diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
index 5d1f9bcce..47df9e54b 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ type config struct {
 	DiskSize           uint          `mapstructure:"disk_size"`
 	GuestAdditionsPath string        `mapstructure:"guest_additions_path"`
 	GuestOSType        string        `mapstructure:"guest_os_type"`
+	Headless           bool          `mapstructure:"headless"`
 	HTTPDir            string        `mapstructure:"http_directory"`
 	HTTPPortMin        uint          `mapstructure:"http_port_min"`
 	HTTPPortMax        uint          `mapstructure:"http_port_max"`
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/step_run.go b/builder/virtualbox/step_run.go
index deb88863a..128be2fe1 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/step_run.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/step_run.go
@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@ func (s *stepRun) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
 	vmName := state["vmName"].(string)
 
 	ui.Say("Starting the virtual machine...")
-	command := []string{"startvm", vmName, "--type", "gui"}
+	guiArgument := "gui"
+	if config.Headless == true {
+		guiArgument = "headless"
+	}
+	command := []string{"startvm", vmName, "--type", guiArgument}
 	if err := driver.VBoxManage(command...); err != nil {
 		err := fmt.Errorf("Error starting VM: %s", err)
 		state["error"] = err
diff --git a/builder/vmware/builder.go b/builder/vmware/builder.go
index 413619f1e..f6388827e 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/builder.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/builder.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ type config struct {
 	ISOUrl            string            `mapstructure:"iso_url"`
 	VMName            string            `mapstructure:"vm_name"`
 	OutputDir         string            `mapstructure:"output_directory"`
+	Headless          bool              `mapstructure:"headless"`
 	HTTPDir           string            `mapstructure:"http_directory"`
 	HTTPPortMin       uint              `mapstructure:"http_port_min"`
 	HTTPPortMax       uint              `mapstructure:"http_port_max"`
diff --git a/builder/vmware/driver.go b/builder/vmware/driver.go
index 2acf20adf..7e3588b29 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/driver.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/driver.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ type Driver interface {
 	IsRunning(string) (bool, error)
 
 	// Start starts a VM specified by the path to the VMX given.
-	Start(string) error
+	Start(string, bool) error
 
 	// Stop stops a VM specified by the path to the VMX given.
 	Stop(string) error
@@ -87,8 +87,13 @@ func (d *Fusion5Driver) IsRunning(vmxPath string) (bool, error) {
 	return false, nil
 }
 
-func (d *Fusion5Driver) Start(vmxPath string) error {
-	cmd := exec.Command(d.vmrunPath(), "-T", "fusion", "start", vmxPath, "gui")
+func (d *Fusion5Driver) Start(vmxPath string, headless bool) error {
+	guiArgument := "gui"
+	if headless == true {
+		guiArgument = "nogui"
+	}
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(d.vmrunPath(), "-T", "fusion", "start", vmxPath, guiArgument)
 	if _, _, err := d.runAndLog(cmd); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/builder/vmware/step_run.go b/builder/vmware/step_run.go
index 2818571c3..8a19e22fb 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/step_run.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/step_run.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func (s *stepRun) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
 	s.vmxPath = vmxPath
 
 	ui.Say("Starting virtual machine...")
-	if err := driver.Start(vmxPath); err != nil {
+	if err := driver.Start(vmxPath, config.Headless); err != nil {
 		err := fmt.Errorf("Error starting VM: %s", err)
 		state["error"] = err
 		ui.Error(err.Error())