diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/driver_esx5.go b/builder/vmware/common/driver_esx5.go
index 277197e01..150ec3d70 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/driver_esx5.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/driver_esx5.go
@@ -328,21 +328,27 @@ func (d *ESX5Driver) Verify() error {
 }
 
 func (d *ESX5Driver) VerifyOvfTool(SkipExport, skipValidateCredentials bool) error {
+	// We don't use ovftool if we aren't exporting a VM; return without error
+	// if ovftool isn't on path.
+	if SkipExport {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	err := d.base.VerifyOvfTool(SkipExport, skipValidateCredentials)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if skipValidateCredentials {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	log.Printf("Verifying that ovftool credentials are valid...")
 	// check that password is valid by sending a dummy ovftool command
 	// now, so that we don't fail for a simple mistake after a long
 	// build
 	ovftool := GetOVFTool()
 
-	if skipValidateCredentials {
-		return nil
-	}
-
 	if d.Password == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("exporting the vm from esxi with ovftool requires " +
 			"that you set a value for remote_password")
diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/driver_esx5_test.go b/builder/vmware/common/driver_esx5_test.go
index 4fceb6a39..d51ac56cd 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/driver_esx5_test.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/driver_esx5_test.go
@@ -92,3 +92,13 @@ func TestESX5Driver_CommHost(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("bad vm_address: %s", address.(string))
 	}
 }
+
+func TestESX5Driver_VerifyOvfTool(t *testing.T) {
+	driver := ESX5Driver{}
+	// should always skip validation if export is skipped, so this should always
+	// pass even when ovftool is not installed.
+	err := driver.VerifyOvfTool(true, false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("shouldn't fail ever because should always skip check")
+	}
+}