diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
index ab4e2314d..ba813b156 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 )
 
 const BuilderId = "mitchellh.virtualbox"
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ type Builder struct {
 }
 
 type config struct {
+	BootWait time.Duration ``
 	GuestOSType    string `mapstructure:"guest_os_type"`
 	ISOMD5         string `mapstructure:"iso_md5"`
 	ISOUrl         string `mapstructure:"iso_url"`
@@ -30,6 +32,8 @@ type config struct {
 	SSHHostPortMax uint   `mapstructure:"ssh_host_port_max"`
 	SSHPort        uint   `mapstructure:"ssh_port"`
 	VMName         string `mapstructure:"vm_name"`
+
+	RawBootWait string `mapstructure:"boot_wait"`
 }
 
 func (b *Builder) Prepare(raw interface{}) error {
@@ -109,6 +113,13 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raw interface{}) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if b.config.RawBootWait != "" {
+		b.config.BootWait, err = time.ParseDuration(b.config.RawBootWait)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Failed parsing boot_wait: %s", err))
+		}
+	}
+
 	if b.config.SSHHostPortMin > b.config.SSHHostPortMax {
 		errs = append(errs, errors.New("ssh_host_port_min must be less than ssh_host_port_max"))
 	}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go
index 9347a5f94..dbf6ccc2d 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go
@@ -55,6 +55,25 @@ func TestBuilderPrepare_Defaults(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBuilderPrepare_BootWait(t *testing.T) {
+	var b Builder
+	config := testConfig()
+
+	// Test with a bad boot_wait
+	config["boot_wait"] = "this is not good"
+	err := b.Prepare(config)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should have error")
+	}
+
+	// Test with a good one
+	config["boot_wait"] = "5s"
+	err = b.Prepare(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %s", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBuilderPrepare_ISOMD5(t *testing.T) {
 	var b Builder
 	config := testConfig()
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/step_run.go b/builder/virtualbox/step_run.go
index cfca9eebf..673e853f4 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/step_run.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/step_run.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ type stepRun struct{
 }
 
 func (s *stepRun) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
+	config := state["config"].(*config)
 	driver := state["driver"].(Driver)
 	ui := state["ui"].(packer.Ui)
 	vmName := state["vmName"].(string)
@@ -30,7 +31,11 @@ func (s *stepRun) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
 
 	s.vmName = vmName
 
-	time.Sleep(15 * time.Second)
+	if int64(config.BootWait) > 0 {
+		ui.Say(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting %s for boot...", config.BootWait))
+		time.Sleep(config.BootWait)
+	}
+
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
 }