diff --git a/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go b/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go
index 607ad06a9..02923ce31 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	DevicePath        string                     `mapstructure:"device_path"`
 	FromScratch       bool                       `mapstructure:"from_scratch"`
 	MountOptions      []string                   `mapstructure:"mount_options"`
-	MountPartition    int                        `mapstructure:"mount_partition"`
+	MountPartition    string                     `mapstructure:"mount_partition"`
 	MountPath         string                     `mapstructure:"mount_path"`
 	PostMountCommands []string                   `mapstructure:"post_mount_commands"`
 	PreMountCommands  []string                   `mapstructure:"pre_mount_commands"`
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 		b.config.MountPath = "/mnt/packer-amazon-chroot-volumes/{{.Device}}"
 	}
 
-	if b.config.MountPartition == 0 {
-		b.config.MountPartition = 1
+	if b.config.MountPartition == "" {
+		b.config.MountPartition = "1"
 	}
 
 	// Accumulate any errors or warnings
diff --git a/builder/amazon/chroot/step_mount_device.go b/builder/amazon/chroot/step_mount_device.go
index f9fc7b0a8..c05ae2e77 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/chroot/step_mount_device.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/chroot/step_mount_device.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ type mountPathData struct {
 //   mount_device_cleanup CleanupFunc - To perform early cleanup
 type StepMountDevice struct {
 	MountOptions   []string
-	MountPartition int
+	MountPartition string
 
 	mountPath string
 }
@@ -75,8 +75,9 @@ func (s *StepMountDevice) Run(_ context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multi
 	}
 
 	deviceMount := device
-	if virtualizationType == "hvm" {
-		deviceMount = fmt.Sprintf("%s%d", device, s.MountPartition)
+
+	if virtualizationType == "hvm" && s.MountPartition != "0" {
+		deviceMount = fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", device, s.MountPartition)
 	}
 	state.Put("deviceMount", deviceMount)
 
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-chroot.html.md b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-chroot.html.md
index 3738d4e7d..da1752144 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-chroot.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-chroot.html.md
@@ -213,8 +213,10 @@ each category, the available configuration keys are alphabetized.
     where the `.Device` variable is replaced with the name of the device where
     the volume is attached.
 
--   `mount_partition` (number) - The partition number containing the
-    / partition. By default this is the first partition of the volume.
+-   `mount_partition` (string) - The partition number containing the
+    / partition. By default this is the first partition of the volume, (for
+    example, `xvda1`) but you can designate the entire block device by setting
+    `"mount_partition": "0"` in your config, which will mount `xvda` instead.
 
 -   `mount_options` (array of strings) - Options to supply the `mount` command
     when mounting devices. Each option will be prefixed with `-o` and supplied
@@ -291,9 +293,9 @@ each category, the available configuration keys are alphabetized.
         This is most useful for selecting a daily distro build.
 
     You may set this in place of `source_ami` or in conjunction with it. If you
-    set this in conjunction with `source_ami`, the `source_ami` will be added to 
+    set this in conjunction with `source_ami`, the `source_ami` will be added to
     the filter. The provided `source_ami` must meet all of the filtering criteria
-    provided in `source_ami_filter`; this pins the AMI returned by the filter, 
+    provided in `source_ami_filter`; this pins the AMI returned by the filter,
     but will cause Packer to fail if the `source_ami` does not exist.
 
 -   `sriov_support` (boolean) - Enable enhanced networking (SriovNetSupport but not ENA)