diff --git a/third_party/terraform/resources/resource_bigtable_gc_policy.go b/third_party/terraform/resources/resource_bigtable_gc_policy.go
index 57273cf72252..3c05485780af 100644
--- a/third_party/terraform/resources/resource_bigtable_gc_policy.go
+++ b/third_party/terraform/resources/resource_bigtable_gc_policy.go
@@ -58,12 +58,22 @@ func resourceBigtableGCPolicy() *schema.Resource {
 				Optional:    true,
 				ForceNew:    true,
 				Description: `GC policy that applies to all cells older than the given age.`,
+				MaxItems:    1,
 				Elem: &schema.Resource{
 					Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 						"days": {
-							Type:        schema.TypeInt,
-							Required:    true,
-							Description: `Number of days before applying GC policy.`,
+							Type:         schema.TypeInt,
+							Optional:     true,
+							Deprecated:   "Deprecated in favor of duration",
+							Description:  `Number of days before applying GC policy.`,
+							ExactlyOneOf: []string{"max_age.0.days", "max_age.0.duration"},
+						},
+						"duration": {
+							Type:         schema.TypeString,
+							Optional:     true,
+							Description:  `Duration before applying GC policy`,
+							ValidateFunc: validateDuration(),
+							ExactlyOneOf: []string{"max_age.0.days", "max_age.0.duration"},
 						},
 					},
 				},
@@ -236,9 +246,12 @@ func generateBigtableGCPolicy(d *schema.ResourceData) (bigtable.GCPolicy, error)
 
 	if aok {
 		l, _ := ma.([]interface{})
-		d, _ := l[0].(map[string]interface{})["days"].(int)
+		d, err := getMaxAgeDuration(l[0].(map[string]interface{}))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 
-		policies = append(policies, bigtable.MaxAgePolicy(time.Duration(d)*time.Hour*24))
+		policies = append(policies, bigtable.MaxAgePolicy(d))
 	}
 
 	if vok {
@@ -257,3 +270,14 @@ func generateBigtableGCPolicy(d *schema.ResourceData) (bigtable.GCPolicy, error)
 
 	return policies[0], nil
 }
+
+func getMaxAgeDuration(values map[string]interface{}) (time.Duration, error) {
+	d := values["duration"].(string)
+	if d != "" {
+		return time.ParseDuration(d)
+	}
+
+	days := values["days"].(int)
+
+	return time.Hour * 24 * time.Duration(days), nil
+}
diff --git a/third_party/terraform/tests/resource_bigtable_gc_policy_test.go b/third_party/terraform/tests/resource_bigtable_gc_policy_test.go
index 314305384904..c504ec39768f 100644
--- a/third_party/terraform/tests/resource_bigtable_gc_policy_test.go
+++ b/third_party/terraform/tests/resource_bigtable_gc_policy_test.go
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ resource "google_bigtable_gc_policy" "policy" {
   column_family = "%s"
 
   max_age {
-    days = 3
+    duration = "72h"
   }
 }
 `, instanceName, instanceName, tableName, family, family)
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ resource "google_bigtable_gc_policy" "policy" {
   mode = "UNION"
 
   max_age {
-    days = 3
+    duration = "72h"
   }
 
   max_version {
diff --git a/third_party/terraform/website/docs/r/bigtable_gc_policy.html.markdown b/third_party/terraform/website/docs/r/bigtable_gc_policy.html.markdown
index df7d3183b3d7..7c6ff3c237cd 100644
--- a/third_party/terraform/website/docs/r/bigtable_gc_policy.html.markdown
+++ b/third_party/terraform/website/docs/r/bigtable_gc_policy.html.markdown
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ resource "google_bigtable_gc_policy" "policy" {
   column_family = "name"
 
   max_age {
-    days = 7
+    duration = "168h"
   }
 }
 ```
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ resource "google_bigtable_gc_policy" "policy" {
   mode = "UNION"
 
   max_age {
-    days = 7
+    duration = "168h" # 7 days
   }
 
   max_version {
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 
 `max_age` supports the following arguments:
 
-* `days` - (Required) Number of days before applying GC policy.
+* `days` - (Optional, Deprecated in favor of duration) Number of days before applying GC policy.
+
+* `duration` - (Optional) Duration before applying GC policy (ex. "8h"). This is required when `days` isn't set
 
 -----