diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/config_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/config_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a84c51bc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/config_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func testConfigTemplate(t *testing.T) *packer.ConfigTemplate {
+	result, err := packer.NewConfigTemplate()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	return result
+}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/output_config.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/output_config.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..19be1ba00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/output_config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/common"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
+	"os"
+)
+
+type OutputConfig struct {
+	OutputDir string `mapstructure:"output_directory"`
+}
+
+func (c *OutputConfig) Prepare(t *packer.ConfigTemplate, pc *common.PackerConfig) []error {
+	if c.OutputDir == "" {
+		c.OutputDir = fmt.Sprintf("output-%s", pc.PackerBuildName)
+	}
+
+	templates := map[string]*string{
+		"output_directory": &c.OutputDir,
+	}
+
+	errs := make([]error, 0)
+	for n, ptr := range templates {
+		var err error
+		*ptr, err = t.Process(*ptr, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Error processing %s: %s", n, err))
+		}
+	}
+
+	if !pc.PackerForce {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(c.OutputDir); err == nil {
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf(
+				"Output directory '%s' already exists. It must not exist.", c.OutputDir))
+		}
+	}
+
+	return errs
+}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/output_config_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/output_config_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7fa039a16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/output_config_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/common"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestOutputConfigPrepare(t *testing.T) {
+	c := new(OutputConfig)
+	if c.OutputDir != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("what: %s", c.OutputDir)
+	}
+
+	pc := &common.PackerConfig{PackerBuildName: "foo"}
+	errs := c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t), pc)
+	if len(errs) > 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %#v", errs)
+	}
+
+	if c.OutputDir == "" {
+		t.Fatal("should have output dir")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOutputConfigPrepare_exists(t *testing.T) {
+	td, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "packer")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(td)
+
+	c := new(OutputConfig)
+	c.OutputDir = td
+
+	pc := &common.PackerConfig{
+		PackerBuildName: "foo",
+		PackerForce:     false,
+	}
+	errs := c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t), pc)
+	if len(errs) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("should have errors")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOutputConfigPrepare_forceExists(t *testing.T) {
+	td, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "packer")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(td)
+
+	c := new(OutputConfig)
+	c.OutputDir = td
+
+	pc := &common.PackerConfig{
+		PackerBuildName: "foo",
+		PackerForce:     true,
+	}
+	errs := c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t), pc)
+	if len(errs) > 0 {
+		t.Fatal("should not have errors")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
index 11a275c90..fddd36b6d 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ type Builder struct {
 }
 
 type config struct {
-	common.PackerConfig `mapstructure:",squash"`
+	common.PackerConfig     `mapstructure:",squash"`
+	vboxcommon.OutputConfig `mapstructure:",squash"`
 
 	BootCommand          []string   `mapstructure:"boot_command"`
 	DiskSize             uint       `mapstructure:"disk_size"`
@@ -48,7 +49,6 @@ type config struct {
 	ISOChecksum          string     `mapstructure:"iso_checksum"`
 	ISOChecksumType      string     `mapstructure:"iso_checksum_type"`
 	ISOUrls              []string   `mapstructure:"iso_urls"`
-	OutputDir            string     `mapstructure:"output_directory"`
 	ShutdownCommand      string     `mapstructure:"shutdown_command"`
 	SSHHostPortMin       uint       `mapstructure:"ssh_host_port_min"`
 	SSHHostPortMax       uint       `mapstructure:"ssh_host_port_max"`
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 
 	// Accumulate any errors and warnings
 	errs := common.CheckUnusedConfig(md)
+	errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
+		errs, b.config.OutputConfig.Prepare(b.config.tpl, &b.config.PackerConfig)...)
 	warnings := make([]string, 0)
 
 	if b.config.DiskSize == 0 {
@@ -119,10 +121,6 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 		b.config.HTTPPortMax = 9000
 	}
 
-	if b.config.OutputDir == "" {
-		b.config.OutputDir = fmt.Sprintf("output-%s", b.config.PackerBuildName)
-	}
-
 	if b.config.RawBootWait == "" {
 		b.config.RawBootWait = "10s"
 	}
@@ -165,7 +163,6 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 		"iso_checksum":            &b.config.ISOChecksum,
 		"iso_checksum_type":       &b.config.ISOChecksumType,
 		"iso_url":                 &b.config.RawSingleISOUrl,
-		"output_directory":        &b.config.OutputDir,
 		"shutdown_command":        &b.config.ShutdownCommand,
 		"ssh_key_path":            &b.config.SSHKeyPath,
 		"ssh_password":            &b.config.SSHPassword,
@@ -300,14 +297,6 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 		b.config.GuestAdditionsSHA256 = strings.ToLower(b.config.GuestAdditionsSHA256)
 	}
 
-	if !b.config.PackerForce {
-		if _, err := os.Stat(b.config.OutputDir); err == nil {
-			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
-				errs,
-				fmt.Errorf("Output directory '%s' already exists. It must not exist.", b.config.OutputDir))
-		}
-	}
-
 	b.config.bootWait, err = time.ParseDuration(b.config.RawBootWait)
 	if err != nil {
 		errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go
index 5126ef1a9..18195644a 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 package ovf
 
 import (
-	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/builder/virtualbox/common"
+	"errors"
+	"log"
+
+	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	vboxcommon "github.com/mitchellh/packer/builder/virtualbox/common"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/common"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
 )
 
 // Builder implements packer.Builder and builds the actual VirtualBox
@@ -33,38 +39,36 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 
 	// Build the steps.
 	steps := []multistep.Step{
-	/*
-		new(stepDownloadGuestAdditions),
-	*/
-	/*
+		/*
+			new(stepDownloadGuestAdditions),
+		*/
 		&vboxcommon.StepOutputDir{
 			Force: b.config.PackerForce,
 			Path:  b.config.OutputDir,
 		},
-	*/
-	/*
-		&common.StepCreateFloppy{
-			Files: b.config.FloppyFiles,
-		},
-		new(stepSuppressMessages),
-		new(stepAttachGuestAdditions),
-		new(stepAttachFloppy),
-		new(stepForwardSSH),
-		new(stepVBoxManage),
-		new(stepRun),
-		new(stepTypeBootCommand),
-		&common.StepConnectSSH{
-			SSHAddress:     sshAddress,
-			SSHConfig:      sshConfig,
-			SSHWaitTimeout: b.config.sshWaitTimeout,
-		},
-		new(stepUploadVersion),
-		new(stepUploadGuestAdditions),
-		new(common.StepProvision),
-		new(stepShutdown),
-		new(stepRemoveDevices),
-		new(stepExport),
-	*/
+		new(vboxcommon.StepSuppressMessages),
+		/*
+			&common.StepCreateFloppy{
+				Files: b.config.FloppyFiles,
+			},
+			new(stepAttachGuestAdditions),
+			new(stepAttachFloppy),
+			new(stepForwardSSH),
+			new(stepVBoxManage),
+			new(stepRun),
+			new(stepTypeBootCommand),
+			&common.StepConnectSSH{
+				SSHAddress:     sshAddress,
+				SSHConfig:      sshConfig,
+				SSHWaitTimeout: b.config.sshWaitTimeout,
+			},
+			new(stepUploadVersion),
+			new(stepUploadGuestAdditions),
+			new(common.StepProvision),
+			new(stepShutdown),
+			new(stepRemoveDevices),
+			new(stepExport),
+		*/
 	}
 
 	// Run the steps.
@@ -92,11 +96,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 		return nil, errors.New("Build was halted.")
 	}
 
-	artifact := &Artifact{
-		imageName: state.Get("image_name").(string),
-		driver:    driver,
-	}
-	return artifact, nil
+	return vboxcommon.NewArtifact(b.config.OutputDir)
 }
 
 // Cancel.
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3064365e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package ovf
+
+import (
+	vboxcommon "github.com/mitchellh/packer/builder/virtualbox/common"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/common"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
+)
+
+// Config is the configuration structure for the builder.
+type Config struct {
+	common.PackerConfig     `mapstructure:",squash"`
+	vboxcommon.OutputConfig `mapstructure:",squash"`
+
+	tpl *packer.ConfigTemplate
+}
+
+func NewConfig(raws ...interface{}) (*Config, []string, error) {
+	c := new(Config)
+	md, err := common.DecodeConfig(c, raws...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
+	c.tpl, err = packer.NewConfigTemplate()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+	c.tpl.UserVars = c.PackerUserVars
+
+	// Prepare the errors
+	errs := common.CheckUnusedConfig(md)
+	errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs, c.OutputConfig.Prepare(c.tpl, &c.PackerConfig)...)
+
+	// Check for any errors.
+	if errs != nil && len(errs.Errors) > 0 {
+		return nil, nil, errs
+	}
+
+	return c, nil, nil
+}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0981344e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package ovf
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func testConfig(t *testing.T) map[string]interface{} {
+	return map[string]interface{}{}
+}