diff --git a/builder/amazonebs/builder.go b/builder/amazonebs/builder.go
index 8822a78fb..8a0c0c71f 100644
--- a/builder/amazonebs/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazonebs/builder.go
@@ -29,12 +29,13 @@ type config struct {
 	SecretKey string `mapstructure:"secret_key"`
 
 	// Information for the source instance
-	Region       string
-	SourceAmi    string `mapstructure:"source_ami"`
-	InstanceType string `mapstructure:"instance_type"`
-	SSHUsername  string `mapstructure:"ssh_username"`
-	SSHPort      int    `mapstructure:"ssh_port"`
-	SSHTimeout   time.Duration
+	Region          string
+	SourceAmi       string `mapstructure:"source_ami"`
+	InstanceType    string `mapstructure:"instance_type"`
+	SSHUsername     string `mapstructure:"ssh_username"`
+	SSHPort         int    `mapstructure:"ssh_port"`
+	SSHTimeout      time.Duration
+	SecurityGroupId string `mapstructure:"security_group_id"`
 
 	// Configuration of the resulting AMI
 	AMIName string `mapstructure:"ami_name"`
diff --git a/builder/amazonebs/step_security_group.go b/builder/amazonebs/step_security_group.go
index 65c71cd7b..c35413c90 100644
--- a/builder/amazonebs/step_security_group.go
+++ b/builder/amazonebs/step_security_group.go
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@ func (s *stepSecurityGroup) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepActi
 	ec2conn := state["ec2"].(*ec2.EC2)
 	ui := state["ui"].(packer.Ui)
 
+	if config.SecurityGroupId != "" {
+		log.Printf("Using specified security group: %s", config.SecurityGroupId)
+		state["securityGroupId"] = config.SecurityGroupId
+		return multistep.ActionContinue
+	}
+
 	// Create the group
 	ui.Say("Creating temporary security group for this instance...")
 	groupName := fmt.Sprintf("packer %s", hex.EncodeToString(identifier.NewUUID().Raw()))