diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
index de6a0ce68..2d61fe2d9 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
@@ -25,27 +25,28 @@ type Builder struct {
 }
 
 type config struct {
-	BootCommand     []string      `mapstructure:"boot_command"`
-	BootWait        time.Duration ``
-	DiskSize        uint          `mapstructure:"disk_size"`
-	GuestOSType     string        `mapstructure:"guest_os_type"`
-	HTTPDir         string        `mapstructure:"http_directory"`
-	HTTPPortMin     uint          `mapstructure:"http_port_min"`
-	HTTPPortMax     uint          `mapstructure:"http_port_max"`
-	ISOMD5          string        `mapstructure:"iso_md5"`
-	ISOUrl          string        `mapstructure:"iso_url"`
-	OutputDir       string        `mapstructure:"output_directory"`
-	ShutdownCommand string        `mapstructure:"shutdown_command"`
-	ShutdownTimeout time.Duration ``
-	SSHHostPortMin  uint          `mapstructure:"ssh_host_port_min"`
-	SSHHostPortMax  uint          `mapstructure:"ssh_host_port_max"`
-	SSHPassword     string        `mapstructure:"ssh_password"`
-	SSHPort         uint          `mapstructure:"ssh_port"`
-	SSHUser         string        `mapstructure:"ssh_username"`
-	SSHWaitTimeout  time.Duration ``
-	VBoxVersionFile string        `mapstructure:"virtualbox_version_file"`
-	VBoxManage      [][]string    `mapstructure:"vboxmanage"`
-	VMName          string        `mapstructure:"vm_name"`
+	BootCommand        []string      `mapstructure:"boot_command"`
+	BootWait           time.Duration ``
+	DiskSize           uint          `mapstructure:"disk_size"`
+	GuestAdditionsPath string        `mapstructure:"guest_additions_path"`
+	GuestOSType        string        `mapstructure:"guest_os_type"`
+	HTTPDir            string        `mapstructure:"http_directory"`
+	HTTPPortMin        uint          `mapstructure:"http_port_min"`
+	HTTPPortMax        uint          `mapstructure:"http_port_max"`
+	ISOMD5             string        `mapstructure:"iso_md5"`
+	ISOUrl             string        `mapstructure:"iso_url"`
+	OutputDir          string        `mapstructure:"output_directory"`
+	ShutdownCommand    string        `mapstructure:"shutdown_command"`
+	ShutdownTimeout    time.Duration ``
+	SSHHostPortMin     uint          `mapstructure:"ssh_host_port_min"`
+	SSHHostPortMax     uint          `mapstructure:"ssh_host_port_max"`
+	SSHPassword        string        `mapstructure:"ssh_password"`
+	SSHPort            uint          `mapstructure:"ssh_port"`
+	SSHUser            string        `mapstructure:"ssh_username"`
+	SSHWaitTimeout     time.Duration ``
+	VBoxVersionFile    string        `mapstructure:"virtualbox_version_file"`
+	VBoxManage         [][]string    `mapstructure:"vboxmanage"`
+	VMName             string        `mapstructure:"vm_name"`
 
 	PackerDebug bool `mapstructure:"packer_debug"`
 
@@ -68,6 +69,10 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 		b.config.DiskSize = 40000
 	}
 
+	if b.config.GuestAdditionsPath == "" {
+		b.config.GuestAdditionsPath = "VBoxGuestAdditions.iso"
+	}
+
 	if b.config.GuestOSType == "" {
 		b.config.GuestOSType = "Other"
 	}
@@ -206,6 +211,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 
 func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packer.Artifact, error) {
 	steps := []multistep.Step{
+		new(stepDownloadGuestAdditions),
 		new(stepDownloadISO),
 		new(stepPrepareOutputDir),
 		new(stepHTTPServer),
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go
index 4b6633aed..46163c44f 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go
@@ -102,6 +102,32 @@ func TestBuilderPrepare_DiskSize(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBuilderPrepare_GuestAdditionsPath(t *testing.T) {
+	var b Builder
+	config := testConfig()
+
+	delete(config, "disk_size")
+	err := b.Prepare(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("bad err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if b.config.GuestAdditionsPath != "VBoxGuestAdditions.iso" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", b.config.GuestAdditionsPath)
+	}
+
+	config["guest_additions_path"] = "foo"
+	b = Builder{}
+	err = b.Prepare(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if b.config.GuestAdditionsPath != "foo" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad size: %s", b.config.GuestAdditionsPath)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBuilderPrepare_HTTPPort(t *testing.T) {
 	var b Builder
 	config := testConfig()
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/step_download_guest_additions.go b/builder/virtualbox/step_download_guest_additions.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5ea766399
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/step_download_guest_additions.go
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package virtualbox
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/builder/common"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
+	"log"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// This step uploads a file containing the VirtualBox version, which
+// can be useful for various provisioning reasons.
+//
+// Produces:
+//   guest_additions_path string - Path to the guest additions.
+type stepDownloadGuestAdditions struct{}
+
+func (s *stepDownloadGuestAdditions) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
+	cache := state["cache"].(packer.Cache)
+	driver := state["driver"].(Driver)
+	ui := state["ui"].(packer.Ui)
+
+	version, err := driver.Version()
+	if err != nil {
+		state["error"] = fmt.Errorf("Error reading version for guest additions download: %s", err)
+		return multistep.ActionHalt
+	}
+
+	url := fmt.Sprintf(
+		"http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/%s/VBoxGuestAdditions_%s.iso",
+		version, version)
+	log.Printf("Guest additions URL: %s", url)
+
+	log.Printf("Acquiring lock to download the guest additions ISO.")
+	cachePath := cache.Lock(url)
+	defer cache.Unlock(url)
+
+	downloadConfig := &common.DownloadConfig{
+		Url:        url,
+		TargetPath: cachePath,
+		Hash:       nil,
+	}
+
+	download := common.NewDownloadClient(downloadConfig)
+
+	downloadCompleteCh := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		ui.Say("Downloading VirtualBox guest additions. Progress will be shown periodically.")
+		cachePath, err = download.Get()
+		downloadCompleteCh <- err
+	}()
+
+	progressTicker := time.NewTicker(5 * time.Second)
+	defer progressTicker.Stop()
+
+DownloadWaitLoop:
+	for {
+		select {
+		case err := <-downloadCompleteCh:
+			if err != nil {
+				state["error"] = fmt.Errorf("Error downloading guest additions: %s", err)
+				return multistep.ActionHalt
+			}
+
+			break DownloadWaitLoop
+		case <-progressTicker.C:
+			ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Download progress: %d%%", download.PercentProgress()))
+		case <-time.After(1 * time.Second):
+			if _, ok := state[multistep.StateCancelled]; ok {
+				ui.Say("Interrupt received. Cancelling download...")
+				return multistep.ActionHalt
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	state["guest_additions_path"] = cachePath
+
+	return multistep.ActionContinue
+}
+
+func (s *stepDownloadGuestAdditions) Cleanup(state map[string]interface{}) {}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/step_download_iso.go b/builder/virtualbox/step_download_iso.go
index 442c25b83..ed579d298 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/step_download_iso.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/step_download_iso.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ DownloadWaitLoop:
 
 			break DownloadWaitLoop
 		case <-progressTicker.C:
-			ui.Say(fmt.Sprintf("Download progress: %d%%", download.PercentProgress()))
+			ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Download progress: %d%%", download.PercentProgress()))
 		case <-time.After(1 * time.Second):
 			if _, ok := state[multistep.StateCancelled]; ok {
 				ui.Say("Interrupt received. Cancelling download...")