diff --git a/vault/resource_aws_secret_backend_role.go b/vault/resource_aws_secret_backend_role.go
index 416e748743..30ff0e9fd6 100644
--- a/vault/resource_aws_secret_backend_role.go
+++ b/vault/resource_aws_secret_backend_role.go
@@ -36,10 +36,9 @@ func awsSecretBackendRoleResource() *schema.Resource {
 				Description: "The path of the AWS Secret Backend the role belongs to.",
 			},
 			"policy_arns": {
-				Type:          schema.TypeSet,
-				Optional:      true,
-				ConflictsWith: []string{"policy", "policy_arn", "role_arns"},
-				Description:   "ARN for an existing IAM policy the role should use.",
+				Type:        schema.TypeSet,
+				Optional:    true,
+				Description: "ARN for an existing IAM policy the role should use.",
 				Elem: &schema.Schema{
 					Type: schema.TypeString,
 				},
@@ -54,7 +53,6 @@ func awsSecretBackendRoleResource() *schema.Resource {
 			"policy_document": {
 				Type:             schema.TypeString,
 				Optional:         true,
-				ConflictsWith:    []string{"policy_arn", "policy"},
 				Description:      "IAM policy the role should use in JSON format.",
 				DiffSuppressFunc: util.JsonDiffSuppress,
 			},
@@ -76,10 +74,9 @@ func awsSecretBackendRoleResource() *schema.Resource {
 				Elem: &schema.Schema{
 					Type: schema.TypeString,
 				},
-				Optional:      true,
-				ForceNew:      true,
-				ConflictsWith: []string{"policy", "policy_arn", "policy_arns"},
-				Description:   "ARNs of AWS roles allowed to be assumed. Only valid when credential_type is 'assumed_role'",
+				Optional:    true,
+				ForceNew:    true,
+				Description: "ARNs of AWS roles allowed to be assumed. Only valid when credential_type is 'assumed_role'",
 			},
 			"default_sts_ttl": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeInt,
diff --git a/website/docs/r/aws_secret_backend_role.html.md b/website/docs/r/aws_secret_backend_role.html.md
index d949c437cc..44c8838db7 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/aws_secret_backend_role.html.md
+++ b/website/docs/r/aws_secret_backend_role.html.md
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ resource "vault_aws_secret_backend" "aws" {
 resource "vault_aws_secret_backend_role" "role" {
   backend = "${vault_aws_secret_backend.aws.path}"
   name    = "deploy"
-  credential_type = "assumed_role"
+  credential_type = "iam_user"
 
   policy_document = <<EOT
 {
@@ -56,19 +56,27 @@ with no leading or trailing `/`s.
 * `name` - (Required) The name to identify this role within the backend.
 Must be unique within the backend.
 
-* `policy_document` - (Optional) The JSON-formatted policy to associate with this
-role. Either `policy_document` or `policy_arns` must be specified.
-
-* `policy_arns` - (Optional) The ARN for a pre-existing policy to associate
-with this role. Either `policy_document` or `policy_arns` must be specified.
+* `credential_type` - (Required) Specifies the type of credential to be used when
+retrieving credentials from the role. Must be one of `iam_user`, `assumed_role`, or
+`federation_token`.
 
 * `role_arns` - (Optional) Specifies the ARNs of the AWS roles this Vault role
 is allowed to assume. Required when `credential_type` is `assumed_role` and
 prohibited otherwise.
 
-* `credential_type` - (Required) Specifies the type of credential to be used when
-retrieving credentials from the role. Must be one of `iam_user`, `assumed_role`, or
-`federation_token`.
+* `policy_arns` - (Optional) Specifies a list of AWS managed policy ARNs. The
+behavior depends on the credential type. With `iam_user`, the policies will be
+attached to IAM users when they are requested. With `assumed_role` and
+`federation_token`, the policy ARNs will act as a filter on what the credentials
+can do, similar to `policy_document`. When `credential_type` is `iam_user` or
+`federation_token`, at least one of `policy_document` or `policy_arns` must
+be specified.
+
+* `policy_document` - (Optional) The IAM policy document for the role. The
+behavior depends on the credential type. With `iam_user`, the policy document
+will be attached to the IAM user generated and augment the permissions the IAM
+user has. With `assumed_role` and `federation_token`, the policy document will
+act as a filter on what the credentials can do, similar to `policy_arns`.
 
 * `default_sts_ttl` - (Optional) The default TTL in seconds for STS credentials.
   When a TTL is not specified when STS credentials are requested,