diff --git a/aws_helper/config.go b/aws_helper/config.go
index 98262930dd..d107d150d2 100644
--- a/aws_helper/config.go
+++ b/aws_helper/config.go
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ type AwsSessionConfig struct {
 	CredsFilename           string
 	S3ForcePathStyle        bool
 	DisableComputeChecksums bool
+	ExternalID              string
+	SessionName             string
 }
 
 // Returns an AWS session object for the given config region (required), profile name (optional), and IAM role to assume
@@ -61,10 +63,19 @@ func CreateAwsSession(config *AwsSessionConfig, terragruntOptions *options.Terra
 		return nil, errors.WithStackTraceAndPrefix(err, "Error initializing session")
 	}
 
+	credentialsOptFn := func(p *stscreds.AssumeRoleProvider) {
+		if config.ExternalID != "" {
+			p.ExternalID = aws.String(config.ExternalID)
+		}
+		if config.SessionName != "" {
+			p.RoleSessionName = config.SessionName
+		}
+	}
+
 	if config.RoleArn != "" {
-		sess.Config.Credentials = stscreds.NewCredentials(sess, config.RoleArn)
+		sess.Config.Credentials = stscreds.NewCredentials(sess, config.RoleArn, credentialsOptFn)
 	} else if terragruntOptions.IamRole != "" {
-		sess.Config.Credentials = stscreds.NewCredentials(sess, terragruntOptions.IamRole)
+		sess.Config.Credentials = stscreds.NewCredentials(sess, terragruntOptions.IamRole, credentialsOptFn)
 	}
 
 	if _, err = sess.Config.Credentials.Get(); err != nil {
diff --git a/docs/_docs/04_reference/config-blocks-and-attributes.md b/docs/_docs/04_reference/config-blocks-and-attributes.md
index 0958d1dce5..ce887fc6b3 100644
--- a/docs/_docs/04_reference/config-blocks-and-attributes.md
+++ b/docs/_docs/04_reference/config-blocks-and-attributes.md
@@ -201,6 +201,15 @@ supports additional keys that are used to configure the automatic initialization
 
 For the `s3` backend, the following additional properties are supported in the `config` attribute:
 
+- `region` - (Optional) The region of the S3 bucket.
+- `profile` - (Optional) This is the AWS profile name as set in the shared credentials file.
+- `endpoint` - (Optional) A custom endpoint for the S3 API.
+- `encrypt` - (Optional) Whether to enable server side encryption of the state file.
+- `role_arn` - (Optional) The role to be assumed.
+- `shared_credentials_file` - (Optional) This is the path to the shared credentials file. If this is not set and a profile is specified, `~/.aws/credentials` will be used.
+- `external_id` - (Optional) The external ID to use when assuming the role.
+- `session_name` - (Optional) The session name to use when assuming the role.
+- `dynamodb_table` - (Optional) The name of a DynamoDB table to use for state locking and consistency. The table must have a primary key named LockID. If not present, locking will be disabled.
 - `skip_bucket_versioning`: When `true`, the S3 bucket that is created to store the state will not be versioned.
 - `skip_bucket_ssencryption`: When `true`, the S3 bucket that is created to store the state will not be configured with server-side encryption.
 - `skip_bucket_accesslogging`: When `true`, the S3 bucket that is created to store the state will not be configured with
diff --git a/remote/remote_state_s3.go b/remote/remote_state_s3.go
index edb57db0e9..a0f026452c 100644
--- a/remote/remote_state_s3.go
+++ b/remote/remote_state_s3.go
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ type RemoteStateConfigS3 struct {
 	Endpoint         string `mapstructure:"endpoint"`
 	Profile          string `mapstructure:"profile"`
 	RoleArn          string `mapstructure:"role_arn"`
+	ExternalID       string `mapstructure:"external_id"`
+	SessionName      string `mapstructure:"session_name"`
 	LockTable        string `mapstructure:"lock_table"`
 	DynamoDBTable    string `mapstructure:"dynamodb_table"`
 	CredsFilename    string `mapstructure:"shared_credentials_file"`
@@ -72,6 +74,8 @@ func (c *ExtendedRemoteStateConfigS3) GetAwsSessionConfig() *aws_helper.AwsSessi
 		CustomS3Endpoint:        c.remoteStateConfigS3.Endpoint,
 		Profile:                 c.remoteStateConfigS3.Profile,
 		RoleArn:                 c.remoteStateConfigS3.RoleArn,
+		ExternalID:              c.remoteStateConfigS3.ExternalID,
+		SessionName:             c.remoteStateConfigS3.SessionName,
 		CredsFilename:           c.remoteStateConfigS3.CredsFilename,
 		S3ForcePathStyle:        c.remoteStateConfigS3.S3ForcePathStyle,
 		DisableComputeChecksums: c.DisableAWSClientChecksums,