diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_elb_attachment.go b/aws/resource_aws_elb_attachment.go
index 119c4e663a4..51c8a6b2066 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_elb_attachment.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_elb_attachment.go
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ package aws
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
+	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/awserr"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/elb"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/resource"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
@@ -45,7 +47,21 @@ func resourceAwsElbAttachmentCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) er
 
 	log.Printf("[INFO] registering instance %s with ELB %s", instance, elbName)
 
-	_, err := elbconn.RegisterInstancesWithLoadBalancer(&registerInstancesOpts)
+	err := resource.Retry(600*time.Second, func() *resource.RetryError {
+		_, err := elbconn.RegisterInstancesWithLoadBalancer(&registerInstancesOpts)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			if awsErr, ok := err.(awserr.Error); ok {
+				if awsErr.Code() == "InvalidTarget" {
+					return resource.RetryableError(
+						fmt.Errorf("Error attaching instance to ELB, retrying: %s", err))
+				}
+			}
+			return resource.NonRetryableError(err)
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Failure registering instances with ELB: %s", err)
 	}