diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_iam_user.go b/aws/resource_aws_iam_user.go
index 7501bb0b589..830674ebe05 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_iam_user.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_iam_user.go
@@ -205,73 +205,25 @@ func resourceAwsIamUserDelete(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 
 	// All access keys, MFA devices and login profile for the user must be removed
 	if d.Get("force_destroy").(bool) {
-		var accessKeys []string
-		listAccessKeys := &iam.ListAccessKeysInput{
-			UserName: aws.String(d.Id()),
-		}
-		pageOfAccessKeys := func(page *iam.ListAccessKeysOutput, lastPage bool) (shouldContinue bool) {
-			for _, k := range page.AccessKeyMetadata {
-				accessKeys = append(accessKeys, *k.AccessKeyId)
-			}
-			return !lastPage
-		}
-		err = iamconn.ListAccessKeysPages(listAccessKeys, pageOfAccessKeys)
+
+		err = deleteAwsIamUserAccessKeys(iamconn, d.Id())
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Error removing access keys of user %s: %s", d.Id(), err)
-		}
-		for _, k := range accessKeys {
-			_, err := iamconn.DeleteAccessKey(&iam.DeleteAccessKeyInput{
-				UserName:    aws.String(d.Id()),
-				AccessKeyId: aws.String(k),
-			})
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Error deleting access key %s: %s", k, err)
-			}
+			return err
 		}
 
-		var MFADevices []string
-		listMFADevices := &iam.ListMFADevicesInput{
-			UserName: aws.String(d.Id()),
-		}
-		pageOfMFADevices := func(page *iam.ListMFADevicesOutput, lastPage bool) (shouldContinue bool) {
-			for _, m := range page.MFADevices {
-				MFADevices = append(MFADevices, *m.SerialNumber)
-			}
-			return !lastPage
-		}
-		err = iamconn.ListMFADevicesPages(listMFADevices, pageOfMFADevices)
+		err = deleteAwsIamUserSSHKeys(iamconn, d.Id())
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Error removing MFA devices of user %s: %s", d.Id(), err)
-		}
-		for _, m := range MFADevices {
-			_, err := iamconn.DeactivateMFADevice(&iam.DeactivateMFADeviceInput{
-				UserName:     aws.String(d.Id()),
-				SerialNumber: aws.String(m),
-			})
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Error deactivating MFA device %s: %s", m, err)
-			}
+			return err
 		}
 
-		err = resource.Retry(1*time.Minute, func() *resource.RetryError {
-			_, err = iamconn.DeleteLoginProfile(&iam.DeleteLoginProfileInput{
-				UserName: aws.String(d.Id()),
-			})
-			if err != nil {
-				if isAWSErr(err, iam.ErrCodeNoSuchEntityException, "") {
-					return nil
-				}
-				// EntityTemporarilyUnmodifiable: Login Profile for User XXX cannot be modified while login profile is being created.
-				if isAWSErr(err, iam.ErrCodeEntityTemporarilyUnmodifiableException, "") {
-					return resource.RetryableError(err)
-				}
-				return resource.NonRetryableError(err)
-			}
-			return nil
-		})
+		err = deleteAwsIamUserMFADevices(iamconn, d.Id())
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
+		err = deleteAwsIamUserLoginProfile(iamconn, d.Id())
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Error deleting Account Login Profile: %s", err)
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -300,3 +252,118 @@ func validateAwsIamUserName(v interface{}, k string) (ws []string, errors []erro
 	}
 	return
 }
+
+func deleteAwsIamUserSSHKeys(svc *iam.IAM, username string) error {
+	var publicKeys []string
+	var err error
+
+	listSSHPublicKeys := &iam.ListSSHPublicKeysInput{
+		UserName: aws.String(username),
+	}
+	pageOfListSSHPublicKeys := func(page *iam.ListSSHPublicKeysOutput, lastPage bool) (shouldContinue bool) {
+		for _, k := range page.SSHPublicKeys {
+			publicKeys = append(publicKeys, *k.SSHPublicKeyId)
+		}
+		return !lastPage
+	}
+	err = svc.ListSSHPublicKeysPages(listSSHPublicKeys, pageOfListSSHPublicKeys)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error removing public SSH keys of user %s: %s", username, err)
+	}
+	for _, k := range publicKeys {
+		_, err := svc.DeleteSSHPublicKey(&iam.DeleteSSHPublicKeyInput{
+			UserName:       aws.String(username),
+			SSHPublicKeyId: aws.String(k),
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error deleting public SSH key %s: %s", k, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func deleteAwsIamUserMFADevices(svc *iam.IAM, username string) error {
+	var MFADevices []string
+	var err error
+
+	listMFADevices := &iam.ListMFADevicesInput{
+		UserName: aws.String(username),
+	}
+	pageOfMFADevices := func(page *iam.ListMFADevicesOutput, lastPage bool) (shouldContinue bool) {
+		for _, m := range page.MFADevices {
+			MFADevices = append(MFADevices, *m.SerialNumber)
+		}
+		return !lastPage
+	}
+	err = svc.ListMFADevicesPages(listMFADevices, pageOfMFADevices)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error removing MFA devices of user %s: %s", username, err)
+	}
+	for _, m := range MFADevices {
+		_, err := svc.DeactivateMFADevice(&iam.DeactivateMFADeviceInput{
+			UserName:     aws.String(username),
+			SerialNumber: aws.String(m),
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error deactivating MFA device %s: %s", m, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func deleteAwsIamUserLoginProfile(svc *iam.IAM, username string) error {
+	var err error
+	err = resource.Retry(1*time.Minute, func() *resource.RetryError {
+		_, err = svc.DeleteLoginProfile(&iam.DeleteLoginProfileInput{
+			UserName: aws.String(username),
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			if isAWSErr(err, iam.ErrCodeNoSuchEntityException, "") {
+				return nil
+			}
+			// EntityTemporarilyUnmodifiable: Login Profile for User XXX cannot be modified while login profile is being created.
+			if isAWSErr(err, iam.ErrCodeEntityTemporarilyUnmodifiableException, "") {
+				return resource.RetryableError(err)
+			}
+			return resource.NonRetryableError(err)
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error deleting Account Login Profile: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func deleteAwsIamUserAccessKeys(svc *iam.IAM, username string) error {
+	var accessKeys []string
+	var err error
+	listAccessKeys := &iam.ListAccessKeysInput{
+		UserName: aws.String(username),
+	}
+	pageOfAccessKeys := func(page *iam.ListAccessKeysOutput, lastPage bool) (shouldContinue bool) {
+		for _, k := range page.AccessKeyMetadata {
+			accessKeys = append(accessKeys, *k.AccessKeyId)
+		}
+		return !lastPage
+	}
+	err = svc.ListAccessKeysPages(listAccessKeys, pageOfAccessKeys)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error removing access keys of user %s: %s", username, err)
+	}
+	for _, k := range accessKeys {
+		_, err := svc.DeleteAccessKey(&iam.DeleteAccessKeyInput{
+			UserName:    aws.String(username),
+			AccessKeyId: aws.String(k),
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error deleting access key %s: %s", k, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_iam_user_test.go b/aws/resource_aws_iam_user_test.go
index 2a38e81f32d..c49c9ebe074 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_iam_user_test.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_iam_user_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 
+	"io/ioutil"
+
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/iam"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/acctest"
@@ -368,3 +370,59 @@ resource "aws_iam_user" "user" {
 }
 `, rName, permissionsBoundary)
 }
+
+func TestAccAWSUser_ForceDestroy_SSHKey(t *testing.T) {
+	var user iam.GetUserOutput
+
+	rName := acctest.RandomWithPrefix("tf-acc-test")
+	resourceName := "aws_iam_user.test"
+
+	resource.ParallelTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		PreCheck:     func() { testAccPreCheck(t) },
+		Providers:    testAccProviders,
+		CheckDestroy: testAccCheckAWSUserDestroy,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			{
+				Config: testAccAWSUserConfigForceDestroy(rName),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckAWSUserExists(resourceName, &user),
+					testAccCheckAWSUserUploadsSSHKey(&user),
+				),
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func testAccCheckAWSUserUploadsSSHKey(getUserOutput *iam.GetUserOutput) resource.TestCheckFunc {
+
+	return func(s *terraform.State) error {
+
+		sshKey, err := ioutil.ReadFile("./test-fixtures/public-ssh-key.pub")
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error reading SSH fixture: %s", err)
+		}
+
+		iamconn := testAccProvider.Meta().(*AWSClient).iamconn
+
+		input := &iam.UploadSSHPublicKeyInput{
+			UserName:         getUserOutput.User.UserName,
+			SSHPublicKeyBody: aws.String(string(sshKey)),
+		}
+
+		_, err = iamconn.UploadSSHPublicKey(input)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error uploading IAM User (%s) SSH key: %s", *getUserOutput.User.UserName, err)
+		}
+
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
+func testAccAWSUserConfigForceDestroy(rName string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+resource "aws_iam_user" "test" {
+  force_destroy = true
+  name = %q
+}
+`, rName)
+}
diff --git a/aws/test-fixtures/public-ssh-key.pub b/aws/test-fixtures/public-ssh-key.pub
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..70f18ecfd04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/aws/test-fixtures/public-ssh-key.pub
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABAQCtCk0lzMj1gPEOjdfQ37AIxCyETqJBubaMWuB4bgvGHp8LvEghr2YDl2bml1JrE1EOcZhPnIwgyucryXKA959sTUlgbvaFN7vmpVze56Q9tVU6BJQxOdaRoy5FcQMET9LB6SdbXk+V4CkDMsQNaFXezpg98HgCj+V7+bBWsfI6U63IESlWKK7kraCom8EWxkQk4mk9fizE2I+KrtiqN4xcah02LFG6IMnS+Xy3CDhcpZeYzWOV6zhcf675UJOdg/pLgQbUhhiwTOJFgRo8IcvE3iBrRMz508ppx6vLLr8J+3B8ujykc+/3ZSGfQfx6rO+OuSskhG5FLI6icbQBtBzf terraform-provider-aws@hashicorp.com