diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_instance.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_instance.go
index 89a3945d9695..c8da69e45263 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_instance.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_instance.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/awserr"
-	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/iam"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/rds"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/resource"
@@ -688,7 +687,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbInstanceRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 	// list tags for resource
 	// set tags
 	conn := meta.(*AWSClient).rdsconn
-	arn, err := buildRDSARN(d.Id(), meta)
+	arn, err := buildRDSARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region)
 	if err != nil {
 		name := "<empty>"
 		if v.DBName != nil && *v.DBName != "" {
@@ -949,7 +948,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbInstanceUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error
 		}
 	}
 
-	if arn, err := buildRDSARN(d.Id(), meta); err == nil {
+	if arn, err := buildRDSARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region); err == nil {
 		if err := setTagsRDS(conn, d, arn); err != nil {
 			return err
 		} else {
@@ -1016,16 +1015,11 @@ func resourceAwsDbInstanceStateRefreshFunc(
 	}
 }
 
-func buildRDSARN(identifier string, meta interface{}) (string, error) {
-	iamconn := meta.(*AWSClient).iamconn
-	region := meta.(*AWSClient).region
-	// An zero value GetUserInput{} defers to the currently logged in user
-	resp, err := iamconn.GetUser(&iam.GetUserInput{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+func buildRDSARN(identifier, accountid, region string) (string, error) {
+	if accountid == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to construct RDS ARN because of missing AWS Account ID")
 	}
-	userARN := *resp.User.Arn
-	accountID := strings.Split(userARN, ":")[4]
-	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:db:%s", region, accountID, identifier)
+	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:db:%s", region, accountid, identifier)
 	return arn, nil
+
 }
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_instance_test.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_instance_test.go
index 91a484f0e825..72e5d375b9d3 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_instance_test.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_instance_test.go
@@ -284,9 +284,9 @@ func testAccCheckAWSDBInstanceSnapshot(s *terraform.State) error {
 			if newerr.Code() == "DBSnapshotNotFound" {
 				return fmt.Errorf("Snapshot %s not found", snapshot_identifier)
 			}
-		} else { // snapshot was found
+		} else { // snapshot was found,
 			// verify we have the tags copied to the snapshot
-			instanceARN, err := buildRDSARN(snapshot_identifier, testAccProvider.Meta())
+			instanceARN, err := buildRDSARN(snapshot_identifier, testAccProvider.Meta().(*AWSClient).accountid, testAccProvider.Meta().(*AWSClient).region)
 			// tags have a different ARN, just swapping :db: for :snapshot:
 			tagsARN := strings.Replace(instanceARN, ":db:", ":snapshot:", 1)
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_parameter_group.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_parameter_group.go
index 2dcbc7fca1c0..b7563a4fa623 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_parameter_group.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_parameter_group.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/awserr"
-	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/iam"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/rds"
 )
 
@@ -146,7 +145,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbParameterGroupRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) e
 	d.Set("parameter", flattenParameters(describeParametersResp.Parameters))
 
 	paramGroup := describeResp.DBParameterGroups[0]
-	arn, err := buildRDSPGARN(d, meta)
+	arn, err := buildRDSPGARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region)
 	if err != nil {
 		name := "<empty>"
 		if paramGroup.DBParameterGroupName != nil && *paramGroup.DBParameterGroupName != "" {
@@ -211,7 +210,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbParameterGroupUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 		d.SetPartial("parameter")
 	}
 
-	if arn, err := buildRDSPGARN(d, meta); err == nil {
+	if arn, err := buildRDSPGARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region); err == nil {
 		if err := setTagsRDS(rdsconn, d, arn); err != nil {
 			return err
 		} else {
@@ -272,16 +271,11 @@ func resourceAwsDbParameterHash(v interface{}) int {
 	return hashcode.String(buf.String())
 }
 
-func buildRDSPGARN(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) (string, error) {
-	iamconn := meta.(*AWSClient).iamconn
-	region := meta.(*AWSClient).region
-	// An zero value GetUserInput{} defers to the currently logged in user
-	resp, err := iamconn.GetUser(&iam.GetUserInput{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+func buildRDSPGARN(identifier, accountid, region string) (string, error) {
+	if accountid == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to construct RDS ARN because of missing AWS Account ID")
 	}
-	userARN := *resp.User.Arn
-	accountID := strings.Split(userARN, ":")[4]
-	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:pg:%s", region, accountID, d.Id())
+	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:pg:%s", region, accountid, identifier)
 	return arn, nil
+
 }
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_security_group.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_security_group.go
index 6edffb6c5812..69db2aa6d900 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_security_group.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_security_group.go
@@ -4,12 +4,10 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/awserr"
-	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/iam"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/rds"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/hashcode"
@@ -171,7 +169,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbSecurityGroupRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) er
 	d.Set("ingress", rules)
 
 	conn := meta.(*AWSClient).rdsconn
-	arn, err := buildRDSSecurityGroupARN(d, meta)
+	arn, err := buildRDSSecurityGroupARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region)
 	if err != nil {
 		name := "<empty>"
 		if sg.DBSecurityGroupName != nil && *sg.DBSecurityGroupName != "" {
@@ -202,7 +200,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbSecurityGroupUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 	conn := meta.(*AWSClient).rdsconn
 
 	d.Partial(true)
-	if arn, err := buildRDSSecurityGroupARN(d, meta); err == nil {
+	if arn, err := buildRDSSecurityGroupARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region); err == nil {
 		if err := setTagsRDS(conn, d, arn); err != nil {
 			return err
 		} else {
@@ -345,16 +343,11 @@ func resourceAwsDbSecurityGroupStateRefreshFunc(
 	}
 }
 
-func buildRDSSecurityGroupARN(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) (string, error) {
-	iamconn := meta.(*AWSClient).iamconn
-	region := meta.(*AWSClient).region
-	// An zero value GetUserInput{} defers to the currently logged in user
-	resp, err := iamconn.GetUser(&iam.GetUserInput{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+func buildRDSSecurityGroupARN(identifier, accountid, region string) (string, error) {
+	if accountid == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to construct RDS ARN because of missing AWS Account ID")
 	}
-	userARN := *resp.User.Arn
-	accountID := strings.Split(userARN, ":")[4]
-	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:secgrp:%s", region, accountID, d.Id())
+	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:secgrp:%s", region, accountid, identifier)
 	return arn, nil
+
 }
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_subnet_group.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_subnet_group.go
index 718cdc711488..ae12cbfb1a94 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_subnet_group.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_db_subnet_group.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/awserr"
-	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/iam"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/rds"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/resource"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
@@ -128,7 +127,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbSubnetGroupRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) erro
 	// list tags for resource
 	// set tags
 	conn := meta.(*AWSClient).rdsconn
-	arn, err := buildRDSsubgrpARN(d, meta)
+	arn, err := buildRDSsubgrpARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("[DEBUG] Error building ARN for DB Subnet Group, not setting Tags for group %s", *subnetGroup.DBSubnetGroupName)
 	} else {
@@ -176,7 +175,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbSubnetGroupUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) er
 		}
 	}
 
-	if arn, err := buildRDSsubgrpARN(d, meta); err == nil {
+	if arn, err := buildRDSsubgrpARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region); err == nil {
 		if err := setTagsRDS(conn, d, arn); err != nil {
 			return err
 		} else {
@@ -225,18 +224,13 @@ func resourceAwsDbSubnetGroupDeleteRefreshFunc(
 	}
 }
 
-func buildRDSsubgrpARN(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) (string, error) {
-	iamconn := meta.(*AWSClient).iamconn
-	region := meta.(*AWSClient).region
-	// An zero value GetUserInput{} defers to the currently logged in user
-	resp, err := iamconn.GetUser(&iam.GetUserInput{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+func buildRDSsubgrpARN(identifier, accountid, region string) (string, error) {
+	if accountid == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to construct RDS ARN because of missing AWS Account ID")
 	}
-	userARN := *resp.User.Arn
-	accountID := strings.Split(userARN, ":")[4]
-	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:subgrp:%s", region, accountID, d.Id())
+	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:subgrp:%s", region, accountid, identifier)
 	return arn, nil
+
 }
 
 func validateSubnetGroupName(v interface{}, k string) (ws []string, errors []error) {
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_elasticache_cluster.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_elasticache_cluster.go
index 7ff086a2654c..cd79a2b1ca85 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_elasticache_cluster.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_elasticache_cluster.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/awserr"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/elasticache"
-	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/iam"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/resource"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
 )
@@ -347,7 +346,7 @@ func resourceAwsElasticacheClusterRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 		}
 		// list tags for resource
 		// set tags
-		arn, err := buildECARN(d, meta)
+		arn, err := buildECARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("[DEBUG] Error building ARN for ElastiCache Cluster, not setting Tags for cluster %s", *c.CacheClusterId)
 		} else {
@@ -372,7 +371,7 @@ func resourceAwsElasticacheClusterRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 
 func resourceAwsElasticacheClusterUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 	conn := meta.(*AWSClient).elasticacheconn
-	arn, err := buildECARN(d, meta)
+	arn, err := buildECARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("[DEBUG] Error building ARN for ElastiCache Cluster, not updating Tags for cluster %s", d.Id())
 	} else {
@@ -619,16 +618,11 @@ func cacheClusterStateRefreshFunc(conn *elasticache.ElastiCache, clusterID, give
 	}
 }
 
-func buildECARN(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) (string, error) {
-	iamconn := meta.(*AWSClient).iamconn
-	region := meta.(*AWSClient).region
-	// An zero value GetUserInput{} defers to the currently logged in user
-	resp, err := iamconn.GetUser(&iam.GetUserInput{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+func buildECARN(identifier, accountid, region string) (string, error) {
+	if accountid == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to construct ElastiCache ARN because of missing AWS Account ID")
 	}
-	userARN := *resp.User.Arn
-	accountID := strings.Split(userARN, ":")[4]
-	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:elasticache:%s:%s:cluster:%s", region, accountID, d.Id())
+	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:elasticache:%s:%s:cluster:%s", region, accountid, identifier)
 	return arn, nil
+
 }
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_instance.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_instance.go
index 09580cc896a2..40f26405f775 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_instance.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_instance.go
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func resourceAwsRDSClusterInstanceRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 	}
 
 	// Fetch and save tags
-	arn, err := buildRDSARN(d.Id(), meta)
+	arn, err := buildRDSARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("[DEBUG] Error building ARN for RDS Cluster Instance (%s), not setting Tags", *db.DBInstanceIdentifier)
 	} else {
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ func resourceAwsRDSClusterInstanceUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{
 
 	}
 
-	if arn, err := buildRDSARN(d.Id(), meta); err == nil {
+	if arn, err := buildRDSARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region); err == nil {
 		if err := setTagsRDS(conn, d, arn); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_parameter_group.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_parameter_group.go
index b07ee7d5009b..1906f1ee36e9 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_parameter_group.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_parameter_group.go
@@ -3,12 +3,10 @@ package aws
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/awserr"
-	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/iam"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/rds"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/resource"
@@ -144,7 +142,7 @@ func resourceAwsRDSClusterParameterGroupRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interf
 	d.Set("parameter", flattenParameters(describeParametersResp.Parameters))
 
 	paramGroup := describeResp.DBClusterParameterGroups[0]
-	arn, err := buildRDSCPGARN(d, meta)
+	arn, err := buildRDSCPGARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region)
 	if err != nil {
 		name := "<empty>"
 		if paramGroup.DBClusterParameterGroupName != nil && *paramGroup.DBClusterParameterGroupName != "" {
@@ -209,7 +207,7 @@ func resourceAwsRDSClusterParameterGroupUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta inte
 		d.SetPartial("parameter")
 	}
 
-	if arn, err := buildRDSCPGARN(d, meta); err == nil {
+	if arn, err := buildRDSCPGARN(d.Id(), meta.(*AWSClient).accountid, meta.(*AWSClient).region); err == nil {
 		if err := setTagsRDS(rdsconn, d, arn); err != nil {
 			return err
 		} else {
@@ -260,16 +258,11 @@ func resourceAwsRDSClusterParameterGroupDeleteRefreshFunc(
 	}
 }
 
-func buildRDSCPGARN(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) (string, error) {
-	iamconn := meta.(*AWSClient).iamconn
-	region := meta.(*AWSClient).region
-	// An zero value GetUserInput{} defers to the currently logged in user
-	resp, err := iamconn.GetUser(&iam.GetUserInput{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+func buildRDSCPGARN(identifier, accountid, region string) (string, error) {
+	if accountid == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to construct RDS Cluster ARN because of missing AWS Account ID")
 	}
-	userARN := *resp.User.Arn
-	accountID := strings.Split(userARN, ":")[4]
-	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:cluster-pg:%s", region, accountID, d.Id())
+	arn := fmt.Sprintf("arn:aws:rds:%s:%s:cluster-pg:%s", region, accountid, identifier)
 	return arn, nil
+
 }