diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/step_configure_vmx.go b/builder/vmware/common/step_configure_vmx.go
index fd8bdea87..1d94e4362 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/step_configure_vmx.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/step_configure_vmx.go
@@ -102,7 +102,16 @@ func (s *StepConfigureVMX) Run(_ context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) mult
 		}
 	}
 
-	vmxData["extendedconfigfile"] = fmt.Sprintf("%s.vmxf", s.DisplayName)
+	// Set the extendedConfigFile setting for the .vmxf filename to the VMName
+	// if displayName is not set. This is needed so that when VMWare creates 
+	// the .vmxf file it matches the displayName if it is set. When just using
+	// the sisplayName if it was empty VMWare would make a file named ".vmxf".
+	// The ".vmxf" file would not get deleted when the VM got deleted.
+        if s.DisplayName != "" {
+                vmxData["extendedconfigfile"] = fmt.Sprintf("%s.vmxf", s.DisplayName)
+        } else {
+                vmxData["extendedconfigfile"] = fmt.Sprintf("%s.vmxf", s.VMName)
+        }
 
 	err = WriteVMX(vmxPath, vmxData)