diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/autoscaler.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/autoscaler.py
index 2a3734ba4..80245881c 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/autoscaler.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/autoscaler.py
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ CLUSTER_CONFIG_SCHEMA = {
             "project_id": (None, OPTIONAL),  # gcp project id, if using gcp
             "head_ip": (str, OPTIONAL),  # local cluster head node
             "worker_ips": (list, OPTIONAL),  # local cluster worker nodes
+            "use_internal_ips": (bool, OPTIONAL),  # don't require public ips
         },
         REQUIRED),
 
diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/aws/config.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/aws/config.py
index 249970e8f..b6953c149 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/aws/config.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/aws/config.py
@@ -152,9 +152,10 @@ def _configure_key_pair(config):
 
 def _configure_subnet(config):
     ec2 = _resource("ec2", config)
+    use_internal_ips = config["provider"].get("use_internal_ips", False)
     subnets = sorted(
-        (s for s in ec2.subnets.all()
-         if s.state == "available" and s.map_public_ip_on_launch),
+        (s for s in ec2.subnets.all() if s.state == "available" and (
+            use_internal_ips or s.map_public_ip_on_launch)),
         reverse=True,  # sort from Z-A
         key=lambda subnet: subnet.availability_zone)
     if not subnets:
@@ -162,7 +163,8 @@ def _configure_subnet(config):
             "No usable subnets found, try manually creating an instance in "
             "your specified region to populate the list of subnets "
             "and trying this again. Note that the subnet must map public IPs "
-            "on instance launch.")
+            "on instance launch unless you set 'use_internal_ips': True in "
+            "the 'provider' config.")
     if "availability_zone" in config["provider"]:
         azs = config["provider"]["availability_zone"].split(',')
         subnets = [s for s in subnets if s.availability_zone in azs]
diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/updater.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/updater.py
index b132971d2..1d6b5e23b 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/updater.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/updater.py
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ class NodeUpdater(object):
         self.daemon = True
         self.process_runner = process_runner
         self.node_id = node_id
-        self.use_internal_ip = use_internal_ip
+        self.use_internal_ip = (use_internal_ip or provider_config.get(
+            "use_internal_ips", False))
         self.provider = get_node_provider(provider_config, cluster_name)
         self.ssh_private_key = auth_config["ssh_private_key"]
         self.ssh_user = auth_config["ssh_user"]