diff --git a/post-processor/vsphere/post-processor.go b/post-processor/vsphere/post-processor.go
index 29d0f32bc..f9f9ee102 100644
--- a/post-processor/vsphere/post-processor.go
+++ b/post-processor/vsphere/post-processor.go
@@ -64,14 +64,11 @@ func (p *PostProcessor) Configure(raws ...interface{}) error {
 	templates := map[string]*string{
 		"cluster":       &p.config.Cluster,
 		"datacenter":    &p.config.Datacenter,
-		"datastore":     &p.config.Datastore,
 		"diskmode":      &p.config.DiskMode,
 		"host":          &p.config.Host,
-		"vm_network":    &p.config.VMNetwork,
 		"password":      &p.config.Password,
 		"resource_pool": &p.config.ResourcePool,
 		"username":      &p.config.Username,
-		"vm_folder":     &p.config.VMFolder,
 		"vm_name":       &p.config.VMName,
 	}
 
@@ -80,7 +77,13 @@ func (p *PostProcessor) Configure(raws ...interface{}) error {
 			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
 				errs, fmt.Errorf("%s must be set", key))
 		}
+	}
 
+	templates ["datastore"] = &p.config.Datastore
+	templates ["vm_network"] = &p.config.VMNetwork
+	templates ["vm_folder"] = &p.config.VMFolder
+
+	for key, ptr := range templates {
 		*ptr, err = p.config.tpl.Process(*ptr, nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
diff --git a/website/source/docs/post-processors/vsphere.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/post-processors/vsphere.html.markdown
index 742568dbe..8dde0e8fb 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/post-processors/vsphere.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/post-processors/vsphere.html.markdown
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ Required:
 * `datacenter` (string) - The name of the datacenter within vSphere to
   add the VM to.
 
-* `datastore` (string) - The name of the datastore to store this VM.
-
 * `host` (string) - The vSphere host that will be contacted to perform
   the VM upload.
 
@@ -36,17 +34,19 @@ Required:
 * `username` (string) - The username to use to authenticate to the vSphere
   endpoint.
 
-* `vm_folder` (string) - The folder within the datastore to store the VM.
-
 * `vm_name` (string) - The name of the VM once it is uploaded.
 
-* `vm_network` (string) - The name of the VM network this VM will be
-  added to.
-
 Optional:
 
+* `datastore` (string) - The name of the datastore to store this VM.
+
 * `disk_mode` (string) - Target disk format. See `ovftool` manual for
   available options. By default, "thick" will be used.
 
 * `insecure` (bool) - Whether or not the connection to vSphere can be done
   over an insecure connection. By default this is false.
+
+* `vm_folder` (string) - The folder within the datastore to store the VM.
+
+* `vm_network` (string) - The name of the VM network this VM will be
+  added to.