diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/cluster-resource-handler/handler.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/cluster-resource-handler/handler.ts
index 5db46ab5bd344..2a2f9ac2b3688 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/cluster-resource-handler/handler.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/cluster-resource-handler/handler.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import { IsCompleteResponse, OnEventResponse } from '@aws-cdk/custom-resources/l
 // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-extraneous-dependencies
 import * as aws from 'aws-sdk';
 
+const MAX_CLUSTER_NAME_LEN = 63;
+
 export class ClusterResourceHandler {
 
   public get clusterName() {
@@ -71,7 +73,7 @@ export class ClusterResourceHandler {
       throw new Error('"roleArn" is required');
     }
 
-    const clusterName = this.newProps.name || `${this.logicalResourceId}-${this.requestId}`;
+    const clusterName = this.newProps.name || this.generateClusterName();
 
     const resp = await this.eks.createCluster({
       ...this.newProps,
@@ -221,6 +223,13 @@ export class ClusterResourceHandler {
       };
     }
   }
+
+  private generateClusterName() {
+    // max length is 63 characters
+    const suffix = this.requestId.replace(/-/g, ''); // 32 chars
+    const prefix = this.logicalResourceId.substr(0, MAX_CLUSTER_NAME_LEN - suffix.length - 1);
+    return `${prefix}-${suffix}`;
+  }
 }
 
 export interface EksClient {
@@ -265,3 +274,4 @@ function analyzeUpdate(oldProps: Partial<aws.EKS.CreateClusterRequest>, newProps
     updateLogging: JSON.stringify(newProps.logging) !== JSON.stringify(oldProps.logging),
   };
 }
+
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.cluster-resource-provider.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.cluster-resource-provider.ts
index a852a40a30166..9a0aabccc8041 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.cluster-resource-provider.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.cluster-resource-provider.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export = {
           subnetIds: ['subnet1', 'subnet2'],
           securityGroupIds: ['sg1', 'sg2', 'sg3']
         },
-        name: 'MyResourceId-fake-request-id'
+        name: 'MyResourceId-fakerequestid'
       });
 
       test.done();
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ export = {
 
           // THEN
           test.deepEqual(mocks.actualRequest.createClusterRequest!, {
-            name: 'MyResourceId-fake-request-id',
+            name: 'MyResourceId-fakerequestid',
             roleArn: 'arn:of:role',
             resourcesVpcConfig:
             {
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ export = {
               securityGroupIds: ['sg1', 'sg2', 'sg3']
             }
           });
-          test.deepEqual(resp, { PhysicalResourceId: 'MyResourceId-fake-request-id' });
+          test.deepEqual(resp, { PhysicalResourceId: 'MyResourceId-fakerequestid' });
           test.done();
         },
 
@@ -230,9 +230,9 @@ export = {
         }));
         const resp = await handler.onEvent();
 
-        test.deepEqual(resp, { PhysicalResourceId: 'MyResourceId-fake-request-id' });
+        test.deepEqual(resp, { PhysicalResourceId: 'MyResourceId-fakerequestid' });
         test.deepEqual(mocks.actualRequest.createClusterRequest, {
-          name: 'MyResourceId-fake-request-id',
+          name: 'MyResourceId-fakerequestid',
           roleArn: 'arn:of:role',
           resourcesVpcConfig:
           {
@@ -251,9 +251,9 @@ export = {
         }));
         const resp = await handler.onEvent();
 
-        test.deepEqual(resp, { PhysicalResourceId: 'MyResourceId-fake-request-id' });
+        test.deepEqual(resp, { PhysicalResourceId: 'MyResourceId-fakerequestid' });
         test.deepEqual(mocks.actualRequest.createClusterRequest, {
-          name: 'MyResourceId-fake-request-id',
+          name: 'MyResourceId-fakerequestid',
           roleArn: 'new-arn'
         });
         test.done();
@@ -295,9 +295,9 @@ export = {
         const resp = await handler.onEvent();
 
         // THEN
-        test.deepEqual(resp, { PhysicalResourceId: 'MyResourceId-fake-request-id' });
+        test.deepEqual(resp, { PhysicalResourceId: 'MyResourceId-fakerequestid' });
         test.deepEqual(mocks.actualRequest.createClusterRequest, {
-          name: 'MyResourceId-fake-request-id',
+          name: 'MyResourceId-fakerequestid',
           roleArn: 'new-arn'
         });
         test.done();