diff --git a/helper/schema/resource_data.go b/helper/schema/resource_data.go
index 615038d2da..119c379073 100644
--- a/helper/schema/resource_data.go
+++ b/helper/schema/resource_data.go
@@ -137,6 +137,18 @@ func (d *ResourceData) Partial(on bool) {
 // will be returned.
 func (d *ResourceData) Set(key string, value interface{}) error {
 	d.once.Do(d.init)
+
+	// If the value is a pointer to a non-struct, get its value and
+	// use that. This allows Set to take a pointer to primitives to
+	// simplify the interface.
+	reflectVal := reflect.ValueOf(value)
+	if reflectVal.Kind() == reflect.Ptr {
+		reflectVal = reflect.Indirect(reflectVal)
+		if reflectVal.Kind() != reflect.Struct {
+			value = reflectVal.Interface()
+		}
+	}
+
 	return d.setWriter.WriteField(strings.Split(key, "."), value)
 }
 
diff --git a/helper/schema/resource_data_test.go b/helper/schema/resource_data_test.go
index 90aa6a9d9b..92c4bfd856 100644
--- a/helper/schema/resource_data_test.go
+++ b/helper/schema/resource_data_test.go
@@ -1588,6 +1588,72 @@ func TestResourceDataSet(t *testing.T) {
 			GetKey:   "ratios",
 			GetValue: []interface{}{1.0, 2.2, 5.5},
 		},
+
+		// #13: Basic pointer
+		{
+			Schema: map[string]*Schema{
+				"availability_zone": &Schema{
+					Type:     TypeString,
+					Optional: true,
+					Computed: true,
+					ForceNew: true,
+				},
+			},
+
+			State: nil,
+
+			Diff: nil,
+
+			Key:   "availability_zone",
+			Value: testPtrTo("foo"),
+
+			GetKey:   "availability_zone",
+			GetValue: "foo",
+		},
+
+		// #14: Basic nil value
+		{
+			Schema: map[string]*Schema{
+				"availability_zone": &Schema{
+					Type:     TypeString,
+					Optional: true,
+					Computed: true,
+					ForceNew: true,
+				},
+			},
+
+			State: nil,
+
+			Diff: nil,
+
+			Key:   "availability_zone",
+			Value: testPtrTo(nil),
+
+			GetKey:   "availability_zone",
+			GetValue: "",
+		},
+
+		// #15: Basic nil pointer
+		{
+			Schema: map[string]*Schema{
+				"availability_zone": &Schema{
+					Type:     TypeString,
+					Optional: true,
+					Computed: true,
+					ForceNew: true,
+				},
+			},
+
+			State: nil,
+
+			Diff: nil,
+
+			Key:   "availability_zone",
+			Value: nil,
+
+			GetKey:   "availability_zone",
+			GetValue: "",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for i, tc := range cases {
@@ -2788,3 +2854,7 @@ func TestResourceDataSetId_override(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", actual)
 	}
 }
+
+func testPtrTo(raw interface{}) interface{} {
+	return &raw
+}