diff --git a/stacker_blueprints/ecs.py b/stacker_blueprints/ecs.py
index a5cb788d..7070b9d3 100644
--- a/stacker_blueprints/ecs.py
+++ b/stacker_blueprints/ecs.py
@@ -328,10 +328,11 @@ class SimpleECSService(Blueprint):
                            "task.",
             "default": {},
         },
-        "LogConfiguration": {
-            "type": TroposphereType(ecs.LogConfiguration, optional=True),
-            "description": "An optional log configuration object.",
-            "default": None,
+        "LogGroup": {
+            "type": str,
+            "description": "An optional CloudWatch LogGroup name to send logs "
+                           "to.",
+            "default": "",
         },
     }
 
@@ -375,10 +376,29 @@ def environment(self):
 
         return env_list
 
+    @property
+    def log_group(self):
+        return self.get_variables()["LogGroup"]
+
     @property
     def log_configuration(self):
-        log_config = self.get_variables()["LogConfiguration"]
-        return log_config or NoValue
+        """
+        If LogConfiguration is given, go with it. Otherwise if LogGroup is given,
+        add a quick log group based on awslogs driver.
+        Returns:
+
+        """
+        if not self.log_group:
+            return NoValue
+
+        return ecs.LogConfiguration(
+            LogDriver="awslogs",
+            Options={
+                "awslogs-group": self.log_group,
+                "awslogs-region": Region,
+                "awslogs-stream-prefix": self.service_name,
+            }
+        )
 
     def add_output(self, key, value):
         self.template.add_output(Output(key, Value=value))
@@ -398,6 +418,46 @@ def create_role(self):
         self.add_output("RoleArn", self.role.GetAtt("Arn"))
         self.add_output("RoleId", self.role.GetAtt("RoleId"))
 
+    def create_task_execution_role(self):
+        t = self.template
+
+        self.task_execution_role = t.add_resource(
+            iam.Role(
+                "TaskExecutionRole",
+                AssumeRolePolicyDocument=get_ecs_task_assumerole_policy(),
+            )
+        )
+
+        t.add_output(
+            Output(
+                "TaskExecutionRoleName",
+                Value=self.task_execution_role.Ref()
+            )
+        )
+
+        t.add_output(
+            Output(
+                "TaskExecutionRoleArn",
+                Value=self.task_execution_role.GetAtt("Arn")
+            )
+        )
+
+    def create_task_execution_role_policy(self):
+        t = self.template
+
+        policy_name = Sub("${AWS::StackName}-task-exeuction-role-policy")
+
+        self.task_execution_role_policy = t.add_resource(
+            iam.PolicyType(
+                "TaskExecutionRolePolicy",
+                PolicyName=policy_name,
+                PolicyDocument=ecs_task_execution_policy(
+                    log_group=self.log_group
+                ),
+                Roles=[self.task_execution_role.Ref()],
+            )
+        )
+
     def generate_policy_document(self):
         return None
 
@@ -411,7 +471,7 @@ def create_policy(self):
         self.policy = t.add_resource(
             iam.ManagedPolicy(
                 "ManagedPolicy",
-                PolicyDocument=self.generate_policy(),
+                PolicyDocument=policy_doc,
                 Roles=[self.role.Ref()],
             )
         )
@@ -463,7 +523,10 @@ def create_service(self):
         self.add_output("ServiceName", self.service.GetAtt("Name"))
 
     def create_template(self):
+        self.create_task_execution_role()
+        self.create_task_execution_role_policy()
         self.create_role()
         self.create_policy()
         self.create_task_definition()
         self.create_service()
+