diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fd70fd6..491e4da 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,7 +48,15 @@ This are the properties you can configure and what are the default values:
     * **default value**: `nil`
 * `profile`: The AWS profile name for authentication. This ensures that the `~/.aws/credentials` AWS auth provider is used. By default this is empty and the default chain will be used.
     * **required**: false
-    * **default value**: `""`    
+    * **default value**: `""`
+* `role_arn`: The AWS role to assume. This can be used, for example, to access a Kinesis stream in a different AWS
+account. This role will be assumed after the default credentials or profile credentials are created. By default
+this is empty and a role will not be assumed.
+    * **required**: false
+    * **default value**: `""`
+* `role_session_name`: Session name to use when assuming an IAM role. This is recorded in CloudTrail logs for example.
+    * **required**: false
+    * **default value**: `"logstash"`
 * `initial_position_in_stream`: The value for initialPositionInStream. Accepts "TRIM_HORIZON" or "LATEST".
     * **required**: false
     * **default value**: `"TRIM_HORIZON"`
diff --git a/lib/logstash/inputs/kinesis.rb b/lib/logstash/inputs/kinesis.rb
index 4d983ed..88e0dda 100644
--- a/lib/logstash/inputs/kinesis.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/inputs/kinesis.rb
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ class LogStash::Inputs::Kinesis < LogStash::Inputs::Base
   # Select AWS profile for input
   config :profile, :validate => :string
 
+  # The AWS IAM Role to assume, if any.
+  # This is used to generate temporary credentials typically for cross-account access.
+  # See https://docs.aws.amazon.com/STS/latest/APIReference/API_AssumeRole.html for more information.
+  config :role_arn, :validate => :string
+
+  # Session name to use when assuming an IAM role
+  config :role_session_name, :validate => :string, :default => "logstash"
+
   # Select initial_position_in_stream. Accepts TRIM_HORIZON or LATEST
   config :initial_position_in_stream, :validate => ["TRIM_HORIZON", "LATEST"], :default => "TRIM_HORIZON"
 
@@ -85,6 +93,14 @@ def register
     else
       creds = com.amazonaws.auth::DefaultAWSCredentialsProviderChain.new
     end
+
+    # If a role ARN is set then assume the role as a new layer over the credentials already created
+    unless @role_arn.nil?
+      kinesis_creds = com.amazonaws.auth::STSAssumeRoleSessionCredentialsProvider.new(creds, @role_arn, @role_session_name)
+    else
+      kinesis_creds = creds
+    end
+
     initial_position_in_stream = if @initial_position_in_stream == "TRIM_HORIZON"
       KCL::InitialPositionInStream::TRIM_HORIZON
     else
@@ -94,7 +110,9 @@ def register
     @kcl_config = KCL::KinesisClientLibConfiguration.new(
       @application_name,
       @kinesis_stream_name,
-      creds,
+      kinesis_creds, # credential provider for accessing the kinesis stream
+      creds, # credential provider for creating / accessing the dynamo table
+      creds, # credential provider for cloudwatch metrics
       worker_id).
         withInitialPositionInStream(initial_position_in_stream).
         withRegionName(@region)
diff --git a/logstash-input-kinesis.gemspec b/logstash-input-kinesis.gemspec
index 4f6b7a6..9ccba3b 100644
--- a/logstash-input-kinesis.gemspec
+++ b/logstash-input-kinesis.gemspec
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |spec|
 
   spec.requirements << "jar 'com.amazonaws:amazon-kinesis-client', '1.9.2'"
   spec.requirements << "jar 'com.amazonaws:aws-java-sdk-core', '1.11.414'"
+  spec.requirements << "jar 'com.amazonaws:aws-java-sdk-sts', '1.11.414'"
 
   spec.add_runtime_dependency "logstash-core-plugin-api", ">= 1.60", "<= 2.99"
 
diff --git a/spec/inputs/kinesis_spec.rb b/spec/inputs/kinesis_spec.rb
index 2ff497d..e873c83 100644
--- a/spec/inputs/kinesis_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/inputs/kinesis_spec.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,17 @@
     "profile" => "my-aws-profile"
   }}
 
+  # Config hash to test assume role provider if role_arn is specified
+  let(:config_with_role_arn) {{
+    "application_name" => "my-processor",
+    "kinesis_stream_name" => "run-specs",
+    "codec" => codec,
+    "metrics" => metrics,
+    "checkpoint_interval_seconds" => 120,
+    "region" => "ap-southeast-1",
+    "role_arn" => "arn:aws:iam::???????????:role/my-role"
+  }}
+
   # other config with LATEST as initial_position_in_stream
   let(:config_with_latest) {{
     "application_name" => "my-processor",
@@ -110,6 +121,15 @@
     expect(kinesis_with_profile.kcl_config.get_kinesis_credentials_provider.getClass.to_s).to eq("com.amazonaws.auth.profile.ProfileCredentialsProvider")
   end
 
+  subject!(:kinesis_with_role_arn) { LogStash::Inputs::Kinesis.new(config_with_role_arn) }
+
+  it "uses STS for accessing the kinesis stream if role_arn is specified" do
+    kinesis_with_role_arn.register
+    expect(kinesis_with_role_arn.kcl_config.get_kinesis_credentials_provider.getClass.to_s).to eq("com.amazonaws.auth.STSAssumeRoleSessionCredentialsProvider")
+    expect(kinesis_with_role_arn.kcl_config.get_dynamo_db_credentials_provider.getClass.to_s).to eq("com.amazonaws.auth.DefaultAWSCredentialsProviderChain")
+    expect(kinesis_with_role_arn.kcl_config.get_cloud_watch_credentials_provider.getClass.to_s).to eq("com.amazonaws.auth.DefaultAWSCredentialsProviderChain")
+  end
+
   subject!(:kinesis_with_latest) { LogStash::Inputs::Kinesis.new(config_with_latest) }
 
   it "configures the KCL" do