diff --git a/builder/vmware/vmx/step_clone_vmx.go b/builder/vmware/vmx/step_clone_vmx.go
index bd644ca30..482adb46b 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/vmx/step_clone_vmx.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/vmx/step_clone_vmx.go
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ func (s *StepCloneVMX) Run(_ context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multiste
 	driver := state.Get("driver").(vmwcommon.Driver)
 	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
 
+	// initially we need to stash the path to the original .vmx file
 	vmxPath := filepath.Join(s.OutputDir, s.VMName+".vmx")
 
+	// so first, let's clone the source path to the vmxPath
 	ui.Say("Cloning source VM...")
 	log.Printf("Cloning from: %s", s.Path)
 	log.Printf("Cloning to: %s", vmxPath)
@@ -31,13 +33,16 @@ func (s *StepCloneVMX) Run(_ context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multiste
 		state.Put("error", err)
 		return multistep.ActionHalt
 	}
+	ui.Say("Successfully cloned source VM to: %s", vmxPath)
 
+	// now we read the .vmx so we can determine what else to stash
 	vmxData, err := vmwcommon.ReadVMX(vmxPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		state.Put("error", err)
 		return multistep.ActionHalt
 	}
 
+	// figure out the disk filename by walking through all device types
 	var diskName string
 	if _, ok := vmxData["scsi0:0.filename"]; ok {
 		diskName = vmxData["scsi0:0.filename"]
@@ -53,19 +58,25 @@ func (s *StepCloneVMX) Run(_ context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multiste
 		state.Put("error", err)
 		return multistep.ActionHalt
 	}
+	log.Printf("Found root disk filename: %s", diskName)
 
+	// determine the network type by reading out of the .vmx
 	var networkType string
-	if _, ok := vmxData["ethernet0.connectionType"]; ok {
-		networkType = vmxData["ethernet0.connectionType"]
+	if _, ok := vmxData["ethernet0.connectiontype"]; ok {
+		networkType = vmxData["ethernet0.connectiontype"]
+		log.Printf("Discovered the network type: %s", networkType)
 	}
 	if networkType == "" {
 		networkType = "nat"
-		log.Printf("Defaulting to network type : nat")
+		log.Printf("Defaulting to network type: %s", networkType)
 	}
+	ui.Say("Using network type: %s", networkType)
 
-	state.Put("vmnetwork", networkType)
-	state.Put("full_disk_path", filepath.Join(s.OutputDir, diskName))
+	// we were able to find everything, so stash it in our state.
 	state.Put("vmx_path", vmxPath)
+	state.Put("full_disk_path", filepath.Join(s.OutputDir, diskName))
+	state.Put("vmnetwork", networkType)
+
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
 }