diff --git a/builder/vmware/step_create_vmx.go b/builder/vmware/step_create_vmx.go
index e2f7c028a..bfff50b6e 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/step_create_vmx.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/step_create_vmx.go
@@ -26,9 +26,11 @@ type vmxTemplateData struct {
 //
 // Produces:
 //   vmx_path string - The path to the VMX file.
-type stepCreateVMX struct{}
+type stepCreateVMX struct {
+	tempDir string
+}
 
-func (stepCreateVMX) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
+func (s *stepCreateVMX) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 	config := state.Get("config").(*config)
 	isoPath := state.Get("iso_path").(string)
 	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
@@ -91,7 +93,23 @@ func (stepCreateVMX) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 	// Set this so that no dialogs ever appear from Packer.
 	vmxData["msg.autoAnswer"] = "true"
 
-	vmxPath := filepath.Join(config.OutputDir, config.VMName+".vmx")
+	vmxDir := config.OutputDir
+	if config.RemoteType != "" {
+		// For remote builds, we just put the VMX in a temporary
+		// directory since it just gets uploaded anyways.
+		vmxDir, err = ioutil.TempDir("", "packer-vmx")
+		if err != nil {
+			err := fmt.Errorf("Error preparing VMX template: %s", err)
+			state.Put("error", err)
+			ui.Error(err.Error())
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
+
+		// Set the tempDir so we clean it up
+		s.tempDir = vmxDir
+	}
+
+	vmxPath := filepath.Join(vmxDir, config.VMName+".vmx")
 	if err := WriteVMX(vmxPath, vmxData); err != nil {
 		err := fmt.Errorf("Error creating VMX file: %s", err)
 		state.Put("error", err)
@@ -104,7 +122,10 @@ func (stepCreateVMX) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
 }
 
-func (stepCreateVMX) Cleanup(multistep.StateBag) {
+func (s *stepCreateVMX) Cleanup(multistep.StateBag) {
+	if s.tempDir != "" {
+		os.RemoveAll(s.tempDir)
+	}
 }
 
 // This is the default VMX template used if no other template is given.