diff --git a/powershell/powershell_test.go b/powershell/powershell_test.go
index 0925e3c74..2dcc36085 100644
--- a/powershell/powershell_test.go
+++ b/powershell/powershell_test.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func TestOutput(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestRunFile(t *testing.T) {
 	var blockBuffer bytes.Buffer
-	blockBuffer.WriteString(`param([string]$a, [string]$b, [int]$x, [int]$y) $ProgressPreference='SilentlyContinue'; $n = $x + $y; Write-Output "$a $b $n";`)
+	blockBuffer.WriteString(`param([string]$a, [string]$b, [int]$x, [int]$y) if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference="SilentlyContinue"}; $n = $x + $y; Write-Output "$a $b $n";`)
 
 	var ps PowerShellCmd
 	cmdOut, err := ps.Output(blockBuffer.String(), "a", "b", "5", "10")
diff --git a/provisioner/powershell/elevated.go b/provisioner/powershell/elevated.go
index cb3336ae2..80bdc005a 100644
--- a/provisioner/powershell/elevated.go
+++ b/provisioner/powershell/elevated.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ $t.XmlText = @'
   </Actions>
 </Task>
 '@
-$ProgressPreference="SilentlyContinue";
+if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference="SilentlyContinue"}
 $f = $s.GetFolder("\")
 $f.RegisterTaskDefinition($name, $t, 6, "{{.User}}", "{{.Password}}", 1, $null) | Out-Null
 $t = $f.GetTask("\$name")
diff --git a/provisioner/powershell/provisioner.go b/provisioner/powershell/provisioner.go
index 90cde164f..4d8a98e5a 100644
--- a/provisioner/powershell/provisioner.go
+++ b/provisioner/powershell/provisioner.go
@@ -120,11 +120,11 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 	}
 
 	if p.config.ExecuteCommand == "" {
-		p.config.ExecuteCommand = `powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}'`
+		p.config.ExecuteCommand = `powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}'`
 	}
 
 	if p.config.ElevatedExecuteCommand == "" {
-		p.config.ElevatedExecuteCommand = `powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}'`
+		p.config.ElevatedExecuteCommand = `powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}'`
 	}
 
 	if p.config.Inline != nil && len(p.config.Inline) == 0 {
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) generateElevatedRunner(command string) (uploadedPath strin
 		Password:        p.config.ElevatedPassword,
 		TaskDescription: "Packer elevated task",
 		TaskName:        fmt.Sprintf("packer-%s", uuid.TimeOrderedUUID()),
-		EncodedCommand:  powershellEncode([]byte("$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; " + command + "; exit $LASTEXITCODE")),
+		EncodedCommand:  powershellEncode([]byte("if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; " + command + "; exit $LASTEXITCODE")),
 	})
 
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/provisioner/powershell/provisioner_test.go b/provisioner/powershell/provisioner_test.go
index 87f6680ad..2719a9621 100644
--- a/provisioner/powershell/provisioner_test.go
+++ b/provisioner/powershell/provisioner_test.go
@@ -75,12 +75,12 @@ func TestProvisionerPrepare_Defaults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("expected elevated_password to be empty")
 	}
 
-	if p.config.ExecuteCommand != `powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}'` {
-		t.Fatalf("Default command should be powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}', but got %s", p.config.ExecuteCommand)
+	if p.config.ExecuteCommand != `powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}'` {
+		t.Fatalf("Default command should be powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}', but got %s", p.config.ExecuteCommand)
 	}
 
-	if p.config.ElevatedExecuteCommand != `powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}'` {
-		t.Fatalf("Default command should be powershell powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}', but got %s", p.config.ElevatedExecuteCommand)
+	if p.config.ElevatedExecuteCommand != `powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}'` {
+		t.Fatalf("Default command should be powershell powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}', but got %s", p.config.ElevatedExecuteCommand)
 	}
 
 	if p.config.ValidExitCodes == nil {
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ func TestProvisionerProvision_Inline(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("should not have error")
 	}
 
-	expectedCommand := `powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"iso\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"vmware\"; c:/Windows/Temp/inlineScript.bat; exit $LastExitCode}'`
+	expectedCommand := `powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"iso\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"vmware\"; c:/Windows/Temp/inlineScript.bat; exit $LastExitCode}'`
 
 	// Should run the command without alteration
 	if comm.StartCmd.Command != expectedCommand {
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ func TestProvisionerProvision_Inline(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("should not have error")
 	}
 
-	expectedCommand = `powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; $env:BAR=\"BAZ\"; $env:FOO=\"BAR\"; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"iso\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"vmware\"; c:/Windows/Temp/inlineScript.bat; exit $LastExitCode}'`
+	expectedCommand = `powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; $env:BAR=\"BAZ\"; $env:FOO=\"BAR\"; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"iso\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"vmware\"; c:/Windows/Temp/inlineScript.bat; exit $LastExitCode}'`
 
 	// Should run the command without alteration
 	if comm.StartCmd.Command != expectedCommand {
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ func TestProvisionerProvision_Scripts(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	//powershell -Command "$env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=''"; powershell -Command "$env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME='foobuild'";  powershell -Command c:/Windows/Temp/script.ps1
-	expectedCommand := `powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"footype\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"foobuild\"; c:/Windows/Temp/script.ps1; exit $LastExitCode}'`
+	expectedCommand := `powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"footype\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"foobuild\"; c:/Windows/Temp/script.ps1; exit $LastExitCode}'`
 
 	// Should run the command without alteration
 	if comm.StartCmd.Command != expectedCommand {
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ func TestProvisionerProvision_ScriptsWithEnvVars(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("should not have error")
 	}
 
-	expectedCommand := `powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; $env:BAR=\"BAZ\"; $env:FOO=\"BAR\"; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"footype\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"foobuild\"; c:/Windows/Temp/script.ps1; exit $LastExitCode}'`
+	expectedCommand := `powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; $env:BAR=\"BAZ\"; $env:FOO=\"BAR\"; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"footype\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"foobuild\"; c:/Windows/Temp/script.ps1; exit $LastExitCode}'`
 
 	// Should run the command without alteration
 	if comm.StartCmd.Command != expectedCommand {
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ func TestProvision_createCommandText(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Non-elevated
 	cmd, _ := p.createCommandText()
-	if cmd != `powershell '& {$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"\"; c:/Windows/Temp/script.ps1; exit $LastExitCode}'` {
+	if cmd != `powershell '& {if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){$ProgressPreference=\"SilentlyContinue\"}; $env:PACKER_BUILDER_TYPE=\"\"; $env:PACKER_BUILD_NAME=\"\"; c:/Windows/Temp/script.ps1; exit $LastExitCode}'` {
 		t.Fatalf("Got unexpected non-elevated command: %s", cmd)
 	}