diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_elb.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_elb.go
index 3128f8a76..e7c2caba5 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_elb.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_elb.go
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@ func resource_aws_elb_create(
 	v := flatmap.Expand(rs.Attributes, "listener").([]interface{})
 	listeners := expandListeners(v)
 
+	v = flatmap.Expand(rs.Attributes, "availability_zones").([]interface{})
+	zones := expandStringList(v)
+
 	// Provision the elb
 	elbOpts := &elb.CreateLoadBalancer{
 		LoadBalancerName: elbName,
 		Listeners:        listeners,
-		AvailZone: []string{
-			"us-east-1a",
-			"us-east-1b",
-		},
+		AvailZone:        zones,
 	}
 
 	log.Printf("[DEBUG] ELB create configuration: %#v", elbOpts)
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func resource_aws_elb_diff(
 
 		ComputedAttrs: []string{
 			"dns_name",
-			"instances",
+			"instances	",
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/structure.go b/builtin/providers/aws/structure.go
index 44ab80519..0f2b4800a 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/structure.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/structure.go
@@ -26,3 +26,13 @@ func expandListeners(configured []interface{}) []elb.Listener {
 
 	return listeners
 }
+
+// Takes the result of flatmap.Expand for an array of strings
+// and returns a []string
+func expandStringList(configured []interface{}) []string {
+	vs := make([]string, 0, len(configured))
+	for _, v := range configured {
+		vs = append(vs, v.(string))
+	}
+	return vs
+}
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/structure_test.go b/builtin/providers/aws/structure_test.go
index 28283a676..d534e4c24 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/structure_test.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/structure_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ func testConf() map[string]string {
 		"listener.0.lb_protocol":       "http",
 		"listener.0.instance_port":     "8000",
 		"listener.0.instance_protocol": "http",
+		"availability_zones.#":         "2",
+		"availability_zones.0":         "us-east-1a",
+		"availability_zones.1":         "us-east-1b",
 	}
 }
 
@@ -37,3 +40,20 @@ func Test_expandListeners(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 }
+
+func Test_expandStringList(t *testing.T) {
+	expanded := flatmap.Expand(testConf(), "availability_zones").([]interface{})
+	stringList := expandStringList(expanded)
+	expected := []string{
+		"us-east-1a",
+		"us-east-1b",
+	}
+
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(stringList, expected) {
+		t.Fatalf(
+			"Got:\n\n%#v\n\nExpected:\n\n%#v\n",
+			stringList,
+			expected)
+	}
+
+}