diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy_attachment.go b/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy_attachment.go
index 5cf0b47b81b1..d8009017be51 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy_attachment.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy_attachment.go
@@ -336,6 +336,9 @@ func detachPolicyFromUsers(conn *iam.IAM, users []*string, arn string) error {
 			UserName:  u,
 			PolicyArn: aws.String(arn),
 		})
+		if isAWSErr(err, iam.ErrCodeNoSuchEntityException, "") {
+			continue
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -348,6 +351,9 @@ func detachPolicyFromRoles(conn *iam.IAM, roles []*string, arn string) error {
 			RoleName:  r,
 			PolicyArn: aws.String(arn),
 		})
+		if isAWSErr(err, iam.ErrCodeNoSuchEntityException, "") {
+			continue
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -360,6 +366,9 @@ func detachPolicyFromGroups(conn *iam.IAM, groups []*string, arn string) error {
 			GroupName: g,
 			PolicyArn: aws.String(arn),
 		})
+		if isAWSErr(err, iam.ErrCodeNoSuchEntityException, "") {
+			continue
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy_attachment_test.go b/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy_attachment_test.go
index 5fc6a79ac5cd..bd8208ba4487 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy_attachment_test.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_iam_policy_attachment_test.go
@@ -77,6 +77,99 @@ func TestAccAWSIAMPolicyAttachment_paginatedEntities(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestAccAWSIAMPolicyAttachment_Groups_RenamedGroup(t *testing.T) {
+	var out iam.ListEntitiesForPolicyOutput
+
+	rName := acctest.RandomWithPrefix("tf-acc-test")
+	groupName1 := fmt.Sprintf("%s-1", rName)
+	groupName2 := fmt.Sprintf("%s-2", rName)
+	resourceName := "aws_iam_policy_attachment.test"
+
+	resource.ParallelTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		PreCheck:     func() { testAccPreCheck(t) },
+		Providers:    testAccProviders,
+		CheckDestroy: testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentDestroy,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			{
+				Config: testAccAWSIamPolicyAttachmentConfigGroupsRenamedGroup(rName, groupName1),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentExists(resourceName, 1, &out),
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentAttributes([]string{}, []string{}, []string{groupName1}, &out),
+				),
+			},
+			{
+				Config: testAccAWSIamPolicyAttachmentConfigGroupsRenamedGroup(rName, groupName2),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentExists(resourceName, 1, &out),
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentAttributes([]string{}, []string{}, []string{groupName2}, &out),
+				),
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func TestAccAWSIAMPolicyAttachment_Roles_RenamedRole(t *testing.T) {
+	var out iam.ListEntitiesForPolicyOutput
+
+	rName := acctest.RandomWithPrefix("tf-acc-test")
+	roleName1 := fmt.Sprintf("%s-1", rName)
+	roleName2 := fmt.Sprintf("%s-2", rName)
+	resourceName := "aws_iam_policy_attachment.test"
+
+	resource.ParallelTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		PreCheck:     func() { testAccPreCheck(t) },
+		Providers:    testAccProviders,
+		CheckDestroy: testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentDestroy,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			{
+				Config: testAccAWSIamPolicyAttachmentConfigRolesRenamedRole(rName, roleName1),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentExists(resourceName, 1, &out),
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentAttributes([]string{}, []string{roleName1}, []string{}, &out),
+				),
+			},
+			{
+				Config: testAccAWSIamPolicyAttachmentConfigRolesRenamedRole(rName, roleName2),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentExists(resourceName, 1, &out),
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentAttributes([]string{}, []string{roleName2}, []string{}, &out),
+				),
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func TestAccAWSIAMPolicyAttachment_Users_RenamedUser(t *testing.T) {
+	var out iam.ListEntitiesForPolicyOutput
+
+	rName := acctest.RandomWithPrefix("tf-acc-test")
+	userName1 := fmt.Sprintf("%s-1", rName)
+	userName2 := fmt.Sprintf("%s-2", rName)
+	resourceName := "aws_iam_policy_attachment.test"
+
+	resource.ParallelTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		PreCheck:     func() { testAccPreCheck(t) },
+		Providers:    testAccProviders,
+		CheckDestroy: testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentDestroy,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			{
+				Config: testAccAWSIamPolicyAttachmentConfigUsersRenamedUser(rName, userName1),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentExists(resourceName, 1, &out),
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentAttributes([]string{userName1}, []string{}, []string{}, &out),
+				),
+			},
+			{
+				Config: testAccAWSIamPolicyAttachmentConfigUsersRenamedUser(rName, userName2),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentExists(resourceName, 1, &out),
+					testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentAttributes([]string{userName2}, []string{}, []string{}, &out),
+				),
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
 func testAccCheckAWSPolicyAttachmentDestroy(s *terraform.State) error {
 	return nil
 }
@@ -483,3 +576,114 @@ resource "aws_iam_policy_attachment" "test-paginated-attach" {
 }
 `, userNamePrefix, policyName, attachmentName)
 }
+
+func testAccAWSIamPolicyAttachmentConfigGroupsRenamedGroup(rName, groupName string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+resource "aws_iam_policy" "test" {
+  name = %[1]q
+
+  policy = <<EOF
+{
+  "Version": "2012-10-17",
+  "Statement": [
+    {
+      "Action": "*",
+      "Effect": "Allow",
+      "Resource": "*"
+    }
+  ]
+}
+EOF
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_group" "test" {
+  name = %[2]q
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_policy_attachment" "test" {
+  groups     = ["${aws_iam_group.test.name}"]
+  name       = %[1]q
+  policy_arn = "${aws_iam_policy.test.arn}"
+}
+`, rName, groupName)
+}
+
+func testAccAWSIamPolicyAttachmentConfigRolesRenamedRole(rName, roleName string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+resource "aws_iam_policy" "test" {
+  name = %[1]q
+
+  policy = <<EOF
+{
+  "Version": "2012-10-17",
+  "Statement": [
+    {
+      "Action": "*",
+      "Effect": "Allow",
+      "Resource": "*"
+    }
+  ]
+}
+EOF
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_role" "test" {
+  force_detach_policies = true
+  name                  = %[2]q
+
+  assume_role_policy = <<EOF
+{
+  "Version": "2012-10-17",
+  "Statement": [
+    {
+      "Action": "sts:AssumeRole",
+      "Principal": {
+        "Service": "ec2.amazonaws.com"
+      },
+      "Effect": "Allow",
+      "Sid": ""
+    }
+  ]
+}
+EOF
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_policy_attachment" "test" {
+  name       = %[1]q
+  policy_arn = "${aws_iam_policy.test.arn}"
+  roles      = ["${aws_iam_role.test.name}"]
+}
+`, rName, roleName)
+}
+
+func testAccAWSIamPolicyAttachmentConfigUsersRenamedUser(rName, userName string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+resource "aws_iam_policy" "test" {
+  name = %[1]q
+
+  policy = <<EOF
+{
+  "Version": "2012-10-17",
+  "Statement": [
+    {
+      "Action": "*",
+      "Effect": "Allow",
+      "Resource": "*"
+    }
+  ]
+}
+EOF
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_user" "test" {
+  force_destroy = true
+  name          = %[2]q
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_policy_attachment" "test" {
+  name       = %[1]q
+  policy_arn = "${aws_iam_policy.test.arn}"
+  users      = ["${aws_iam_user.test.name}"]
+}
+`, rName, userName)
+}
diff --git a/website/docs/r/iam_role.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/iam_role.html.markdown
index 69e8de389377..6b27a7bad8cf 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/iam_role.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/iam_role.html.markdown
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ description: |-
 
 Provides an IAM role.
 
+~> *NOTE:* If policies are attached to the role via the [`aws_iam_policy_attachment` resource](/docs/providers/aws/r/iam_policy_attachment.html) and you are modifying the role `name` or `path`, the `force_detach_policies` argument must be set to `true` and applied before attempting the operation otherwise you will encounter a `DeleteConflict` error. The [`aws_iam_role_policy_attachment` resource (recommended)](/docs/providers/aws/r/iam_role_policy_attachment.html) does not have this requirement.
+
 ## Example Usage
 
 ```hcl
diff --git a/website/docs/r/iam_user.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/iam_user.html.markdown
index a78d4e4f9735..626e3e0c5f64 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/iam_user.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/iam_user.html.markdown
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ description: |-
 
 Provides an IAM user.
 
+~> *NOTE:* If policies are attached to the user via the [`aws_iam_policy_attachment` resource](/docs/providers/aws/r/iam_policy_attachment.html) and you are modifying the user `name` or `path`, the `force_destroy` argument must be set to `true` and applied before attempting the operation otherwise you will encounter a `DeleteConflict` error. The [`aws_iam_user_policy_attachment` resource (recommended)](/docs/providers/aws/r/iam_user_policy_attachment.html) does not have this requirement.
+
 ## Example Usage
 
 ```hcl