diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_instance.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_instance.go
index 956a73970..e51892475 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_instance.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_instance.go
@@ -140,6 +140,11 @@ func resourceAwsInstance() *schema.Resource {
 				Optional: true,
 			},
 
+			"disable_api_termination": &schema.Schema{
+				Type:     schema.TypeBool,
+				Optional: true,
+			},
+
 			"iam_instance_profile": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:     schema.TypeString,
 				ForceNew: true,
@@ -336,14 +341,15 @@ func resourceAwsInstanceCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 
 	// Build the creation struct
 	runOpts := &ec2.RunInstancesInput{
-		ImageID:            aws.String(d.Get("ami").(string)),
-		Placement:          placement,
-		InstanceType:       aws.String(d.Get("instance_type").(string)),
-		MaxCount:           aws.Long(int64(1)),
-		MinCount:           aws.Long(int64(1)),
-		UserData:           aws.String(userData),
-		EBSOptimized:       aws.Boolean(d.Get("ebs_optimized").(bool)),
-		IAMInstanceProfile: iam,
+		ImageID:               aws.String(d.Get("ami").(string)),
+		Placement:             placement,
+		InstanceType:          aws.String(d.Get("instance_type").(string)),
+		MaxCount:              aws.Long(int64(1)),
+		MinCount:              aws.Long(int64(1)),
+		UserData:              aws.String(userData),
+		EBSOptimized:          aws.Boolean(d.Get("ebs_optimized").(bool)),
+		DisableAPITermination: aws.Boolean(d.Get("disable_api_termination").(bool)),
+		IAMInstanceProfile:    iam,
 	}
 
 	associatePublicIPAddress := false
@@ -700,7 +706,18 @@ func resourceAwsInstanceUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+	}
 
+	if d.HasChange("disable_api_termination") {
+		_, err := conn.ModifyInstanceAttribute(&ec2.ModifyInstanceAttributeInput{
+			InstanceID: aws.String(d.Id()),
+			DisableAPITermination: &ec2.AttributeBooleanValue{
+				Value: aws.Boolean(d.Get("disable_api_termination").(bool)),
+			},
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	// TODO(mitchellh): wait for the attributes we modified to
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_instance_test.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_instance_test.go
index f591e3335..b976b836f 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_instance_test.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_instance_test.go
@@ -229,6 +229,51 @@ func TestAccAWSInstance_sourceDestCheck(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestAccAWSInstance_disableApiTermination(t *testing.T) {
+	var v ec2.Instance
+
+	checkDisableApiTermination := func(expected bool) resource.TestCheckFunc {
+		return func(*terraform.State) error {
+			conn := testAccProvider.Meta().(*AWSClient).ec2conn
+			r, err := conn.DescribeInstanceAttribute(&ec2.DescribeInstanceAttributeInput{
+				InstanceID: v.InstanceID,
+				Attribute:  aws.String("disableApiTermination"),
+			})
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			got := *r.DisableAPITermination.Value
+			if got != expected {
+				return fmt.Errorf("expected: %t, got: %t", expected, got)
+			}
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	resource.Test(t, resource.TestCase{
+		PreCheck:     func() { testAccPreCheck(t) },
+		Providers:    testAccProviders,
+		CheckDestroy: testAccCheckInstanceDestroy,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			resource.TestStep{
+				Config: testAccInstanceConfigDisableAPITermination(true),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckInstanceExists("aws_instance.foo", &v),
+					checkDisableApiTermination(true),
+				),
+			},
+
+			resource.TestStep{
+				Config: testAccInstanceConfigDisableAPITermination(false),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckInstanceExists("aws_instance.foo", &v),
+					checkDisableApiTermination(false),
+				),
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
 func TestAccAWSInstance_vpc(t *testing.T) {
 	var v ec2.Instance
 
@@ -629,6 +674,27 @@ resource "aws_instance" "foo" {
 }
 `
 
+func testAccInstanceConfigDisableAPITermination(val bool) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+	resource "aws_vpc" "foo" {
+		cidr_block = "10.1.0.0/16"
+	}
+
+	resource "aws_subnet" "foo" {
+		cidr_block = "10.1.1.0/24"
+		vpc_id = "${aws_vpc.foo.id}"
+	}
+
+	resource "aws_instance" "foo" {
+		# us-west-2
+		ami = "ami-4fccb37f"
+		instance_type = "m1.small"
+		subnet_id = "${aws_subnet.foo.id}"
+		disable_api_termination = %t
+	}
+	`, val)
+}
+
 const testAccInstanceConfigVPC = `
 resource "aws_vpc" "foo" {
 	cidr_block = "10.1.0.0/16"
diff --git a/website/source/docs/providers/aws/r/instance.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/providers/aws/r/instance.html.markdown
index a03fce102..080ccb871 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/providers/aws/r/instance.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/providers/aws/r/instance.html.markdown
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 * `placement_group` - (Optional) The Placement Group to start the instance in.
 * `ebs_optimized` - (Optional) If true, the launched EC2 instance will be
      EBS-optimized.
+* `disable_api_termination` - (Optional) If true, enables [EC2 Instance
+     Termination Protection](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/terminating-instances.html#Using_ChangingDisableAPITermination)
 * `instance_type` - (Required) The type of instance to start
 * `key_name` - (Optional) The key name to use for the instance.
 * `security_groups` - (Optional) A list of security group names to associate with.