diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
index f6c19ef99..0758e9bdd 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
@@ -57,9 +57,6 @@ type Config struct {
 }
 
 func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
-	// Set some defaults
-	b.config.VMName = fmt.Sprintf("packer-%s-{{timestamp}}", b.config.PackerBuildName)
-
 	err := config.Decode(&b.config, &config.DecodeOpts{
 		Interpolate:        true,
 		InterpolateContext: &b.config.ctx,
@@ -116,6 +113,11 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 		b.config.ISOInterface = "ide"
 	}
 
+	if b.config.VMName == "" {
+		b.config.VMName = fmt.Sprintf(
+			"packer-%s-%d", b.config.PackerBuildName, interpolate.InitTime.Unix())
+	}
+
 	if b.config.HardDriveInterface != "ide" && b.config.HardDriveInterface != "sata" && b.config.HardDriveInterface != "scsi" {
 		errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
 			errs, errors.New("hard_drive_interface can only be ide, sata, or scsi"))
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go
index e881150c0..c1afd8c25 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/config.go
@@ -66,8 +66,10 @@ func NewConfig(raws ...interface{}) (*Config, []string, error) {
 	if c.GuestAdditionsPath == "" {
 		c.GuestAdditionsPath = "VBoxGuestAdditions.iso"
 	}
+
 	if c.VMName == "" {
-		c.VMName = fmt.Sprintf("packer-%s-{{timestamp}}", c.PackerBuildName)
+		c.VMName = fmt.Sprintf(
+			"packer-%s-%d", c.PackerBuildName, interpolate.InitTime.Unix())
 	}
 
 	// Prepare the errors