diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route53_zone.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route53_zone.go
index d8f688e74..e89b782c0 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route53_zone.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route53_zone.go
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func resourceAwsRoute53ZoneCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) erro
 			VPCID:     aws.String(v.(string)),
 			VPCRegion: aws.String(meta.(*AWSClient).region),
 		}
-		if w := d.Get("vpc_region"); w != nil {
+		if w := d.Get("vpc_region"); w != "" {
 			req.VPC.VPCRegion = aws.String(w.(string))
 		}
 	}
@@ -119,13 +119,17 @@ func resourceAwsRoute53ZoneRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error
 		return err
 	}
 
-	ns := make([]string, len(zone.DelegationSet.NameServers))
-	for i := range zone.DelegationSet.NameServers {
-		ns[i] = *zone.DelegationSet.NameServers[i]
-	}
-	sort.Strings(ns)
-	if err := d.Set("name_servers", ns); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("[DEBUG] Error setting name servers for: %s, error: %#v", d.Id(), err)
+	if zone.DelegationSet != nil {
+		ns := make([]string, len(zone.DelegationSet.NameServers))
+		for i := range zone.DelegationSet.NameServers {
+			ns[i] = *zone.DelegationSet.NameServers[i]
+		}
+		sort.Strings(ns)
+		if err := d.Set("name_servers", ns); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("[DEBUG] Error setting name servers for: %s, error: %#v", d.Id(), err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		d.Set("name_servers", nil);
 	}
 
 	// get tags
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route53_zone_test.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route53_zone_test.go
index 12ab623d3..0fda00815 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route53_zone_test.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route53_zone_test.go
@@ -134,16 +134,18 @@ func testAccCheckRoute53ZoneExists(n string, zone *route53.HostedZone) resource.
 			return fmt.Errorf("Hosted zone err: %v", err)
 		}
 
-		sorted_ns := make([]string, len(resp.DelegationSet.NameServers))
-		for i, ns := range resp.DelegationSet.NameServers {
-			sorted_ns[i] = *ns
-		}
-		sort.Strings(sorted_ns)
-		for idx, ns := range sorted_ns {
-			attribute := fmt.Sprintf("name_servers.%d", idx)
-			dsns := rs.Primary.Attributes[attribute]
-			if dsns != ns {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Got: %v for %v, Expected: %v", dsns, attribute, ns)
+		if resp.DelegationSet != nil {
+			sorted_ns := make([]string, len(resp.DelegationSet.NameServers))
+			for i, ns := range resp.DelegationSet.NameServers {
+				sorted_ns[i] = *ns
+			}
+			sort.Strings(sorted_ns)
+			for idx, ns := range sorted_ns {
+				attribute := fmt.Sprintf("name_servers.%d", idx)
+				dsns := rs.Primary.Attributes[attribute]
+				if dsns != ns {
+					return fmt.Errorf("Got: %v for %v, Expected: %v", dsns, attribute, ns)
+				}
 			}
 		}