diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.go b/aws/resource_aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.go
index dfced2ee2c8..9a8b65e79e1 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.go
@@ -81,8 +81,14 @@ func resourceAwsSsmMaintenanceWindowTargetCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta in
 		WindowId:     aws.String(d.Get("window_id").(string)),
 		ResourceType: aws.String(d.Get("resource_type").(string)),
 		Targets:      expandAwsSsmTargets(d.Get("targets").([]interface{})),
-		Name:         aws.String(d.Get("name").(string)),
-		Description:  aws.String(d.Get("description").(string)),
+	}
+
+	if v, ok := d.GetOk("name"); ok {
+		params.Name = aws.String(v.(string))
+	}
+
+	if v, ok := d.GetOk("description"); ok {
+		params.Description = aws.String(v.(string))
 	}
 
 	if v, ok := d.GetOk("owner_information"); ok {
@@ -154,6 +160,14 @@ func resourceAwsSsmMaintenanceWindowTargetUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta in
 		WindowTargetId: aws.String(d.Id()),
 	}
 
+	if d.HasChange("name") {
+		params.Name = aws.String(d.Get("name").(string))
+	}
+
+	if d.HasChange("description") {
+		params.Description = aws.String(d.Get("description").(string))
+	}
+
 	if d.HasChange("owner_information") {
 		params.OwnerInformation = aws.String(d.Get("owner_information").(string))
 	}
diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target_test.go b/aws/resource_aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target_test.go
index d68d95d14c4..a7c0f84832d 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target_test.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target_test.go
@@ -44,6 +44,35 @@ func TestAccAWSSSMMaintenanceWindowTarget_basic(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestAccAWSSSMMaintenanceWindowTarget_noNameOrDescription(t *testing.T) {
+	name := acctest.RandString(10)
+	resource.ParallelTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		PreCheck:     func() { testAccPreCheck(t) },
+		Providers:    testAccProviders,
+		CheckDestroy: testAccCheckAWSSSMMaintenanceWindowTargetDestroy,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			{
+				Config: testAccAWSSSMMaintenanceWindowTargetNoNameOrDescriptionConfig(name),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckAWSSSMMaintenanceWindowTargetExists("aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.target"),
+					resource.TestCheckResourceAttr("aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.target", "targets.0.key", "tag:Name"),
+					resource.TestCheckResourceAttr("aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.target", "targets.0.values.#", "1"),
+					resource.TestCheckResourceAttr("aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.target", "targets.0.values.0", "acceptance_test"),
+					resource.TestCheckResourceAttr("aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.target", "targets.1.key", "tag:Name2"),
+					resource.TestCheckResourceAttr("aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.target", "targets.1.values.#", "2"),
+					resource.TestCheckResourceAttr("aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.target", "targets.1.values.0", "acceptance_test"),
+					resource.TestCheckResourceAttr("aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target.target", "targets.1.values.1", "acceptance_test2"),
+				),
+			},
+			{
+				ResourceName:      "aws_ssm_maintenance_window.foo",
+				ImportState:       true,
+				ImportStateVerify: true,
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
 func TestAccAWSSSMMaintenanceWindowTarget_validation(t *testing.T) {
 	name := acctest.RandString(10)
 	resource.ParallelTest(t, resource.TestCase{
@@ -208,6 +237,32 @@ resource "aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target" "target" {
 `, rName)
 }
 
+func testAccAWSSSMMaintenanceWindowTargetNoNameOrDescriptionConfig(rName string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+resource "aws_ssm_maintenance_window" "foo" {
+  name     = "maintenance-window-%s"
+  schedule = "cron(0 16 ? * TUE *)"
+  duration = 3
+  cutoff   = 1
+}
+
+resource "aws_ssm_maintenance_window_target" "target" {
+  window_id     = "${aws_ssm_maintenance_window.foo.id}"
+  resource_type = "INSTANCE"
+
+  targets {
+    key    = "tag:Name"
+    values = ["acceptance_test"]
+  }
+
+  targets {
+    key    = "tag:Name2"
+    values = ["acceptance_test", "acceptance_test2"]
+  }
+}
+`, rName)
+}
+
 func testAccAWSSSMMaintenanceWindowTargetBasicConfigUpdated(rName string) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf(`
 resource "aws_ssm_maintenance_window" "foo" {