diff --git a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
index f14f85721..43bb1d561 100644
--- a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
+++ b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 # Ensure 'assert_raises' context manager support for Python 2.6
+from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
+
 import tests.backport_assert_raises
 from nose.tools import assert_raises
 
@@ -1255,6 +1257,7 @@ def test_create_instance_ebs_optimized():
     instance.load()
     instance.ebs_optimized.should.be(False)
 
+
 @mock_ec2
 def test_run_multiple_instances_in_same_command():
     instance_count = 4
@@ -1269,3 +1272,27 @@ def test_run_multiple_instances_in_same_command():
     instances = reservations[0]['Instances']
     for i in range(0, instance_count):
         instances[i]['AmiLaunchIndex'].should.be(i)
+
+
+@mock_ec2
+def test_describe_instance_attribute():
+    client = boto3.client('ec2', region_name='us-east-1')
+    client.run_instances(ImageId='ami-1234abcd',
+                         MinCount=1,
+                         MaxCount=1)
+    instance_id = client.describe_instances()['Reservations'][0]['Instances'][0]['InstanceId']
+
+    valid_instance_attributes = ['instanceType', 'kernel', 'ramdisk', 'userData', 'disableApiTermination', 'instanceInitiatedShutdownBehavior', 'rootDeviceName', 'blockDeviceMapping', 'productCodes', 'sourceDestCheck', 'groupSet', 'ebsOptimized', 'sriovNetSupport']
+
+    for valid_instance_attribute in valid_instance_attributes:
+        client.describe_instance_attribute(InstanceId=instance_id, Attribute=valid_instance_attribute)
+
+    invalid_instance_attributes = ['abc', 'Kernel', 'RamDisk', 'userdata', 'iNsTaNcEtYpE']
+
+    for invalid_instance_attribute in invalid_instance_attributes:
+        with assert_raises(ClientError) as ex:
+            client.describe_instance_attribute(InstanceId=instance_id, Attribute=invalid_instance_attribute)
+        ex.exception.response['Error']['Code'].should.equal('InvalidParameterValue')
+        ex.exception.response['ResponseMetadata']['HTTPStatusCode'].should.equal(400)
+        message = 'Value ({invalid_instance_attribute}) for parameter attribute is invalid. Unknown attribute.'.format(invalid_instance_attribute=invalid_instance_attribute)
+        ex.exception.response['Error']['Message'].should.equal(message)