diff --git a/moto/emr/models.py b/moto/emr/models.py
index af2a4b45f..e8f08d1d9 100644
--- a/moto/emr/models.py
+++ b/moto/emr/models.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ from moto.core import BaseBackend
 
 from .utils import random_job_id, random_instance_group_id
 
+DEFAULT_JOB_FLOW_ROLE = 'EMRJobflowDefault'
+
 
 class FakeInstanceGroup(object):
     def __init__(self, id, instance_count, instance_role, instance_type, market, name, bid_price=None):
@@ -48,10 +50,11 @@ class FakeStep(object):
 
 
 class FakeJobFlow(object):
-    def __init__(self, job_id, name, log_uri, steps, instance_attrs):
+    def __init__(self, job_id, name, log_uri, job_flow_role, steps, instance_attrs):
         self.id = job_id
         self.name = name
         self.log_uri = log_uri
+        self.role = job_flow_role or DEFAULT_JOB_FLOW_ROLE
         self.state = "STARTING"
         self.steps = []
         self.add_steps(steps)
@@ -119,9 +122,9 @@ class ElasticMapReduceBackend(BaseBackend):
         self.job_flows = {}
         self.instance_groups = {}
 
-    def run_job_flow(self, name, log_uri, steps, instance_attrs):
+    def run_job_flow(self, name, log_uri, job_flow_role, steps, instance_attrs):
         job_id = random_job_id()
-        job_flow = FakeJobFlow(job_id, name, log_uri, steps, instance_attrs)
+        job_flow = FakeJobFlow(job_id, name, log_uri, job_flow_role, steps, instance_attrs)
         self.job_flows[job_id] = job_flow
         return job_flow
 
diff --git a/moto/emr/responses.py b/moto/emr/responses.py
index 8886ecbc5..5aeecbc3e 100644
--- a/moto/emr/responses.py
+++ b/moto/emr/responses.py
@@ -50,8 +50,9 @@ class ElasticMapReduceResponse(BaseResponse):
         log_uri = self._get_param('LogUri')
         steps = self._get_list_prefix('Steps.member')
         instance_attrs = self._get_dict_param('Instances.')
+        job_flow_role = self._get_param('JobFlowRole')
 
-        job_flow = emr_backend.run_job_flow(flow_name, log_uri, steps, instance_attrs)
+        job_flow = emr_backend.run_job_flow(flow_name, log_uri, job_flow_role, steps, instance_attrs)
         template = Template(RUN_JOB_FLOW_TEMPLATE)
         return template.render(job_flow=job_flow)
 
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ DESCRIBE_JOB_FLOWS_TEMPLATE = """<DescribeJobFlowsResponse xmlns="http://elastic
                <State>{{ job_flow.state }}</State>
             </ExecutionStatusDetail>
             <Name>{{ job_flow.name }}</Name>
+            <JobFlowRole>{{ job_flow.role }}</JobFlowRole>
             <LogUri>{{ job_flow.log_uri }}</LogUri>
             <Steps>
                {% for step in job_flow.steps %}
diff --git a/tests/test_emr/test_emr.py b/tests/test_emr/test_emr.py
index add8c1859..614ae718f 100644
--- a/tests/test_emr/test_emr.py
+++ b/tests/test_emr/test_emr.py
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ def test_create_job_flow():
         log_uri='s3://some_bucket/jobflow_logs',
         master_instance_type='m1.medium',
         slave_instance_type='m1.small',
-        steps=[step1, step2]
+        job_flow_role='some-role-arn',
+        steps=[step1, step2],
     )
 
     job_flow = conn.describe_jobflow(job_id)
@@ -169,7 +170,7 @@ def test_create_instance_groups():
     job_id = conn.run_jobflow(
         name='My jobflow',
         log_uri='s3://some_bucket/jobflow_logs',
-        steps=[step1]
+        steps=[step1],
     )
 
     instance_group = InstanceGroup(6, 'TASK', 'c1.medium', 'SPOT', 'spot-0.07', '0.07')