diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/custom-resources/lib/aws-custom-resource/aws-custom-resource.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/custom-resources/lib/aws-custom-resource/aws-custom-resource.ts
index 03e7c1a1939ad..764af238cc5b7 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/custom-resources/lib/aws-custom-resource/aws-custom-resource.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/custom-resources/lib/aws-custom-resource/aws-custom-resource.ts
@@ -31,11 +31,15 @@ export class PhysicalResourceId {
   /**
    * Construct a resource id from an explicit id.
    */
-  public static fromId(id: string): PhysicalResourceId {
-    return new PhysicalResourceId(undefined, id);
+  public static fromLiteralString(literalId: string): PhysicalResourceId {
+    return new PhysicalResourceId(undefined, literalId);
   }
 
-  private constructor(public readonly responsePath?: string, public readonly id?: string) { }
+  /**
+   * @param responsePath Path to a response data element to be used as the physical id.
+   * @param literalId Literal string to be used as the physical id.
+   */
+  private constructor(public readonly responsePath?: string, public readonly literalId?: string) { }
 }
 
 /**