diff --git a/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go b/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 38ba3a4a1..fa8deb983
--- a/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go
@@ -36,20 +36,21 @@ type Config struct {
 	vmwcommon.ToolsConfig    `mapstructure:",squash"`
 	vmwcommon.VMXConfig      `mapstructure:",squash"`
 
-	AdditionalDiskSize []uint   `mapstructure:"disk_additional_size"`
-	DiskName           string   `mapstructure:"vmdk_name"`
-	DiskSize           uint     `mapstructure:"disk_size"`
-	DiskTypeId         string   `mapstructure:"disk_type_id"`
-	FloppyFiles        []string `mapstructure:"floppy_files"`
-	GuestOSType        string   `mapstructure:"guest_os_type"`
-	ISOChecksum        string   `mapstructure:"iso_checksum"`
-	ISOChecksumType    string   `mapstructure:"iso_checksum_type"`
-	ISOUrls            []string `mapstructure:"iso_urls"`
-	Version            string   `mapstructure:"version"`
-	VMName             string   `mapstructure:"vm_name"`
-	BootCommand        []string `mapstructure:"boot_command"`
-	SkipCompaction     bool     `mapstructure:"skip_compaction"`
-	VMXTemplatePath    string   `mapstructure:"vmx_template_path"`
+	AdditionalDiskSize  []uint   `mapstructure:"disk_additional_size"`
+	DiskName            string   `mapstructure:"vmdk_name"`
+	DiskSize            uint     `mapstructure:"disk_size"`
+	DiskTypeId          string   `mapstructure:"disk_type_id"`
+	FloppyFiles         []string `mapstructure:"floppy_files"`
+	GuestOSType         string   `mapstructure:"guest_os_type"`
+	ISOChecksum         string   `mapstructure:"iso_checksum"`
+	ISOChecksumType     string   `mapstructure:"iso_checksum_type"`
+	ISOUrls             []string `mapstructure:"iso_urls"`
+	Version             string   `mapstructure:"version"`
+	VMName              string   `mapstructure:"vm_name"`
+	BootCommand         []string `mapstructure:"boot_command"`
+	SkipCompaction      bool     `mapstructure:"skip_compaction"`
+	VMXTemplatePath     string   `mapstructure:"vmx_template_path"`
+	VMXDiskTemplatePath string   `mapstructure:"vmx_disk_template_path"`
 
 	RemoteType           string `mapstructure:"remote_type"`
 	RemoteDatastore      string `mapstructure:"remote_datastore"`
diff --git a/builder/vmware/iso/step_create_vmx.go b/builder/vmware/iso/step_create_vmx.go
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 69cb3f261..272721893
--- a/builder/vmware/iso/step_create_vmx.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/iso/step_create_vmx.go
@@ -76,7 +76,29 @@ func (s *stepCreateVMX) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 				DiskName:   config.DiskName,
 			}
 
-			diskTemplate, err := interpolate.Render(DefaultAdditionalDiskTemplate, &ctx)
+			diskTemplate := DefaultAdditionalDiskTemplate
+			if config.VMXDiskTemplatePath != "" {
+				f, err := os.Open(config.VMXDiskTemplatePath)
+				if err != nil {
+					err := fmt.Errorf("Error reading VMX disk template: %s", err)
+					state.Put("error", err)
+					ui.Error(err.Error())
+					return multistep.ActionHalt
+				}
+				defer f.Close()
+
+				rawBytes, err := ioutil.ReadAll(f)
+				if err != nil {
+					err := fmt.Errorf("Error reading VMX disk template: %s", err)
+					state.Put("error", err)
+					ui.Error(err.Error())
+					return multistep.ActionHalt
+				}
+
+				diskTemplate = string(rawBytes)
+			}
+
+			diskContents, err := interpolate.Render(diskTemplate, &ctx)
 			if err != nil {
 				err := fmt.Errorf("Error preparing VMX template for additional disk: %s", err)
 				state.Put("error", err)
@@ -84,7 +106,7 @@ func (s *stepCreateVMX) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 				return multistep.ActionHalt
 			}
 
-			vmxTemplate += diskTemplate
+			vmxTemplate += diskContents
 		}
 	}