diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/run_config.go b/builder/amazon/common/run_config.go
index cc981596d..307a177ed 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/run_config.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/run_config.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 type RunConfig struct {
 	AssociatePublicIpAddress bool              `mapstructure:"associate_public_ip_address"`
 	AvailabilityZone         string            `mapstructure:"availability_zone"`
+	EbsOptimized             bool              `mapstructure:"ebs_optimized"`
 	IamInstanceProfile       string            `mapstructure:"iam_instance_profile"`
 	InstanceType             string            `mapstructure:"instance_type"`
 	RunTags                  map[string]string `mapstructure:"run_tags"`
diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/step_run_source_instance.go b/builder/amazon/common/step_run_source_instance.go
index be4120c19..a74d7c138 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/step_run_source_instance.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/step_run_source_instance.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ type StepRunSourceInstance struct {
 	AvailabilityZone         string
 	BlockDevices             BlockDevices
 	Debug                    bool
+	EbsOptimized             bool
 	ExpectedRootDevice       string
 	InstanceType             string
 	IamInstanceProfile       string
@@ -146,6 +147,7 @@ func (s *StepRunSourceInstance) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepActi
 			IamInstanceProfile:  &ec2.IamInstanceProfileSpecification{Name: &s.IamInstanceProfile},
 			BlockDeviceMappings: s.BlockDevices.BuildLaunchDevices(),
 			Placement:           &ec2.Placement{AvailabilityZone: &s.AvailabilityZone},
+			EbsOptimized:	     &s.EbsOptimized,
 		}
 
 		if s.SubnetId != "" && s.AssociatePublicIpAddress {
diff --git a/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go b/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go
index 1eab06247..26a525bcb 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/ebs/builder.go
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 			IamInstanceProfile:       b.config.IamInstanceProfile,
 			SubnetId:                 b.config.SubnetId,
 			AssociatePublicIpAddress: b.config.AssociatePublicIpAddress,
+			EbsOptimized:             b.config.EbsOptimized,
 			AvailabilityZone:         b.config.AvailabilityZone,
 			BlockDevices:             b.config.BlockDevices,
 			Tags:                     b.config.RunTags,
diff --git a/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go b/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go
index b69fc40ce..6ca908230 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/instance/builder.go
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 			SourceAMI:                b.config.SourceAmi,
 			SubnetId:                 b.config.SubnetId,
 			AssociatePublicIpAddress: b.config.AssociatePublicIpAddress,
+			EbsOptimized:             b.config.EbsOptimized,
 			AvailabilityZone:         b.config.AvailabilityZone,
 			BlockDevices:             b.config.BlockDevices,
 			Tags:                     b.config.RunTags,
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html.markdown
index f97404d19..e7fd99ab2 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html.markdown
@@ -116,6 +116,10 @@ builder.
 -   `availability_zone` (string) - Destination availability zone to launch
     instance in. Leave this empty to allow Amazon to auto-assign.
 
+-   `ebs_optimized` (boolean) - Mark instance as [EBS
+    Optimized](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/EBSOptimized.html).
+    Default `false`.
+
 -   `enhanced_networking` (boolean) - Enable enhanced
     networking (SriovNetSupport) on HVM-compatible AMIs. If true, add
     `ec2:ModifyInstanceAttribute` to your AWS IAM policy.
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-instance.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-instance.html.markdown
index 13ab1f293..378421214 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-instance.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/amazon-instance.html.markdown
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ builder.
 -   `bundle_vol_command` (string) - The command to use to bundle the volume. See
     the "custom bundle commands" section below for more information.
 
+-   `ebs_optimized` (boolean) - Mark instance as [EBS
+    Optimized](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/EBSOptimized.html).
+    Default `false`.
+
 -   `enhanced_networking` (boolean) - Enable enhanced
     networking (SriovNetSupport) on HVM-compatible AMIs. If true, add
     `ec2:ModifyInstanceAttribute` to your AWS IAM policy.