diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go
index 51d394fdb..77b7ffa0e 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	SourcePath           string   `mapstructure:"source_path"`
 	TargetPath           string   `mapstructure:"target_path"`
 	VMName               string   `mapstructure:"vm_name"`
+	KeepRegistered       bool     `mapstructure:"keep_registered"`
 	SkipExport           bool     `mapstructure:"skip_export"`
 
 	ctx interpolate.Context
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/step_import.go b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/step_import.go
index 6e293d31b..b9a6285fe 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/step_import.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/step_import.go
@@ -40,6 +40,14 @@ func (s *StepImport) Cleanup(state multistep.StateBag) {
 
 	driver := state.Get("driver").(vboxcommon.Driver)
 	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
+	config := state.Get("config").(*Config)
+
+	_, cancelled := state.GetOk(multistep.StateCancelled)
+	_, halted := state.GetOk(multistep.StateHalted)
+	if (config.KeepRegistered) && (!cancelled && !halted) {
+		ui.Say("Keeping virtual machine registered with VirtualBox host (keep_registered = true)")
+		return
+	}
 
 	ui.Say("Unregistering and deleting imported VM...")
 	if err := driver.Delete(s.vmName); err != nil {
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/step_import_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/step_import_test.go
index 217fee632..fd204c042 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/step_import_test.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/step_import_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ func TestStepImport_impl(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestStepImport(t *testing.T) {
 	state := testState(t)
+	c := testConfig(t)
+	config, _, _ := NewConfig(c)
 	state.Put("vm_path", "foo")
+	state.Put("config", config)
 	step := new(StepImport)
 	step.Name = "bar"
 
@@ -42,6 +45,14 @@ func TestStepImport(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Test cleanup
+	config.KeepRegistered = true
+	step.Cleanup(state)
+
+	if driver.DeleteCalled {
+		t.Fatal("delete should not be called")
+	}
+
+	config.KeepRegistered = false
 	step.Cleanup(state)
 	if !driver.DeleteCalled {
 		t.Fatal("delete should be called")
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.md b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.md
index e9fb8567e..7904d09dd 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.md
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ builder.
     `VBoxManage import`. This can be useful for passing "keepallmacs" or
     "keepnatmacs" options for existing ovf images.
 
+-   `keep_registered` (boolean) - Set this to `true` if you would like to keep
+    the VM registered with virtualbox. Defaults to `false`.
+
 -   `output_directory` (string) - This is the path to the directory where the
     resulting virtual machine will be created. This may be relative or absolute.
     If relative, the path is relative to the working directory when `packer`