diff --git a/cloud/amazon/iam_policy.py b/cloud/amazon/iam_policy.py
index 2054a331c60..59681a4d267 100644
--- a/cloud/amazon/iam_policy.py
+++ b/cloud/amazon/iam_policy.py
@@ -300,10 +300,11 @@ def main():
           pdoc = json.dumps(json.load(json_data))
           json_data.close()
   elif module.params.get('policy_json') != None:
+      pdoc = module.params.get('policy_json')
       # if its a string, assume it is already JSON
       if not isinstance(pdoc, basestring):
         try:
-          pdoc = json.dumps(module.params.get('policy_json'))
+          pdoc = json.dumps(pdoc)
         except Exception as e:
           module.fail_json(msg='Failed to convert the policy into valid JSON: %s' % str(e))
   else: