diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/step_security_group.go b/builder/amazon/common/step_security_group.go
index 031842cd3..4a86782be 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/step_security_group.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/step_security_group.go
@@ -74,8 +74,24 @@ func (s *StepSecurityGroup) Run(_ context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) mul
 	// Set the group ID so we can delete it later
 	s.createdGroupId = *groupResp.GroupId
 
+	// Wait for the security group become available for authorizing
+	log.Printf("[DEBUG] Waiting for temporary security group: %s", s.createdGroupId)
+	err = waitUntilSecurityGroupExists(ec2conn,
+		&ec2.DescribeSecurityGroupsInput{
+			GroupIds: []*string{aws.String(s.createdGroupId)},
+		},
+	)
+	if err == nil {
+		log.Printf("[DEBUG] Found security group %s", s.createdGroupId)
+	} else {
+		err := fmt.Errorf("Timed out waiting for security group %s: %s", s.createdGroupId, err)
+		log.Printf("[DEBUG] %s", err.Error())
+		state.Put("error", err)
+		return multistep.ActionHalt
+	}
+
 	// Authorize the SSH access for the security group
-	req := &ec2.AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngressInput{
+	groupRules := &ec2.AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngressInput{
 		GroupId:    groupResp.GroupId,
 		IpProtocol: aws.String("tcp"),
 		FromPort:   aws.Int64(int64(port)),
@@ -83,44 +99,17 @@ func (s *StepSecurityGroup) Run(_ context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) mul
 		CidrIp:     aws.String(s.TemporarySGSourceCidr),
 	}
 
-	// We loop and retry this a few times because sometimes the security
-	// group isn't available immediately because AWS resources are eventually
-	// consistent.
 	ui.Say(fmt.Sprintf(
 		"Authorizing access to port %d from %s in the temporary security group...",
 		port, s.TemporarySGSourceCidr))
-	for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
-		_, err = ec2conn.AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress(req)
-		if err == nil {
-			break
-		}
-
-		log.Printf("Error authorizing. Will sleep and retry. %s", err)
-		time.Sleep((time.Duration(i) * time.Second) + 1)
-	}
-
+	_, err = ec2conn.AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress(groupRules)
 	if err != nil {
-		err := fmt.Errorf("Error creating temporary security group: %s", err)
+		err := fmt.Errorf("Error authorizing temporary security group: %s", err)
 		state.Put("error", err)
 		ui.Error(err.Error())
 		return multistep.ActionHalt
 	}
 
-	log.Printf("[DEBUG] Waiting for temporary security group: %s", s.createdGroupId)
-	err = waitUntilSecurityGroupExists(ec2conn,
-		&ec2.DescribeSecurityGroupsInput{
-			GroupIds: []*string{aws.String(s.createdGroupId)},
-		},
-	)
-	if err == nil {
-		log.Printf("[DEBUG] Found security group %s", s.createdGroupId)
-	} else {
-		err := fmt.Errorf("Timed out waiting for security group %s: %s", s.createdGroupId, err)
-		log.Printf("[DEBUG] %s", err.Error())
-		state.Put("error", err)
-		return multistep.ActionHalt
-	}
-
 	// Set some state data for use in future steps
 	state.Put("securityGroupIds", []string{s.createdGroupId})