diff --git a/moto/ec2/exceptions.py b/moto/ec2/exceptions.py
index b2c1792f2..5af4690ae 100644
--- a/moto/ec2/exceptions.py
+++ b/moto/ec2/exceptions.py
@@ -231,6 +231,14 @@ class InvalidVolumeAttachmentError(EC2ClientError):
         )
 
 
+class VolumeInUseError(EC2ClientError):
+    def __init__(self, volume_id, instance_id):
+        super(VolumeInUseError, self).__init__(
+            "VolumeInUse",
+            "Volume {0} is currently attached to {1}".format(volume_id, instance_id),
+        )
+
+
 class InvalidDomainError(EC2ClientError):
     def __init__(self, domain):
         super(InvalidDomainError, self).__init__(
diff --git a/moto/ec2/models.py b/moto/ec2/models.py
index be39bab28..bf4936d09 100644
--- a/moto/ec2/models.py
+++ b/moto/ec2/models.py
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ from .exceptions import (
     InvalidSubnetIdError,
     InvalidSubnetRangeError,
     InvalidVolumeIdError,
+    VolumeInUseError,
     InvalidVolumeAttachmentError,
     InvalidVpcCidrBlockAssociationIdError,
     InvalidVPCPeeringConnectionIdError,
@@ -2385,6 +2386,9 @@ class EBSBackend(object):
 
     def delete_volume(self, volume_id):
         if volume_id in self.volumes:
+            volume = self.volumes[volume_id]
+            if volume.attachment:
+                raise VolumeInUseError(volume_id, volume.attachment.instance.id)
             return self.volumes.pop(volume_id)
         raise InvalidVolumeIdError(volume_id)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_ec2/test_elastic_block_store.py b/tests/test_ec2/test_elastic_block_store.py
index 3c7e17ec8..4bd2a8dfa 100644
--- a/tests/test_ec2/test_elastic_block_store.py
+++ b/tests/test_ec2/test_elastic_block_store.py
@@ -53,6 +53,45 @@ def test_create_and_delete_volume():
     cm.exception.request_id.should_not.be.none
 
 
+@mock_ec2_deprecated
+def test_delete_attached_volume():
+    conn = boto.ec2.connect_to_region("us-east-1")
+    reservation = conn.run_instances("ami-1234abcd")
+    # create an instance
+    instance = reservation.instances[0]
+    # create a volume
+    volume = conn.create_volume(80, "us-east-1a")
+    # attach volume to instance
+    volume.attach(instance.id, "/dev/sdh")
+
+    volume.update()
+    volume.volume_state().should.equal("in-use")
+    volume.attachment_state().should.equal("attached")
+
+    volume.attach_data.instance_id.should.equal(instance.id)
+
+    # attempt to delete volume
+    # assert raises VolumeInUseError
+    with assert_raises(EC2ResponseError) as ex:
+        volume.delete()
+    ex.exception.error_code.should.equal("VolumeInUse")
+    ex.exception.status.should.equal(400)
+    ex.exception.message.should.equal(
+        "Volume {0} is currently attached to {1}".format(volume.id, instance.id)
+    )
+
+    volume.detach()
+
+    volume.update()
+    volume.volume_state().should.equal("available")
+
+    volume.delete()
+
+    all_volumes = conn.get_all_volumes()
+    my_volume = [item for item in all_volumes if item.id == volume.id]
+    my_volume.should.have.length_of(0)
+
+
 @mock_ec2_deprecated
 def test_create_encrypted_volume_dryrun():
     conn = boto.ec2.connect_to_region("us-east-1")