diff --git a/packer/build.go b/packer/build.go
index e697238a5..d16451118 100644
--- a/packer/build.go
+++ b/packer/build.go
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 )
 
+// This is the key in configurations that is set to the name of the
+// build.
+const BuildNameConfigKey = "packer_build_name"
+
 // This is the key in configurations that is set to "true" when Packer
 // debugging is enabled.
 const DebugConfigKey = "packer_debug"
@@ -91,12 +95,13 @@ func (b *coreBuild) Prepare() (err error) {
 
 	b.prepareCalled = true
 
-	debugConfig := map[string]interface{}{
+	packerConfig := map[string]interface{}{
+		BuildNameConfigKey: b.name,
 		DebugConfigKey: b.debug,
 	}
 
 	// Prepare the builder
-	err = b.builder.Prepare(b.builderConfig, debugConfig)
+	err = b.builder.Prepare(b.builderConfig, packerConfig)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Build '%s' prepare failure: %s\n", b.name, err)
 		return
@@ -106,7 +111,7 @@ func (b *coreBuild) Prepare() (err error) {
 	for _, coreProv := range b.provisioners {
 		configs := make([]interface{}, len(coreProv.config), len(coreProv.config)+1)
 		copy(configs, coreProv.config)
-		configs = append(configs, debugConfig)
+		configs = append(configs, packerConfig)
 
 		if err = coreProv.provisioner.Prepare(configs...); err != nil {
 			return
diff --git a/packer/build_test.go b/packer/build_test.go
index 21a4b567b..576143727 100644
--- a/packer/build_test.go
+++ b/packer/build_test.go
@@ -39,19 +39,22 @@ func TestBuild_Name(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBuild_Prepare(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := asserts.NewTestingAsserts(t, true)
 
-	debugFalseConfig := map[string]interface{}{DebugConfigKey: false}
+	packerConfig := map[string]interface{}{
+		BuildNameConfigKey: "test",
+		DebugConfigKey: false,
+	}
 
 	build := testBuild()
 	builder := build.builder.(*TestBuilder)
 
 	build.Prepare()
 	assert.True(builder.prepareCalled, "prepare should be called")
-	assert.Equal(builder.prepareConfig, []interface{}{42, debugFalseConfig}, "prepare config should be 42")
+	assert.Equal(builder.prepareConfig, []interface{}{42, packerConfig}, "prepare config should be 42")
 
 	coreProv := build.provisioners[0]
 	prov := coreProv.provisioner.(*TestProvisioner)
 	assert.True(prov.prepCalled, "prepare should be called")
-	assert.Equal(prov.prepConfigs, []interface{}{42, debugFalseConfig}, "prepare should be called with proper config")
+	assert.Equal(prov.prepConfigs, []interface{}{42, packerConfig}, "prepare should be called with proper config")
 
 	corePP := build.postProcessors[0][0]
 	pp := corePP.processor.(*TestPostProcessor)
@@ -82,7 +85,10 @@ func TestBuild_Prepare_Twice(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBuild_Prepare_Debug(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := asserts.NewTestingAsserts(t, true)
 
-	debugConfig := map[string]interface{}{DebugConfigKey: true}
+	packerConfig := map[string]interface{}{
+		BuildNameConfigKey: "test",
+		DebugConfigKey: true,
+	}
 
 	build := testBuild()
 	builder := build.builder.(*TestBuilder)
@@ -90,12 +96,12 @@ func TestBuild_Prepare_Debug(t *testing.T) {
 	build.SetDebug(true)
 	build.Prepare()
 	assert.True(builder.prepareCalled, "prepare should be called")
-	assert.Equal(builder.prepareConfig, []interface{}{42, debugConfig}, "prepare config should be 42")
+	assert.Equal(builder.prepareConfig, []interface{}{42, packerConfig}, "prepare config should be 42")
 
 	coreProv := build.provisioners[0]
 	prov := coreProv.provisioner.(*TestProvisioner)
 	assert.True(prov.prepCalled, "prepare should be called")
-	assert.Equal(prov.prepConfigs, []interface{}{42, debugConfig}, "prepare should be called with proper config")
+	assert.Equal(prov.prepConfigs, []interface{}{42, packerConfig}, "prepare should be called with proper config")
 }
 
 func TestBuild_Run(t *testing.T) {