diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy.go
index 2a84d851a1..74a2fb71c6 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy.go
@@ -32,8 +32,9 @@ func resourceAwsIamPolicy() *schema.Resource {
 				ForceNew: true,
 			},
 			"policy": &schema.Schema{
-				Type:     schema.TypeString,
-				Required: true,
+				Type:         schema.TypeString,
+				Required:     true,
+				ValidateFunc: validateJsonString,
 			},
 			"name": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:          schema.TypeString,