diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/cluster-resource.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/cluster-resource.ts
index c449af08a407b..c5cda1b9e66eb 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/cluster-resource.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/cluster-resource.ts
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ export class ClusterResource extends Construct {
     });
 
     this.creationRole.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement({
-      actions: [ 'ec2:DescribeSubnets' ],
+      actions: [
+        'ec2:DescribeSubnets',
+        'ec2:DescribeRouteTables',
+      ],
       resources: [ '*' ],
     }));
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/integ.eks-cluster.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/integ.eks-cluster.expected.json
index 6138308e733c5..a1476ff383d49 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/integ.eks-cluster.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/integ.eks-cluster.expected.json
@@ -782,7 +782,10 @@
               }
             },
             {
-              "Action": "ec2:DescribeSubnets",
+              "Action": [
+                "ec2:DescribeSubnets",
+                "ec2:DescribeRouteTables"
+              ],
               "Effect": "Allow",
               "Resource": "*"
             },
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.cluster.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.cluster.ts
index 8cf5972ab6441..85ad1921528f8 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.cluster.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.cluster.ts
@@ -866,7 +866,10 @@ export = {
               },
             },
             {
-              Action: 'ec2:DescribeSubnets',
+              Action: [
+                'ec2:DescribeSubnets',
+                'ec2:DescribeRouteTables',
+              ],
               Effect: 'Allow',
               Resource: '*',
             },
@@ -977,7 +980,10 @@ export = {
               },
             },
             {
-              Action: 'ec2:DescribeSubnets',
+              Action: [
+                'ec2:DescribeSubnets',
+                'ec2:DescribeRouteTables',
+              ],
               Effect: 'Allow',
               Resource: '*',
             },