepRunSpotInstance) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag)
 	if len(volumeIds) > 0 && len(s.VolumeTags) > 0 {
 		ui.Say("Adding tags to source EBS Volumes")
 
-		volumeTags, err := TagMap(s.VolumeTags).EC2Tags(s.Ctx, region, state)
+		volumeTags, err := TagMap(s.VolumeTags).EC2Tags(s.Ctx, s.Region, state)
 		if err != nil {
 			err := fmt.Errorf("Error tagging source EBS Volumes on %s: %s", *instance.InstanceId, err)
 			state.Put("error", err)
diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/step_run_spot_instance_test.go b/builder/amazon/common/step_run_spot_instance_test.go
index 4a57d0cbd..d00bf74dd 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/step_run_spot_instance_test.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/step_run_spot_instance_test.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ func getBasicStep() *StepRunSpotInstance {
 		ExpectedRootDevice:                "ebs",
 		InstanceInitiatedShutdownBehavior: "stop",
 		InstanceType:                      "t2.micro",
+		Region:                            "us-east-1",
 		SourceAMI:                         "",
 		SpotPrice:                         "auto",
 		SpotTags:                          nil,
@@ -189,10 +190,7 @@ func (m *runSpotEC2ConnMock) CreateTags(req *ec2.CreateTagsInput) (*ec2.CreateTa
 	}
 }
 
-func TestRun(t *testing.T) {
-	instanceId := aws.String("test-instance-id")
-	spotRequestId := aws.String("spot-id")
-	volumeId := aws.String("volume-id")
+func defaultEc2Mock(instanceId, spotRequestId, volumeId *string) *runSpotEC2ConnMock {
 	instance := &ec2.Instance{
 		InstanceId:            instanceId,
 		SpotInstanceRequestId: spotRequestId,
@@ -204,7 +202,7 @@ func TestRun(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}
-	ec2Mock := &runSpotEC2ConnMock{
+	return &runSpotEC2ConnMock{
 		CreateLaunchTemplateFn: func(in *ec2.CreateLaunchTemplateInput) (*ec2.CreateLaunchTemplateOutput, error) {
 			return &ec2.CreateLaunchTemplateOutput{
 				LaunchTemplate: nil,
@@ -233,6 +231,13 @@ func TestRun(t *testing.T) {
 			}, nil
 		},
 	}
+}
+
+func TestRun(t *testing.T) {
+	instanceId := aws.String("test-instance-id")
+	spotRequestId := aws.String("spot-id")
+	volumeId := aws.String("volume-id")
+	ec2Mock := defaultEc2Mock(instanceId, spotRequestId, volumeId)
 
 	uiMock := packer.TestUi(t)
 
@@ -240,7 +245,6 @@ func TestRun(t *testing.T) {
 	state.Put("ec2", ec2Mock)
 	state.Put("ui", uiMock)
 	state.Put("source_image", testImage())
-	state.Put("region", "test-region")
 
 	stepRunSpotInstance := getBasicStep()
 	stepRunSpotInstance.Tags["Name"] = "Packer Builder"
@@ -274,17 +278,13 @@ func TestRun(t *testing.T) {
 	if *ec2Mock.CreateLaunchTemplateParams[0].TagSpecifications[0].ResourceType != "launch-template" {
 		t.Fatalf("resource type 'launch-template' expected")
 	}
-	if len(ec2Mock.CreateLaunchTemplateParams[0].TagSpecifications[0].Tags) != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("2 tags expected")
+	if len(ec2Mock.CreateLaunchTemplateParams[0].TagSpecifications[0].Tags) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("1 launch template tag expected")
 	}
 
 	nameTag := ec2Mock.CreateLaunchTemplateParams[0].TagSpecifications[0].Tags[0]
-	if *nameTag.Key != "Name" || *nameTag.Value != "Packer Builder" {
-		t.Fatalf("expected name tag")
-	}
-	testTag := ec2Mock.CreateLaunchTemplateParams[0].TagSpecifications[0].Tags[1]
-	if *testTag.Key != "test-tag" || *testTag.Value != "test-value" {
-		t.Fatalf("expected test tag")
+	if *nameTag.Key != "spot-tag" || *nameTag.Value != "spot-tag-value" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected spot-tag: spot-tag-value")
 	}
 
 	if len(ec2Mock.CreateFleetParams) != 1 {
@@ -324,3 +324,39 @@ func TestRun(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("should create tags for volume")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRun_NoSpotTags(t *testing.T) {
+	instanceId := aws.String("test-instance-id")
+	spotRequestId := aws.String("spot-id")
+	volumeId := aws.String("volume-id")
+	ec2Mock := defaultEc2Mock(instanceId, spotRequestId, volumeId)
+
+	uiMock := packer.TestUi(t)
+
+	state := tStateSpot()
+	state.Put("ec2", ec2Mock)
+	state.Put("ui", uiMock)
+	state.Put("source_image", testImage())
+
+	stepRunSpotInstance := getBasicStep()
+	stepRunSpotInstance.Tags["Name"] = "Packer Builder"
+	stepRunSpotInstance.Tags["test-tag"] = "test-value"
+	stepRunSpotInstance.VolumeTags = map[string]string{
+		"volume-tag": "volume-tag-value",
+	}
+
+	ctx := context.TODO()
+	action := stepRunSpotInstance.Run(ctx, state)
+
+	if err := state.Get("error"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should not error, but: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if action != multistep.ActionContinue {
+		t.Fatalf("shoul continue, but: %v", action)
+	}
+
+	if len(ec2Mock.CreateLaunchTemplateParams[0].TagSpecifications) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("0 launch template tags expected")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go b/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go
index 8c4f00fe2..03c8d0c03 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go
@@ -164,7 +164,6 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 	state.Put("awsSession", session)
 	state.Put("hook", hook)
 	state.Put("ui", ui)
-	state.Put("region", *ec2conn.Config.Region)
 	generatedData := &builder.GeneratedData{State: state}
 
 	var instanceStep multistep.Step
@@ -182,6 +181,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 			ExpectedRootDevice:                "ebs",
 			InstanceInitiatedShutdownBehavior: b.config.InstanceInitiatedShutdownBehavior,
 			InstanceType:                      b.config.InstanceType,
+			Region:                            *ec2conn.Config.Region,
 			SourceAMI:                         b.config.SourceAmi,
 			SpotPrice:                         b.config.SpotPrice,
 			SpotTags:                          b.config.SpotTags,
diff --git a/builder/amazon/ebssurrogate/builder.go b/builder/amazon/ebssurrogate/builder.go
index 6600850f6..5688193a8 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/ebssurrogate/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/ebssurrogate/builder.go
@@ -187,7 +187,6 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 	state.Put("awsSession", session)
 	state.Put("hook", hook)
 	state.Put("ui", ui)
-	state.Put("region", *ec2conn.Config.Region)
 	generatedData := &builder.GeneratedData{State: state}
 
 	var instanceStep multistep.Step
@@ -205,6 +204,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 			ExpectedRootDevice:                "ebs",
 			InstanceInitiatedShutdownBehavior: b.config.InstanceInitiatedShutdownBehavior,
 			InstanceType:                      b.config.InstanceType,
+			Region:                            *ec2conn.Config.Region,
 			SourceAMI:                         b.config.SourceAmi,
 			SpotPrice:                         b.config.SpotPrice,
 			SpotInstanceTypes:                 b.config.SpotInstanceTypes,
diff --git a/builder/amazon/ebsvolume/builder.go b/builder/amazon/ebsvolume/builder.go
index f9cb3b819..2c7a859a3 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/ebsvolume/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/ebsvolume/builder.go
@@ -168,7 +168,6 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 	state.Put("iam", iam)
 	state.Put("hook", hook)
 	state.Put("ui", ui)
-	state.Put("region", *ec2conn.Config.Region)
 	generatedData := &builder.GeneratedData{State: state}
 
 	var instanceStep multistep.Step
@@ -186,6 +185,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 			ExpectedRootDevice:                "ebs",
 			InstanceInitiatedShutdownBehavior: b.config.InstanceInitiatedShutdownBehavior,
 			InstanceType:                      b.config.InstanceType,
+			Region:                            *ec2conn.Config.Region,
 			SourceAMI:                         b.config.SourceAmi,
 			SpotInstanceTypes:                 b.config.SpotInstanceTypes,
 			SpotPrice:                         b.config.SpotPrice,
diff --git a/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go b/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go
index 214f16283..fe755edb1 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go
@@ -250,7 +250,6 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 	state.Put("awsSession", session)
 	state.Put("hook", hook)
 	state.Put("ui", ui)
-	state.Put("region", ec2conn.Config.Region)
 	generatedData := &builder.GeneratedData{State: state}
 
 	var instanceStep multistep.Step
@@ -266,6 +265,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 			Debug:                    b.config.PackerDebug,
 			EbsOptimized:             b.config.EbsOptimized,
 			InstanceType:             b.config.InstanceType,
+			Region:                   *ec2conn.Config.Region,
 			SourceAMI:                b.config.SourceAmi,
 			SpotPrice:                b.config.SpotPrice,
 			SpotInstanceTypes:        b.config.SpotInstanceTypes,