diff --git a/builder.go b/builder.go
index 00ede0f07..6dbb4b476 100644
--- a/builder.go
+++ b/builder.go
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 
 	// Build the steps.
 	steps := []multistep.Step{
-		&StepConfigureHW{
+		&StepCloneVM{
 			config: b.config,
 		},
-		&StepCloneVM{
+		&StepConfigureHW{
 			config: b.config,
 		},
 		&StepRun{},
diff --git a/step_clone_vm.go b/step_clone_vm.go
index 9f51972da..921b9e696 100644
--- a/step_clone_vm.go
+++ b/step_clone_vm.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ type CloneParameters struct {
 	vmSrc    *object.VirtualMachine
 	ctx      context.Context
 	vmName   string
-	confSpec *types.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
 }
 
 type StepCloneVM struct{
@@ -30,8 +29,6 @@ func (s *StepCloneVM) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
 	ui.Say("start cloning...")
 
-	confSpec := state.Get("confSpec").(types.VirtualMachineConfigSpec)
-
 	// Prepare entities: client (authentification), finder, folder, virtual machine
 	client, ctx, err := createClient(s.config.Url, s.config.Username, s.config.Password)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -60,7 +57,6 @@ func (s *StepCloneVM) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 		vmSrc:    vmSrc,
 		ctx:      ctx,
 		vmName: s.config.VMName,
-		confSpec: &confSpec,
 	}
 
 	vm, err := cloneVM(&cloneParameters)
@@ -111,7 +107,6 @@ func cloneVM(params *CloneParameters) (vm *object.VirtualMachine, err error) {
 	var relocateSpec types.VirtualMachineRelocateSpec
 	cloneSpec := types.VirtualMachineCloneSpec{
 		Location: relocateSpec,
-		Config:   params.confSpec,
 		PowerOn:  false,
 	}
 
diff --git a/step_configure_hw.go b/step_configure_hw.go
index d26c4ed11..2e6da31e5 100644
--- a/step_configure_hw.go
+++ b/step_configure_hw.go
@@ -5,17 +5,25 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/packer/packer"
 	"strconv"
 	"github.com/vmware/govmomi/vim25/types"
+	"context"
+	"github.com/vmware/govmomi/object"
 )
 
 type StepConfigureHW struct{
 	config *Config
 }
 
+type ConfigParametersFlag struct {
+	NumCPUsPtr  *int32
+	MemoryMBPtr *int64
+}
+
 func (s *StepConfigureHW) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
-	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
-	ui.Say("configuring virtual hardware...")
+	vm := state.Get("vm").(*object.VirtualMachine)
+	ctx := state.Get("ctx").(context.Context)
 
 	var confSpec types.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
+	parametersFlag := ConfigParametersFlag{}
 	// configure HW
 	if s.config.Cpus != "" {
 		cpus, err := strconv.Atoi(s.config.Cpus)
@@ -25,6 +33,7 @@ func (s *StepConfigureHW) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 		}
 
 		confSpec.NumCPUs = int32(cpus)
+		parametersFlag.NumCPUsPtr = &(confSpec.NumCPUs)
 	}
 	if s.config.Ram != "" {
 		ram, err := strconv.Atoi(s.config.Ram)
@@ -34,9 +43,25 @@ func (s *StepConfigureHW) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 		}
 
 		confSpec.MemoryMB = int64(ram)
+		parametersFlag.MemoryMBPtr = &(confSpec.MemoryMB)
 	}
 
-	state.Put("confSpec", confSpec)
+	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
+	if parametersFlag != (ConfigParametersFlag{}) {
+		ui.Say("configuring virtual hardware...")
+		task, err := vm.Reconfigure(ctx, confSpec)
+		if err != nil {
+			state.Put("error", err)
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
+		_, err = task.WaitForResult(ctx, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			state.Put("error", err)
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
+	} else {
+		ui.Say("skipping the virtual hardware configration...")
+	}
 
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
 }