diff --git a/moto/iam/models.py b/moto/iam/models.py
index a9bd4eb71..d1c805117 100644
--- a/moto/iam/models.py
+++ b/moto/iam/models.py
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ from datetime import datetime
 
 class Role(object):
 
-    def __init__(self, role_id, name, assume_role_policy_document, path, policies):
+    def __init__(self, role_id, name, assume_role_policy_document, path):
         self.id = role_id
         self.name = name
         self.assume_role_policy_document = assume_role_policy_document
         self.path = path
-        self.policies = policies
+        self.policies = {}
 
     @classmethod
     def create_from_cloudformation_json(cls, resource_name, cloudformation_json, region_name):
@@ -185,9 +185,9 @@ class IAMBackend(BaseBackend):
         self.users = {}
         super(IAMBackend, self).__init__()
 
-    def create_role(self, role_name, assume_role_policy_document, path, policies):
+    def create_role(self, role_name, assume_role_policy_document, path):
         role_id = random_resource_id()
-        role = Role(role_id, role_name, assume_role_policy_document, path, policies)
+        role = Role(role_id, role_name, assume_role_policy_document, path)
         self.roles[role_id] = role
         return role
 
diff --git a/tests/test_iam/test_iam.py b/tests/test_iam/test_iam.py
index e9121a5aa..500e74ada 100644
--- a/tests/test_iam/test_iam.py
+++ b/tests/test_iam/test_iam.py
@@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ def test_create_role_and_instance_profile():
     conn.list_roles().roles[0].role_name.should.equal('my-role')
     conn.list_instance_profiles().instance_profiles[0].instance_profile_name.should.equal("my-profile")
 
+@mock_iam()
+def test_create_role():
+    conn = boto.connect_iam()
+    conn.create_role('test')
+    with assert_raises(BotoServerError):
+        conn.create_role('test')
 
 @mock_iam()
 def test_create_group():