diff --git a/google-beta/resource_google_service_account.go b/google-beta/resource_google_service_account.go
index e1ab14fad2..2356b4bbcc 100644
--- a/google-beta/resource_google_service_account.go
+++ b/google-beta/resource_google_service_account.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/helper/schema"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/helper/validation"
 	"google.golang.org/api/iam/v1"
 )
 
@@ -42,8 +43,9 @@ func resourceGoogleServiceAccount() *schema.Resource {
 				Optional: true,
 			},
 			"description": {
-				Type:     schema.TypeString,
-				Optional: true,
+				Type:         schema.TypeString,
+				Optional:     true,
+				ValidateFunc: validation.StringLenBetween(0, 256),
 			},
 			"project": {
 				Type:     schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/google-beta/resource_google_service_account_test.go b/google-beta/resource_google_service_account_test.go
index c1d8941c07..f82b518e7c 100644
--- a/google-beta/resource_google_service_account_test.go
+++ b/google-beta/resource_google_service_account_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func TestAccServiceAccount_basic(t *testing.T) {
 	displayName := "Terraform Test"
 	displayName2 := "Terraform Test Update"
 	desc := "test description"
-	desc2 := "test description update"
+	desc2 := ""
 	project := getTestProjectFromEnv()
 	expectedEmail := fmt.Sprintf("%s@%s.iam.gserviceaccount.com", accountId, project)
 	resource.Test(t, resource.TestCase{
diff --git a/website/docs/r/google_service_account.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/google_service_account.html.markdown
index 3d1b053b8b..75efb5f590 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/google_service_account.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/google_service_account.html.markdown
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ The following arguments are supported:
     Can be updated without creating a new resource.
 
 * `description` - (Optional) A text description of the service account.
+    Must be less than or equal to 256 UTF-8 bytes.
 
 * `project` - (Optional) The ID of the project that the service account will be created in.
     Defaults to the provider project configuration.