diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_parameter_group.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_parameter_group.go
index 9489394dc..b274605a7 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_parameter_group.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_parameter_group.go
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbParameterGroupUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 				Parameters:           parameters,
 			}
 
-			log.Printf("[DEBUG] Modify DB Parameter Group: %#v", modifyOpts)
+			log.Printf("[DEBUG] Modify DB Parameter Group: %s", modifyOpts)
 			_, err = rdsconn.ModifyDBParameterGroup(&modifyOpts)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("Error modifying DB Parameter Group: %s", err)
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/structure.go b/builtin/providers/aws/structure.go
index 59bc61b14..b22a0f1c8 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/structure.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/structure.go
@@ -186,13 +186,17 @@ func expandIPPerms(
 // Takes the result of flatmap.Expand for an array of parameters and
 // returns Parameter API compatible objects
 func expandParameters(configured []interface{}) ([]*rds.Parameter, error) {
-	parameters := make([]*rds.Parameter, 0, len(configured))
+	var parameters []*rds.Parameter
 
 	// Loop over our configured parameters and create
 	// an array of aws-sdk-go compatabile objects
 	for _, pRaw := range configured {
 		data := pRaw.(map[string]interface{})
 
+		if data["name"].(string) == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		p := &rds.Parameter{
 			ApplyMethod:    aws.String(data["apply_method"].(string)),
 			ParameterName:  aws.String(data["name"].(string)),