diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/run_config.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/run_config.go
index 16ce1c4ad..653b19294 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/common/run_config.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/run_config.go
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ type RunConfig struct {
 	Headless    bool   `mapstructure:"headless"`
 	RawBootWait string `mapstructure:"boot_wait"`
 
+	VRDPPortMin uint `mapstructure:"vrdp_port_min"`
+	VRDPPortMax uint `mapstructure:"vrdp_port_max"`
+
 	BootWait time.Duration ``
 }
 
@@ -19,6 +22,14 @@ func (c *RunConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 		c.RawBootWait = "10s"
 	}
 
+	if c.VRDPPortMin == 0 {
+		c.VRDPPortMin = 5900
+	}
+
+	if c.VRDPPortMax == 0 {
+		c.VRDPPortMax = 6000
+	}
+
 	var errs []error
 	var err error
 	c.BootWait, err = time.ParseDuration(c.RawBootWait)
@@ -26,5 +37,10 @@ func (c *RunConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Failed parsing boot_wait: %s", err))
 	}
 
+	if c.VRDPPortMin > c.VRDPPortMax {
+		errs = append(
+			errs, fmt.Errorf("vrdp_port_min must be less than vrdp_port_max"))
+	}
+
 	return errs
 }
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/step_configure_vrdp.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/step_configure_vrdp.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..578455df3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/step_configure_vrdp.go
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"math/rand"
+	"net"
+
+	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
+)
+
+// This step configures the VM to enable the VRDP server
+// on the guest machine.
+//
+// Uses:
+//   driver Driver
+//   ui packer.Ui
+//   vmName string
+//
+// Produces:
+// vrdp_port unit - The port that VRDP is configured to listen on.
+type StepConfigureVRDP struct {
+		VRDPPortMin uint
+		VRDPPortMax uint
+}
+
+func (s *StepConfigureVRDP) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
+	driver := state.Get("driver").(Driver)
+	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
+	vmName := state.Get("vmName").(string)
+
+	log.Printf("Looking for available port between %d and %d", s.VRDPPortMin, s.VRDPPortMax)
+	var vrdpPort uint
+	portRange := int (s.VRDPPortMax - s.VRDPPortMin)
+
+	for {
+		if portRange > 0 {
+			vrdpPort = uint(rand.Intn(portRange)) + s.VRDPPortMin
+		} else {
+			vrdpPort = s.VRDPPortMin
+		}
+
+		log.Printf("Trying port: %d", vrdpPort)
+		l, err := net.Listen("tcp", fmt.Sprintf(":%d", vrdpPort))
+		if err == nil {
+			defer l.Close()
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	command := []string{
+		"modifyvm", vmName,
+		"--vrdeaddress", "127.0.0.1",
+		"--vrdeauthtype", "null",
+		"--vrde", "on",
+		"--vrdeport",
+		fmt.Sprintf("%d", vrdpPort),
+	}
+	if err := driver.VBoxManage(command...); err != nil {
+		err := fmt.Errorf("Error enabling VRDP: %s", err)
+		state.Put("error", err)
+		ui.Error(err.Error())
+		return multistep.ActionHalt
+	}
+
+	state.Put("vrdpIp", "127.0.0.1")
+	state.Put("vrdpPort", vrdpPort)
+
+	return multistep.ActionContinue
+}
+
+func (s *StepConfigureVRDP) Cleanup(state multistep.StateBag) {}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/step_run.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/step_run.go
index 0718ad7f3..eaf3cc354 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/common/step_run.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/step_run.go
@@ -30,9 +30,22 @@ func (s *StepRun) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 	ui.Say("Starting the virtual machine...")
 	guiArgument := "gui"
 	if s.Headless == true {
-		ui.Message("WARNING: The VM will be started in headless mode, as configured.\n" +
-			"In headless mode, errors during the boot sequence or OS setup\n" +
-			"won't be easily visible. Use at your own discretion.")
+		vrdpIpRaw, vrdpIpOk := state.GetOk("vrdpIp")
+		vrdpPortRaw, vrdpPortOk := state.GetOk("vrdpPort")
+
+		if vrdpIpOk && vrdpPortOk {
+			vrdpIp := vrdpIpRaw.(string)
+			vrdpPort := vrdpPortRaw.(uint)
+
+			ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf(
+				"The VM will be run headless, without a GUI. If you want to\n"+
+				"view the screen of the VM, connect via VRDP without a password to\n"+
+				"%s:%d", vrdpIp, vrdpPort))
+		} else {
+			ui.Message("The VM will be run headless, without a GUI, as configured.\n" +
+			"If the run isn't succeeding as you expect, please enable the GUI\n" +
+			"to inspect the progress of the build.")
+		}
 		guiArgument = "headless"
 	}
 	command := []string{"startvm", vmName, "--type", guiArgument}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
index b8b08959a..19c9fd1fb 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
@@ -208,6 +208,10 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 		&vboxcommon.StepAttachGuestAdditions{
 			GuestAdditionsMode: b.config.GuestAdditionsMode,
 		},
+		&vboxcommon.StepConfigureVRDP{
+			VRDPPortMin: b.config.VRDPPortMin,
+			VRDPPortMax: b.config.VRDPPortMax,
+		},
 		new(vboxcommon.StepAttachFloppy),
 		&vboxcommon.StepForwardSSH{
 			CommConfig:     &b.config.SSHConfig.Comm,
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go
index 894fe1689..70a1122f3 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 		&vboxcommon.StepAttachGuestAdditions{
 			GuestAdditionsMode: b.config.GuestAdditionsMode,
 		},
+		&vboxcommon.StepConfigureVRDP{
+			VRDPPortMin: b.config.VRDPPortMin,
+			VRDPPortMax: b.config.VRDPPortMax,
+		},
 		new(vboxcommon.StepAttachFloppy),
 		&vboxcommon.StepForwardSSH{
 			CommConfig:     &b.config.SSHConfig.Comm,
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-iso.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-iso.html.markdown
index 79c080762..dd02c6f25 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-iso.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-iso.html.markdown
@@ -242,6 +242,12 @@ builder.
     machine, without the file extension. By default this is "packer-BUILDNAME",
     where "BUILDNAME" is the name of the build.
 
+-   `vrdp_port_min` and `vrdp_port_max` (integer) - The minimum and maximum port
+    to use for VRDP access to the virtual machine. Packer uses a randomly chosen
+    port in this range that appears available. By default this is 5900 to 6000.
+    The minimum and maximum ports are inclusive.
+
+
 ## Boot Command
 
 The `boot_command` configuration is very important: it specifies the keys to
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.markdown
index af7ab643d..fe1e66b5e 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.markdown
@@ -207,6 +207,11 @@ builder.
     is exported. By default this is "packer-BUILDNAME", where "BUILDNAME" is the
     name of the build.
 
+-   `vrdp_port_min` and `vrdp_port_max` (integer) - The minimum and maximum port
+    to use for VRDP access to the virtual machine. Packer uses a randomly chosen
+    port in this range that appears available. By default this is 5900 to 6000.
+    The minimum and maximum ports are inclusive.
+
 ## Guest Additions
 
 Packer will automatically download the proper guest additions for the version of