diff --git a/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/stream/index.js b/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/stream/index.js
index a0bb4ab36..695d88f18 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/stream/index.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/stream/index.js
@@ -136,6 +136,8 @@ class AwsCompileStreamEvents {
                 funcRole['Fn::GetAtt'][1] === 'Arn'
               ) {
                 dependsOn = `"${funcRole['Fn::GetAtt'][0]}"`;
+              } else if (typeof funcRole === 'string') {
+                dependsOn = `"${funcRole}"`;
               }
             }
             const streamTemplate = `
diff --git a/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/stream/index.test.js b/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/stream/index.test.js
index 0ebc32de7..d3b455df0 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/stream/index.test.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/stream/index.test.js
@@ -136,6 +136,31 @@ describe('AwsCompileStreamEvents', () => {
       ).to.equal(null);
     });
 
+    it('should not throw error if custom IAM role name reference is set in function', () => {
+      const roleLogicalId = 'RoleLogicalId';
+      awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.functions = {
+        first: {
+          role: roleLogicalId,
+          events: [
+            {
+              // doesn't matter if DynamoDB or Kinesis stream
+              stream: 'arn:aws:dynamodb:region:account:table/foo/stream/1',
+            },
+          ],
+        },
+      };
+
+      // pretend that the default IamRoleLambdaExecution is not in place
+      awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.provider.compiledCloudFormationTemplate
+        .Resources.IamRoleLambdaExecution = null;
+
+      expect(() => { awsCompileStreamEvents.compileStreamEvents(); }).to.not.throw(Error);
+      expect(awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.provider.compiledCloudFormationTemplate
+        .Resources.FirstEventSourceMappingDynamodbFoo.DependsOn).to.equal(roleLogicalId);
+      expect(awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.provider.compiledCloudFormationTemplate
+        .Resources.IamRoleLambdaExecution).to.equal(null);
+    });
+
     it('should not throw error if custom IAM role reference is set in function', () => {
       const roleLogicalId = 'RoleLogicalId';
       awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.functions = {
@@ -219,6 +244,33 @@ describe('AwsCompileStreamEvents', () => {
         .Resources.IamRoleLambdaExecution).to.equal(null);
     });
 
+    it('should not throw error if custom IAM role name reference is set in provider', () => {
+      const roleLogicalId = 'RoleLogicalId';
+      awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.functions = {
+        first: {
+          events: [
+            {
+              // doesn't matter if DynamoDB or Kinesis stream
+              stream: 'arn:aws:dynamodb:region:account:table/foo/stream/1',
+            },
+          ],
+        },
+      };
+
+      // pretend that the default IamRoleLambdaExecution is not in place
+      awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.provider.compiledCloudFormationTemplate
+        .Resources.IamRoleLambdaExecution = null;
+
+      awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.provider
+        .role = roleLogicalId;
+
+      expect(() => { awsCompileStreamEvents.compileStreamEvents(); }).to.not.throw(Error);
+      expect(awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.provider.compiledCloudFormationTemplate
+        .Resources.FirstEventSourceMappingDynamodbFoo.DependsOn).to.equal(roleLogicalId);
+      expect(awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.provider.compiledCloudFormationTemplate
+        .Resources.IamRoleLambdaExecution).to.equal(null);
+    });
+
     describe('when a DynamoDB stream ARN is given', () => {
       it('should create event source mappings when a DynamoDB stream ARN is given', () => {
         awsCompileStreamEvents.serverless.service.functions = {