diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_cloudformation_stack_set.go b/aws/resource_aws_cloudformation_stack_set.go
index 683c2ec2650..eb63a7142ce 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_cloudformation_stack_set.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_cloudformation_stack_set.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"regexp"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/cloudformation"
@@ -24,6 +25,10 @@ func resourceAwsCloudFormationStackSet() *schema.Resource {
 			State: schema.ImportStatePassthrough,
 		},
 
+		Timeouts: &schema.ResourceTimeout{
+			Update: schema.DefaultTimeout(30 * time.Minute),
+		},
+
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"administration_role_arn": {
 				Type:         schema.TypeString,
@@ -228,12 +233,16 @@ func resourceAwsCloudFormationStackSetUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interf
 	}
 
 	log.Printf("[DEBUG] Updating CloudFormation Stack Set: %s", input)
-	_, err := conn.UpdateStackSet(input)
+	output, err := conn.UpdateStackSet(input)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error updating CloudFormation Stack Set (%s): %s", d.Id(), err)
 	}
 
+	if err := waitForCloudFormationStackSetOperation(conn, d.Id(), aws.StringValue(output.OperationId), d.Timeout(schema.TimeoutUpdate)); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error waiting for CloudFormation Stack Set (%s) update: %s", d.Id(), err)
+	}
+
 	return resourceAwsCloudFormationStackSetRead(d, meta)
 }
 
diff --git a/website/docs/r/cloudformation_stack_set.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/cloudformation_stack_set.html.markdown
index 5c9f7d1e22f..86cca2839b7 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/cloudformation_stack_set.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/cloudformation_stack_set.html.markdown
@@ -103,6 +103,12 @@ In addition to all arguments above, the following attributes are exported:
 * `id` - Name of the Stack Set.
 * `stack_set_id` - Unique identifier of the Stack Set.
 
+## Timeouts
+
+`aws_cloudformation_stack_set` provides the following [Timeouts](/docs/configuration/resources.html#timeouts) configuration options:
+
+* `update` - (Default `30m`) How long to wait for a Stack Set to be updated.
+
 ## Import
 
 CloudFormation Stack Sets can be imported using the `name`, e.g.