diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_launch_configuration.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_launch_configuration.go
index bc6997ed3..e3a7a03d3 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_launch_configuration.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_launch_configuration.go
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ func resource_aws_launch_configuration_create(
 			rs.Attributes, "security_groups").([]interface{}))
 	}
 
+	if rs.Attributes["user_data"] != "" {
+		createLaunchConfigurationOpts.UserData = rs.Attributes["user_data"]
+	}
+
 	createLaunchConfigurationOpts.Name = rs.Attributes["name"]
 
 	log.Printf("[DEBUG] autoscaling create launch configuration: %#v", createLaunchConfigurationOpts)
@@ -128,6 +132,7 @@ func resource_aws_launch_configuration_diff(
 			"key_name":        diff.AttrTypeCreate,
 			"name":            diff.AttrTypeCreate,
 			"security_groups": diff.AttrTypeCreate,
+			"user_data":       diff.AttrTypeCreate,
 		},
 
 		ComputedAttrs: []string{
@@ -198,6 +203,7 @@ func resource_aws_launch_configuration_validation() *config.Validator {
 		Optional: []string{
 			"key_name",
 			"security_groups.*",
+			"user_data",
 		},
 	}
 }
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_launch_configuration_test.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_launch_configuration_test.go
index 2126671b6..38b03c36b 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_launch_configuration_test.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_launch_configuration_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package aws
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
+	"bytes"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/resource"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
@@ -28,6 +29,8 @@ func TestAccAWSLaunchConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 						"aws_launch_configuration.bar", "name", "foobar-terraform-test"),
 					resource.TestCheckResourceAttr(
 						"aws_launch_configuration.bar", "instance_type", "t1.micro"),
+					resource.TestCheckResourceAttr(
+						"aws_launch_configuration.bar", "user_data", "foobar-user-data"),
 				),
 			},
 		},
@@ -81,6 +84,10 @@ func testAccCheckAWSLaunchConfigurationAttributes(conf *autoscaling.LaunchConfig
 			return fmt.Errorf("Bad instance_type: %s", conf.InstanceType)
 		}
 
+		if ! bytes.Equal(conf.UserData, []byte("foobar-user-data")) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Bad user_data: %s", conf.UserData)
+		}
+
 		return nil
 	}
 }
@@ -123,5 +130,6 @@ resource "aws_launch_configuration" "bar" {
   name = "foobar-terraform-test"
   image_id = "ami-fb8e9292"
   instance_type = "t1.micro"
+  user_data = "foobar-user-data"
 }
 `
diff --git a/website/source/docs/providers/aws/r/launch_config.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/providers/aws/r/launch_config.html.markdown
index 4c697d9fa..3d6ff8373 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/providers/aws/r/launch_config.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/providers/aws/r/launch_config.html.markdown
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 * `instance_type` - (Required) The size of instance to launch.
 * `key_name` - (Optional) The key name that should be used for the instance.
 * `security_groups` - (Optional) A list of associated security group IDS.
+* `user_data` - (Optional) The user data to provide when launching the instance.
 
 ## Attributes Reference
 
 The following attributes are exported:
 
 * `id` - The ID of the launch configuration.
-