diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_docdb_cluster_instance.go b/aws/resource_aws_docdb_cluster_instance.go
index 997bbed69c7..bd4133eb883 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_docdb_cluster_instance.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_docdb_cluster_instance.go
@@ -213,6 +213,9 @@ func resourceAwsDocDBClusterInstanceCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interfac
 		}
 		return nil
 	})
+	if isResourceTimeoutError(err) {
+		resp, err = conn.CreateDBInstance(createOpts)
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error creating DocDB Instance: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -356,6 +359,9 @@ func resourceAwsDocDBClusterInstanceUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interfac
 			}
 			return nil
 		})
+		if isResourceTimeoutError(err) {
+			_, err = conn.ModifyDBInstance(req)
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Error modifying DB Instance %s: %s", d.Id(), err)
 		}
diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_docdb_cluster_parameter_group.go b/aws/resource_aws_docdb_cluster_parameter_group.go
index 2d1fce488ba..396a2d5eeaf 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_docdb_cluster_parameter_group.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_docdb_cluster_parameter_group.go
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ func waitForDocDBClusterParameterGroupDeletion(conn *docdb.DocDB, name string) e
 		DBClusterParameterGroupName: aws.String(name),
 	}
 
-	return resource.Retry(10*time.Minute, func() *resource.RetryError {
+	err := resource.Retry(10*time.Minute, func() *resource.RetryError {
 		_, err := conn.DescribeDBClusterParameterGroups(params)
 
 		if isAWSErr(err, docdb.ErrCodeDBParameterGroupNotFoundFault, "") {
@@ -279,4 +279,14 @@ func waitForDocDBClusterParameterGroupDeletion(conn *docdb.DocDB, name string) e
 
 		return resource.RetryableError(fmt.Errorf("DocDB Parameter Group (%s) still exists", name))
 	})
+	if isResourceTimeoutError(err) {
+		_, err = conn.DescribeDBClusterParameterGroups(params)
+		if isAWSErr(err, docdb.ErrCodeDBParameterGroupNotFoundFault, "") {
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error deleting DocDB cluster parameter group: %s", err)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_docdb_subnet_group.go b/aws/resource_aws_docdb_subnet_group.go
index 22b99fc83d4..f60e2da0d16 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_docdb_subnet_group.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_docdb_subnet_group.go
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func waitForDocDBSubnetGroupDeletion(conn *docdb.DocDB, name string) error {
 		DBSubnetGroupName: aws.String(name),
 	}
 
-	return resource.Retry(10*time.Minute, func() *resource.RetryError {
+	err := resource.Retry(10*time.Minute, func() *resource.RetryError {
 		_, err := conn.DescribeDBSubnetGroups(params)
 
 		if isAWSErr(err, docdb.ErrCodeDBSubnetGroupNotFoundFault, "") {
@@ -216,4 +216,14 @@ func waitForDocDBSubnetGroupDeletion(conn *docdb.DocDB, name string) error {
 
 		return resource.RetryableError(fmt.Errorf("DocDB Subnet Group (%s) still exists", name))
 	})
+	if isResourceTimeoutError(err) {
+		_, err = conn.DescribeDBSubnetGroups(params)
+		if isAWSErr(err, docdb.ErrCodeDBSubnetGroupNotFoundFault, "") {
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error deleting DocDB subnet group: %s", err)
+	}
+	return nil
 }