diff --git a/driver/vm.go b/driver/vm.go
index 28d8a3c0d..9609e8c90 100644
--- a/driver/vm.go
+++ b/driver/vm.go
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ type CreateConfig struct {
 	GuestOS      string // example: otherGuest
 	Network      string // "" for default network
 	Overwrite    bool
+	NetworkCard  string // example: vmxnet3
 }
 
 func (d *Driver) NewVM(ref *types.ManagedObjectReference) *VirtualMachine {
@@ -153,6 +154,15 @@ func (vm *VirtualMachine) Info(params ...string) (*mo.VirtualMachine, error) {
 	return &info, nil
 }
 
+func (vm *VirtualMachine) Devices() (object.VirtualDeviceList, error) {
+	vmInfo, err := vm.Info("config.hardware.device")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return vmInfo.Config.Hardware.Device, nil
+}
+
 func (template *VirtualMachine) Clone(config *CloneConfig) (*VirtualMachine, error) {
 	folder, err := template.driver.FindFolder(config.Folder)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -406,7 +416,7 @@ func addNetwork(d *Driver, devices object.VirtualDeviceList, config *CreateConfi
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	device, err := object.EthernetCardTypes().CreateEthernetCard("", backing)
+	device, err := object.EthernetCardTypes().CreateEthernetCard(config.NetworkCard, backing)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/iso/builder_acc_test.go b/iso/builder_acc_test.go
index da45a1d2b..7f07e85f2 100644
--- a/iso/builder_acc_test.go
+++ b/iso/builder_acc_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ func TestISOBuilderAcc_default(t *testing.T) {
 	builderT.Test(t, builderT.TestCase{
 		Builder:  &Builder{},
 		Template: commonT.RenderConfig(config),
-		Check: checkDefault(t, config["vm_name"].(string), config["host"].(string), "datastore1"),
+		Check:    checkDefault(t, config["vm_name"].(string), config["host"].(string), "datastore1"),
 	})
 }
 
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ func defaultConfig() map[string]interface{} {
 		"ssh_password": "jetbrains",
 
 		"vm_name": commonT.NewVMName(),
+		"communicator": "none", // do not start the VM without any bootable devices
 	}
 
 	return config
@@ -159,3 +160,37 @@ func cdromConfig() string {
 	config["iso_path"] = "[datastore1] alpine-standard-3.6.2-x86_64.iso"
 	return commonT.RenderConfig(config)
 }
+
+func TestISOBuilderAcc_networkCard(t *testing.T) {
+	builderT.Test(t, builderT.TestCase{
+		Builder:  &Builder{},
+		Template: networkCardConfig(),
+		Check:    checkNetworkCard(t),
+	})
+}
+
+func networkCardConfig() string {
+	config := defaultConfig()
+	config["network_card"] = "vmxnet3"
+	return commonT.RenderConfig(config)
+}
+
+func checkNetworkCard(t *testing.T) builderT.TestCheckFunc {
+	return func(artifacts []packer.Artifact) error {
+		d := commonT.TestConn(t)
+
+		vm := commonT.GetVM(t, d, artifacts)
+		devices, err := vm.Devices()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Cannot read VM properties: %v", err)
+		}
+		for _, device := range devices {
+			if devices.TypeName(device) == "VirtualVmxnet3" {
+				return nil
+			}
+		}
+		t.Errorf("Cannot find selected network card")
+
+		return nil
+	}
+}
diff --git a/iso/step_create.go b/iso/step_create.go
index b1d5232c6..819ff7d36 100644
--- a/iso/step_create.go
+++ b/iso/step_create.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ type CreateConfig struct {
 	Datastore    string `mapstructure:"datastore"`
 	GuestOSType  string `mapstructure:"guest_os_type"`
 	Network      string `mapstructure:"network"`
+	NetworkCard  string `mapstructure:"network_card"`
 }
 
 func (c *CreateConfig) Prepare() []error {
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ func (s *StepCreateVM) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 		Datastore:           s.config.Datastore,
 		GuestOS:             s.config.GuestOSType,
 		Network:             s.config.Network,
+		NetworkCard:         s.config.NetworkCard,
 	})
 
 	if err != nil {