diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_sns_topic.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_sns_topic.go
index 6a1c46590..6bf0127d0 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_sns_topic.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_sns_topic.go
@@ -44,10 +44,13 @@ func resourceAwsSnsTopic() *schema.Resource {
 			"policy": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:     schema.TypeString,
 				Optional: true,
-				ForceNew: false,
 				Computed: true,
 				StateFunc: func(v interface{}) string {
-					jsonb := []byte(v.(string))
+					s, ok := v.(string)
+					if !ok || s == "" {
+						return ""
+					}
+					jsonb := []byte(s)
 					buffer := new(bytes.Buffer)
 					if err := json.Compact(buffer, jsonb); err != nil {
 						log.Printf("[WARN] Error compacting JSON for Policy in SNS Topic")