diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/access_config.go b/builder/amazon/common/access_config.go
index d1f5b6ffb..c03ed4f0e 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/access_config.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/access_config.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ type AccessConfig struct {
 	AccessKey   string `mapstructure:"access_key"`
 	SecretKey   string `mapstructure:"secret_key"`
 	RawRegion   string `mapstructure:"region"`
+	SkipValidation bool `mapstructure:"skip_region_validation"`
 	Token       string `mapstructure:"token"`
 	ProfileName string `mapstructure:"profile"`
 }
@@ -65,8 +66,10 @@ func (c *AccessConfig) Config() (*aws.Config, error) {
 // the region from the instance metadata if possible.
 func (c *AccessConfig) Region() (string, error) {
 	if c.RawRegion != "" {
-		if valid := ValidateRegion(c.RawRegion); valid == false {
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("Not a valid region: %s", c.RawRegion)
+		if(c.SkipValidation == false) {
+			if valid := ValidateRegion(c.RawRegion); valid == false {
+				return "", fmt.Errorf("Not a valid region: %s", c.RawRegion)
+			}
 		}
 		return c.RawRegion, nil
 	}
@@ -83,8 +86,10 @@ func (c *AccessConfig) Region() (string, error) {
 func (c *AccessConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 	var errs []error
 	if c.RawRegion != "" {
-		if valid := ValidateRegion(c.RawRegion); valid == false {
-			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Unknown region: %s", c.RawRegion))
+		if(c.SkipValidation == false) {
+			if valid := ValidateRegion(c.RawRegion); valid == false {
+				errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Unknown region: %s", c.RawRegion))
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/access_config_test.go b/builder/amazon/common/access_config_test.go
index dd20e9af9..9c8b3acfc 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/access_config_test.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/access_config_test.go
@@ -24,4 +24,18 @@ func TestAccessConfigPrepare_Region(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := c.Prepare(nil); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("shouldn't have err: %s", err)
 	}
+
+	c.RawRegion = "custom"
+	if err := c.Prepare(nil); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should have err")
+	}
+
+	c.RawRegion = "custom"
+	c.SkipValidation = true
+	if err := c.Prepare(nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("shouldn't have err: %s", err)
+	}
+	c.SkipValidation = false
+
+
 }
diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/ami_config.go b/builder/amazon/common/ami_config.go
index 377201902..3c759fe7e 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/ami_config.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/ami_config.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ type AMIConfig struct {
 	AMIGroups             []string          `mapstructure:"ami_groups"`
 	AMIProductCodes       []string          `mapstructure:"ami_product_codes"`
 	AMIRegions            []string          `mapstructure:"ami_regions"`
+	AMISkipRegionValidation bool			`mapstructure:"skip_region_validation"`
 	AMITags               map[string]string `mapstructure:"tags"`
 	AMIEnhancedNetworking bool              `mapstructure:"enhanced_networking"`
 	AMIForceDeregister    bool              `mapstructure:"force_deregister"`
@@ -40,9 +41,11 @@ func (c *AMIConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 			regionSet[region] = struct{}{}
 
 			// Verify the region is real
-			if valid := ValidateRegion(region); valid == false {
-				errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Unknown region: %s", region))
-				continue
+			if c.AMISkipRegionValidation == false {
+				if valid := ValidateRegion(region); valid == false {
+					errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Unknown region: %s", region))
+					continue
+				}
 			}
 
 			regions = append(regions, region)
diff --git a/builder/amazon/common/ami_config_test.go b/builder/amazon/common/ami_config_test.go
index 54210fca9..77158c41c 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/common/ami_config_test.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/common/ami_config_test.go
@@ -49,4 +49,12 @@ func TestAMIConfigPrepare_regions(t *testing.T) {
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(c.AMIRegions, expected) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", c.AMIRegions)
 	}
+
+	c.AMIRegions = []string{"custom"}
+	c.AMISkipRegionValidation = true
+	if err := c.Prepare(nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("shouldn't have error")
+	}
+	c.AMISkipRegionValidation = false
+
 }