diff --git a/config/interpolate_funcs.go b/config/interpolate_funcs.go
index b94fca8896..421edb041d 100644
--- a/config/interpolate_funcs.go
+++ b/config/interpolate_funcs.go
@@ -61,68 +61,74 @@ func listVariableValueToStringSlice(values []ast.Variable) ([]string, error) {
 // Funcs is the mapping of built-in functions for configuration.
 func Funcs() map[string]ast.Function {
 	return map[string]ast.Function{
-		"abs":          interpolationFuncAbs(),
-		"basename":     interpolationFuncBasename(),
-		"base64decode": interpolationFuncBase64Decode(),
-		"base64encode": interpolationFuncBase64Encode(),
-		"base64gzip":   interpolationFuncBase64Gzip(),
-		"base64sha256": interpolationFuncBase64Sha256(),
-		"base64sha512": interpolationFuncBase64Sha512(),
-		"bcrypt":       interpolationFuncBcrypt(),
-		"ceil":         interpolationFuncCeil(),
-		"chomp":        interpolationFuncChomp(),
-		"cidrhost":     interpolationFuncCidrHost(),
-		"cidrnetmask":  interpolationFuncCidrNetmask(),
-		"cidrsubnet":   interpolationFuncCidrSubnet(),
-		"coalesce":     interpolationFuncCoalesce(),
-		"coalescelist": interpolationFuncCoalesceList(),
-		"compact":      interpolationFuncCompact(),
-		"concat":       interpolationFuncConcat(),
-		"contains":     interpolationFuncContains(),
-		"dirname":      interpolationFuncDirname(),
-		"distinct":     interpolationFuncDistinct(),
-		"element":      interpolationFuncElement(),
-		"chunklist":    interpolationFuncChunklist(),
-		"file":         interpolationFuncFile(),
-		"matchkeys":    interpolationFuncMatchKeys(),
-		"flatten":      interpolationFuncFlatten(),
-		"floor":        interpolationFuncFloor(),
-		"format":       interpolationFuncFormat(),
-		"formatlist":   interpolationFuncFormatList(),
-		"indent":       interpolationFuncIndent(),
-		"index":        interpolationFuncIndex(),
-		"join":         interpolationFuncJoin(),
-		"jsonencode":   interpolationFuncJSONEncode(),
-		"length":       interpolationFuncLength(),
-		"list":         interpolationFuncList(),
-		"log":          interpolationFuncLog(),
-		"lower":        interpolationFuncLower(),
-		"map":          interpolationFuncMap(),
-		"max":          interpolationFuncMax(),
-		"md5":          interpolationFuncMd5(),
-		"merge":        interpolationFuncMerge(),
-		"min":          interpolationFuncMin(),
-		"pathexpand":   interpolationFuncPathExpand(),
-		"pow":          interpolationFuncPow(),
-		"uuid":         interpolationFuncUUID(),
-		"replace":      interpolationFuncReplace(),
-		"rsadecrypt":   interpolationFuncRsaDecrypt(),
-		"sha1":         interpolationFuncSha1(),
-		"sha256":       interpolationFuncSha256(),
-		"sha512":       interpolationFuncSha512(),
-		"signum":       interpolationFuncSignum(),
-		"slice":        interpolationFuncSlice(),
-		"sort":         interpolationFuncSort(),
-		"split":        interpolationFuncSplit(),
-		"substr":       interpolationFuncSubstr(),
-		"timestamp":    interpolationFuncTimestamp(),
-		"timeadd":      interpolationFuncTimeAdd(),
-		"title":        interpolationFuncTitle(),
-		"transpose":    interpolationFuncTranspose(),
-		"trimspace":    interpolationFuncTrimSpace(),
-		"upper":        interpolationFuncUpper(),
-		"urlencode":    interpolationFuncURLEncode(),
-		"zipmap":       interpolationFuncZipMap(),
+		"abs":              interpolationFuncAbs(),
+		"basename":         interpolationFuncBasename(),
+		"base64decode":     interpolationFuncBase64Decode(),
+		"base64encode":     interpolationFuncBase64Encode(),
+		"base64gzip":       interpolationFuncBase64Gzip(),
+		"base64sha256":     interpolationFuncBase64Sha256(),
+		"base64sha512":     interpolationFuncBase64Sha512(),
+		"bcrypt":           interpolationFuncBcrypt(),
+		"ceil":             interpolationFuncCeil(),
+		"chomp":            interpolationFuncChomp(),
+		"cidrhost":         interpolationFuncCidrHost(),
+		"cidrnetmask":      interpolationFuncCidrNetmask(),
+		"cidrsubnet":       interpolationFuncCidrSubnet(),
+		"coalesce":         interpolationFuncCoalesce(),
+		"coalescelist":     interpolationFuncCoalesceList(),
+		"compact":          interpolationFuncCompact(),
+		"concat":           interpolationFuncConcat(),
+		"contains":         interpolationFuncContains(),
+		"dirname":          interpolationFuncDirname(),
+		"distinct":         interpolationFuncDistinct(),
+		"element":          interpolationFuncElement(),
+		"chunklist":        interpolationFuncChunklist(),
+		"file":             interpolationFuncFile(),
+		"filebase64sha256": interpolationFuncMakeFileHash(interpolationFuncBase64Sha256()),
+		"filebase64sha512": interpolationFuncMakeFileHash(interpolationFuncBase64Sha512()),
+		"filemd5":          interpolationFuncMakeFileHash(interpolationFuncMd5()),
+		"filesha1":         interpolationFuncMakeFileHash(interpolationFuncSha1()),
+		"filesha256":       interpolationFuncMakeFileHash(interpolationFuncSha256()),
+		"filesha512":       interpolationFuncMakeFileHash(interpolationFuncSha512()),
+		"matchkeys":        interpolationFuncMatchKeys(),
+		"flatten":          interpolationFuncFlatten(),
+		"floor":            interpolationFuncFloor(),
+		"format":           interpolationFuncFormat(),
+		"formatlist":       interpolationFuncFormatList(),
+		"indent":           interpolationFuncIndent(),
+		"index":            interpolationFuncIndex(),
+		"join":             interpolationFuncJoin(),
+		"jsonencode":       interpolationFuncJSONEncode(),
+		"length":           interpolationFuncLength(),
+		"list":             interpolationFuncList(),
+		"log":              interpolationFuncLog(),
+		"lower":            interpolationFuncLower(),
+		"map":              interpolationFuncMap(),
+		"max":              interpolationFuncMax(),
+		"md5":              interpolationFuncMd5(),
+		"merge":            interpolationFuncMerge(),
+		"min":              interpolationFuncMin(),
+		"pathexpand":       interpolationFuncPathExpand(),
+		"pow":              interpolationFuncPow(),
+		"uuid":             interpolationFuncUUID(),
+		"replace":          interpolationFuncReplace(),
+		"rsadecrypt":       interpolationFuncRsaDecrypt(),
+		"sha1":             interpolationFuncSha1(),
+		"sha256":           interpolationFuncSha256(),
+		"sha512":           interpolationFuncSha512(),
+		"signum":           interpolationFuncSignum(),
+		"slice":            interpolationFuncSlice(),
+		"sort":             interpolationFuncSort(),
+		"split":            interpolationFuncSplit(),
+		"substr":           interpolationFuncSubstr(),
+		"timestamp":        interpolationFuncTimestamp(),
+		"timeadd":          interpolationFuncTimeAdd(),
+		"title":            interpolationFuncTitle(),
+		"transpose":        interpolationFuncTranspose(),
+		"trimspace":        interpolationFuncTrimSpace(),
+		"upper":            interpolationFuncUpper(),
+		"urlencode":        interpolationFuncURLEncode(),
+		"zipmap":           interpolationFuncZipMap(),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1725,3 +1731,24 @@ func interpolationFuncRsaDecrypt() ast.Function {
 		},
 	}
 }
+
+// interpolationFuncMakeFileHash constructs a function that hashes the contents
+// of a file by combining the implementations of the file(...) function and
+// a given other function that is assumed to take a single string argument and
+// return a hash value.
+func interpolationFuncMakeFileHash(hashFunc ast.Function) ast.Function {
+	fileFunc := interpolationFuncFile()
+
+	return ast.Function{
+		ArgTypes:   []ast.Type{ast.TypeString},
+		ReturnType: ast.TypeString,
+		Callback: func(args []interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
+			filename := args[0].(string)
+			contents, err := fileFunc.Callback([]interface{}{filename})
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			return hashFunc.Callback([]interface{}{contents})
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/config/interpolate_funcs_test.go b/config/interpolate_funcs_test.go
index f63d81c30b..90b913dbd7 100644
--- a/config/interpolate_funcs_test.go
+++ b/config/interpolate_funcs_test.go
@@ -1223,6 +1223,52 @@ func TestInterpolateFuncFile(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestInterpolateFuncFileHashFuncs(t *testing.T) {
+	tf, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "tf")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	path := tf.Name()
+	tf.Write([]byte("foo"))
+	tf.Close()
+	defer os.Remove(path)
+
+	testFunction(t, testFunctionConfig{
+		Cases: []testFunctionCase{
+			{
+				fmt.Sprintf(`${filebase64sha256("%s")}`, path),
+				"LCa0a2j/xo/5m0U8HTBBNBNCLXBkg7+g+YpeiGJm564=",
+				false,
+			},
+			{
+				fmt.Sprintf(`${filebase64sha512("%s")}`, path),
+				"9/u6bgY2+JDlb7vzKD5STG+jIErimDgtYkdB0NxmODJuKCxBvl5CVNiCB3LFUYosWowMf37aGVlKfrU5RT4e1w==",
+				false,
+			},
+			{
+				fmt.Sprintf(`${filemd5("%s")}`, path),
+				"acbd18db4cc2f85cedef654fccc4a4d8",
+				false,
+			},
+			{
+				fmt.Sprintf(`${filesha1("%s")}`, path),
+				"0beec7b5ea3f0fdbc95d0dd47f3c5bc275da8a33",
+				false,
+			},
+			{
+				fmt.Sprintf(`${filesha256("%s")}`, path),
+				"2c26b46b68ffc68ff99b453c1d30413413422d706483bfa0f98a5e886266e7ae",
+				false,
+			},
+			{
+				fmt.Sprintf(`${filesha512("%s")}`, path),
+				"f7fbba6e0636f890e56fbbf3283e524c6fa3204ae298382d624741d0dc6638326e282c41be5e4254d8820772c5518a2c5a8c0c7f7eda19594a7eb539453e1ed7",
+				false,
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
 func TestInterpolateFuncFormat(t *testing.T) {
 	testFunction(t, testFunctionConfig{
 		Cases: []testFunctionCase{
diff --git a/website/docs/configuration/interpolation.html.md b/website/docs/configuration/interpolation.html.md
index b4b4b1607c..3534b6b414 100644
--- a/website/docs/configuration/interpolation.html.md
+++ b/website/docs/configuration/interpolation.html.md
@@ -432,6 +432,15 @@ The supported built-in functions are:
       of the key used to encrypt their initial password, you might use:
       `zipmap(aws_iam_user.users.*.name, aws_iam_user_login_profile.users.*.key_fingerprint)`.
 
+The hashing functions `base64sha256`, `base64sha512`, `md5`, `sha1`, `sha256`,
+and `sha512` all have variants with a `file` prefix, like `filesha1`, which
+interpret their first argument as a path to a file on disk rather than as a
+literal string. This allows safely creating hashes of binary files that might
+otherwise be corrupted in memory if loaded into Terraform strings (which are
+assumed to be UTF-8). `filesha1(filename)` is equivalent to `sha1(file(filename))`
+in Terraform 0.11 and earlier, but the latter will fail for binary files in
+Terraform 0.12 and later.
+
 ## Templates
 
 Long strings can be managed using templates.