diff --git a/examples/azure/windows.json b/examples/azure/windows.json
index e0b03b7ae..9e03043d7 100644
--- a/examples/azure/windows.json
+++ b/examples/azure/windows.json
@@ -30,10 +30,15 @@
   }],
   "provisioners": [{
     "type": "powershell",
-    "inline": [
-      "if( Test-Path $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml ){ rm $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml -Force}",
-      "& $env:SystemRoot\\System32\\Sysprep\\Sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /quiet /quit",
-      "while($true) { $imageState = Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Setup\\State | Select ImageState; if($imageState.ImageState -ne 'IMAGE_STATE_GENERALIZE_RESEAL_TO_OOBE') { Write-Output $imageState.ImageState; Start-Sleep -s 10  } else { break } }"
+      "inline": [
+        " # NOTE: the following *3* lines are only needed if the you have installed the Guest Agent.",
+        "  while ((Get-Service RdAgent).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+        "  while ((Get-Service WindowsAzureTelemetryService).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+        "  while ((Get-Service WindowsAzureGuestAgent).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+
+        "if( Test-Path $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml ){ rm $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml -Force}",
+        "& $env:SystemRoot\\System32\\Sysprep\\Sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /quiet /quit",
+        "while($true) { $imageState = Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Setup\\State | Select ImageState; if($imageState.ImageState -ne 'IMAGE_STATE_GENERALIZE_RESEAL_TO_OOBE') { Write-Output $imageState.ImageState; Start-Sleep -s 10  } else { break } }"
     ]
   }]
 }
diff --git a/examples/azure/windows_custom_image.json b/examples/azure/windows_custom_image.json
index 448340e19..7eeb7e377 100644
--- a/examples/azure/windows_custom_image.json
+++ b/examples/azure/windows_custom_image.json
@@ -35,10 +35,15 @@
   ],
   "provisioners": [{
     "type": "powershell",
-    "inline": [
-      "if( Test-Path $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml ){ rm $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml -Force}",
-      "& $env:SystemRoot\\System32\\Sysprep\\Sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /quiet /quit",
-      "while($true) { $imageState = Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Setup\\State | Select ImageState; if($imageState.ImageState -ne 'IMAGE_STATE_GENERALIZE_RESEAL_TO_OOBE') { Write-Output $imageState.ImageState; Start-Sleep -s 10  } else { break } }"
+      "inline": [
+        " # NOTE: the following *3* lines are only needed if the you have installed the Guest Agent.",
+        "  while ((Get-Service RdAgent).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+        "  while ((Get-Service WindowsAzureTelemetryService).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+        "  while ((Get-Service WindowsAzureGuestAgent).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+
+        "if( Test-Path $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml ){ rm $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml -Force}",
+        "& $env:SystemRoot\\System32\\Sysprep\\Sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /quiet /quit",
+        "while($true) { $imageState = Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Setup\\State | Select ImageState; if($imageState.ImageState -ne 'IMAGE_STATE_GENERALIZE_RESEAL_TO_OOBE') { Write-Output $imageState.ImageState; Start-Sleep -s 10  } else { break } }"
     ]
   }]
 }
diff --git a/examples/azure/windows_quickstart.json b/examples/azure/windows_quickstart.json
index 3f7a1e9bb..7cb6c9e8e 100644
--- a/examples/azure/windows_quickstart.json
+++ b/examples/azure/windows_quickstart.json
@@ -26,10 +26,15 @@
   }],
   "provisioners": [{
     "type": "powershell",
-    "inline": [
-      "if( Test-Path $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml ){ rm $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml -Force}",
-      "& $env:SystemRoot\\System32\\Sysprep\\Sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /quiet /quit",
-      "while($true) { $imageState = Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Setup\\State | Select ImageState; if($imageState.ImageState -ne 'IMAGE_STATE_GENERALIZE_RESEAL_TO_OOBE') { Write-Output $imageState.ImageState; Start-Sleep -s 10  } else { break } }"
+      "inline": [
+        " # NOTE: the following *3* lines are only needed if the you have installed the Guest Agent.",
+        "  while ((Get-Service RdAgent).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+        "  while ((Get-Service WindowsAzureTelemetryService).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+        "  while ((Get-Service WindowsAzureGuestAgent).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+
+        "if( Test-Path $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml ){ rm $Env:SystemRoot\\windows\\system32\\Sysprep\\unattend.xml -Force}",
+        "& $env:SystemRoot\\System32\\Sysprep\\Sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /quiet /quit",
+        "while($true) { $imageState = Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Setup\\State | Select ImageState; if($imageState.ImageState -ne 'IMAGE_STATE_GENERALIZE_RESEAL_TO_OOBE') { Write-Output $imageState.ImageState; Start-Sleep -s 10  } else { break } }"
     ]
   }]
 }
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/azure.html.md b/website/source/docs/builders/azure.html.md
index 556d0b968..3ed470369 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/azure.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/azure.html.md
@@ -374,6 +374,11 @@ here](https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824815.aspx)
     {
         "type": "powershell",
         "inline": [
+            " # NOTE: the following *3* lines are only needed if the you have installed the Guest Agent.",
+            "  while ((Get-Service RdAgent).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+            "  while ((Get-Service WindowsAzureTelemetryService).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+            "  while ((Get-Service WindowsAzureGuestAgent).Status -ne 'Running') { Start-Sleep -s 5 }",
+
             "& $env:SystemRoot\\System32\\Sysprep\\Sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /quiet /quit",
             "while($true) { $imageState = Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Setup\\State | Select ImageState; if($imageState.ImageState -ne 'IMAGE_STATE_GENERALIZE_RESEAL_TO_OOBE') { Write-Output $imageState.ImageState; Start-Sleep -s 10  } else { break } }"
         ]
@@ -382,6 +387,15 @@ here](https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824815.aspx)
 }
 ```
 
+The Windows Guest Agent participates in the Sysprep process.  The
+agent must be fully installed before the VM can be sysprep'ed.  To
+ensure this is true all agent services must be running before
+executing sysprep.exe. The above JSON snippet shows one way to do this
+in the PowerShell provisioner. This snippet is **only** required if
+the VM is configured to install the agent, which is the default.  To
+learn more about disabling the Windows Guest Agent please see [Install the VM Agent](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/extensions/agent-windows#install-the-vm-agent).
+
+
 ### Linux
 
 The following provisioner snippet shows how to deprovision a Linux VM.