diff --git a/builder/vmware/builder.go b/builder/vmware/builder.go
index 70ce9f507..fd27d20c0 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/builder.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/builder.go
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ type config struct {
 	bootWait        time.Duration ``
 	shutdownTimeout time.Duration ``
 	sshWaitTimeout  time.Duration ``
+	tpl             *common.Template
 }
 
 func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
@@ -66,6 +67,11 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	b.config.tpl, err = common.NewTemplate()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// Accumulate any errors
 	errs := common.CheckUnusedConfig(md)
 
@@ -121,6 +127,72 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 		b.config.ToolsUploadPath = "{{ .Flavor }}.iso"
 	}
 
+	// Errors
+	templates := map[string]*string{
+		"disk_name":           &b.config.DiskName,
+		"guest_os_type":       &b.config.GuestOSType,
+		"http_directory":      &b.config.HTTPDir,
+		"iso_checksum":        &b.config.ISOChecksum,
+		"iso_checksum_type":   &b.config.ISOChecksumType,
+		"iso_url":             &b.config.ISOUrl,
+		"output_directory":    &b.config.OutputDir,
+		"shutdown_command":    &b.config.ShutdownCommand,
+		"ssh_password":        &b.config.SSHPassword,
+		"ssh_username":        &b.config.SSHUser,
+		"tools_upload_flavor": &b.config.ToolsUploadFlavor,
+		"vm_name":             &b.config.VMName,
+		"boot_wait":           &b.config.RawBootWait,
+		"shutdown_timeout":    &b.config.RawShutdownTimeout,
+		"ssh_wait_timeout":    &b.config.RawSSHWaitTimeout,
+	}
+
+	for n, ptr := range templates {
+		var err error
+		*ptr, err = b.config.tpl.Process(*ptr, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
+				errs, fmt.Errorf("Error processing %s: %s", n, err))
+		}
+	}
+
+	for i, command := range b.config.BootCommand {
+		if err := b.config.tpl.Validate(command); err != nil {
+			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs,
+				fmt.Errorf("Error processing boot_command[%d]: %s", i, err))
+		}
+	}
+
+	for i, file := range b.config.FloppyFiles {
+		var err error
+		b.config.FloppyFiles[i], err = b.config.tpl.Process(file, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs,
+				fmt.Errorf("Error processing floppy_files[%d]: %s",
+					i, err))
+		}
+	}
+
+	newVMXData := make(map[string]string)
+	for k, v := range b.config.VMXData {
+		k, err = b.config.tpl.Process(k, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs,
+				fmt.Errorf("Error processing VMX data key %s: %s", k, err))
+			continue
+		}
+
+		v, err = b.config.tpl.Process(v, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs,
+				fmt.Errorf("Error processing VMX data value '%s': %s", v, err))
+			continue
+		}
+
+		newVMXData[k] = v
+	}
+
+	b.config.VMXData = newVMXData
+
 	if b.config.HTTPPortMin > b.config.HTTPPortMax {
 		errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
 			errs, errors.New("http_port_min must be less than http_port_max"))
diff --git a/builder/vmware/step_type_boot_command.go b/builder/vmware/step_type_boot_command.go
index 86224e5ff..e3f971f05 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/step_type_boot_command.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/step_type_boot_command.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package vmware
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/go-vnc"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
@@ -10,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"runtime"
 	"strings"
-	"text/template"
 	"time"
 	"unicode"
 	"unicode/utf8"
@@ -90,11 +88,15 @@ func (s *stepTypeBootCommand) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAc
 
 	ui.Say("Typing the boot command over VNC...")
 	for _, command := range config.BootCommand {
-		var buf bytes.Buffer
-		t := template.Must(template.New("boot").Parse(command))
-		t.Execute(&buf, tplData)
+		command, err := config.tpl.Process(command, tplData)
+		if err != nil {
+			err := fmt.Errorf("Error preparing boot command: %s", err)
+			state["error"] = err
+			ui.Error(err.Error())
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
 
-		vncSendString(c, buf.String())
+		vncSendString(c, command)
 	}
 
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
diff --git a/builder/vmware/step_upload_tools.go b/builder/vmware/step_upload_tools.go
index dfe4dfa39..0e0b03743 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/step_upload_tools.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/step_upload_tools.go
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 package vmware
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
 	"os"
-	"text/template"
 )
 
 type toolsUploadPathTemplate struct {
@@ -34,11 +32,8 @@ func (*stepUploadTools) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
 	defer f.Close()
 
 	tplData := &toolsUploadPathTemplate{Flavor: config.ToolsUploadFlavor}
-	var processedPath bytes.Buffer
-	t := template.Must(template.New("path").Parse(config.ToolsUploadPath))
-	t.Execute(&processedPath, tplData)
-
-	if err := comm.Upload(processedPath.String(), f); err != nil {
+	config.ToolsUploadPath, err = config.tpl.Process(config.ToolsUploadPath, tplData)
+	if err := comm.Upload(config.ToolsUploadPath, f); err != nil {
 		state["error"] = fmt.Errorf("Error uploading VMware Tools: %s", err)
 		return multistep.ActionHalt
 	}