diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/artifact.go b/builder/vmware/common/artifact.go
index 729dc0e17..b8056e544 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/artifact.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/artifact.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func NewArtifact(remoteType string, format string, exportOutputPath string, vmNa
 	var files []string
 	var dir OutputDir
 	var err error
-	if remoteType != "" && format != "" && !skipExport {
+	if remoteType != "" && !skipExport {
 		dir = new(LocalOutputDir)
 		dir.SetOutputDir(exportOutputPath)
 		files, err = dir.ListFiles()
diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/step_register.go b/builder/vmware/common/step_register.go
index 0d9b93b7b..6866e6703 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/step_register.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/step_register.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func (s *StepRegister) Cleanup(state multistep.StateBag) {
 	}
 
 	if remoteDriver, ok := driver.(RemoteDriver); ok {
-		if s.Format == "" || s.SkipExport {
+		if s.SkipExport {
 			ui.Say("Unregistering virtual machine...")
 			if err := remoteDriver.Unregister(s.registeredPath); err != nil {
 				ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error unregistering VM: %s", err))
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func (s *StepRegister) Cleanup(state multistep.StateBag) {
 				if destroyed {
 					break
 				}
-				time.Sleep(150 * time.Millisecond)
+				time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go b/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go
index 129180d1f..1a6b66171 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go
@@ -238,6 +238,10 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 		dir = new(vmwcommon.LocalOutputDir)
 	}
 
+	// The OutputDir will track remote esxi output; exportOutputPath preserves
+	// the path to the output on the machine running Packer.
+	exportOutputPath := b.config.OutputDir
+
 	if b.config.RemoteType != "" {
 		b.config.OutputDir = b.config.VMName
 	}
@@ -361,7 +365,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 			SkipExport:     b.config.SkipExport,
 			VMName:         b.config.VMName,
 			OVFToolOptions: b.config.OVFToolOptions,
-			OutputDir:      b.config.OutputDir,
+			OutputDir:      exportOutputPath,
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -384,7 +388,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 	}
 
 	// Compile the artifact list
-	return vmwcommon.NewArtifact(b.config.RemoteType, b.config.Format, b.config.OutputDir,
+	return vmwcommon.NewArtifact(b.config.RemoteType, b.config.Format, exportOutputPath,
 		b.config.VMName, b.config.SkipExport, b.config.KeepRegistered, state)
 }
 
diff --git a/builder/vmware/vmx/builder.go b/builder/vmware/vmx/builder.go
index 017e32918..9a633a40b 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/vmx/builder.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/vmx/builder.go
@@ -47,7 +47,12 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 	default:
 		dir = new(vmwcommon.LocalOutputDir)
 	}
-	if b.config.RemoteType != "" && b.config.Format != "" {
+
+	// The OutputDir will track remote esxi output; exportOutputPath preserves
+	// the path to the output on the machine running Packer.
+	exportOutputPath := b.config.OutputDir
+
+	if b.config.RemoteType != "" {
 		b.config.OutputDir = b.config.VMName
 	}
 	dir.SetOutputDir(b.config.OutputDir)
@@ -159,6 +164,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 			SkipExport:     b.config.SkipExport,
 			VMName:         b.config.VMName,
 			OVFToolOptions: b.config.OVFToolOptions,
+			OutputDir:      exportOutputPath,
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -181,7 +187,8 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 	}
 
 	// Artifact
-	return vmwcommon.NewArtifact(b.config.RemoteType, b.config.Format, b.config.OutputDir,
+	log.Printf("Generating artifact...")
+	return vmwcommon.NewArtifact(b.config.RemoteType, b.config.Format, exportOutputPath,
 		b.config.VMName, b.config.SkipExport, b.config.KeepRegistered, state)
 }