diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/shutdown_config.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/shutdown_config.go
index 83d2224c3..ec3051701 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/common/shutdown_config.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/shutdown_config.go
@@ -10,8 +10,10 @@ import (
 type ShutdownConfig struct {
 	ShutdownCommand    string `mapstructure:"shutdown_command"`
 	RawShutdownTimeout string `mapstructure:"shutdown_timeout"`
+	RawPostShutdownDelay string `mapstructure:"post_shutdown_delay"`
 
 	ShutdownTimeout time.Duration ``
+	PostShutdownDelay time.Duration ``
 }
 
 func (c *ShutdownConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
@@ -19,6 +21,10 @@ func (c *ShutdownConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 		c.RawShutdownTimeout = "5m"
 	}
 
+	if c.RawPostShutdownDelay == "" {
+		c.RawPostShutdownDelay = "0s"
+	}
+
 	var errs []error
 	var err error
 	c.ShutdownTimeout, err = time.ParseDuration(c.RawShutdownTimeout)
@@ -26,5 +32,10 @@ func (c *ShutdownConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Failed parsing shutdown_timeout: %s", err))
 	}
 
+	c.PostShutdownDelay, err = time.ParseDuration(c.RawPostShutdownDelay)
+	if err != nil {
+		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("Failed parsing post_shutdown_delay: %s", err))
+	}
+
 	return errs
 }
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/shutdown_config_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/shutdown_config_test.go
index 5da613a19..3fd3a9c95 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/common/shutdown_config_test.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/shutdown_config_test.go
@@ -43,3 +43,38 @@ func TestShutdownConfigPrepare_ShutdownTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", c.ShutdownTimeout)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestShutdownConfigPrepare_PostShutdownDelay(t *testing.T) {
+	var c *ShutdownConfig
+	var errs []error
+
+	// Test with a bad value
+	c = testShutdownConfig()
+	c.RawPostShutdownDelay = "this is not good"
+	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
+	if len(errs) == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("should have error")
+	}
+
+	// Test with default value
+	c = testShutdownConfig()
+	c.RawPostShutdownDelay = ""
+	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
+	if len(errs) > 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %#v", errs)
+	}
+	if c.PostShutdownDelay.Nanoseconds() != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", c.PostShutdownDelay)
+	}
+
+	// Test with a good one
+	c = testShutdownConfig()
+	c.RawPostShutdownDelay = "5s"
+	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
+	if len(errs) > 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %#v", errs)
+	}
+	if c.PostShutdownDelay != 5*time.Second {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", c.PostShutdownDelay)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/step_shutdown.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/step_shutdown.go
index 0f33692ce..8d163afed 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/common/step_shutdown.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/step_shutdown.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 type StepShutdown struct {
 	Command string
 	Timeout time.Duration
+	Delay time.Duration
 }
 
 func (s *StepShutdown) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
@@ -48,6 +49,12 @@ func (s *StepShutdown) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 		for {
 			running, _ := driver.IsRunning(vmName)
 			if !running {
+
+				if s.Delay.Nanoseconds() > 0 {
+					log.Printf("Delay for %s after shutdown to allow locks to clear...", s.Delay)
+					time.Sleep(s.Delay)
+				}
+
 				break
 			}
 
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/step_shutdown_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/step_shutdown_test.go
index 215eefd30..a80dec7cd 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/common/step_shutdown_test.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/step_shutdown_test.go
@@ -103,3 +103,66 @@ func TestStepShutdown_shutdownTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("should have error")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestStepShutdown_shutdownDelay(t *testing.T) {
+	state := testState(t)
+	step := new(StepShutdown)
+	step.Command = "poweroff"
+	step.Timeout = 5 * time.Second
+	step.Delay = 2 * time.Second
+
+	comm := new(packer.MockCommunicator)
+	state.Put("communicator", comm)
+	state.Put("vmName", "foo")
+
+	driver := state.Get("driver").(*DriverMock)
+	driver.IsRunningReturn = true
+	start := time.Now()
+
+	go func() {
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+		driver.Lock()
+		defer driver.Unlock()
+		driver.IsRunningReturn = false
+	}()
+
+	// Test the run
+
+	if action := step.Run(state); action != multistep.ActionContinue {
+		t.Fatalf("bad action: %#v", action)
+	}
+	testDuration := time.Since(start).Seconds()
+	if testDuration < 2.5 || testDuration > 2.6 {
+		t.Fatal("incorrect duration")
+	}
+
+	if _, ok := state.GetOk("error"); ok {
+		t.Fatal("should NOT have error")
+	}
+
+	step.Delay = 0
+
+	driver.IsRunningReturn = true
+	start = time.Now()
+
+	go func() {
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+		driver.Lock()
+		defer driver.Unlock()
+		driver.IsRunningReturn = false
+	}()
+
+	// Test the run
+	if action := step.Run(state); action != multistep.ActionContinue {
+		t.Fatalf("bad action: %#v", action)
+	}
+	testDuration = time.Since(start).Seconds()
+	if testDuration > 0.6 {
+		t.Fatal("incorrect duration")
+	}
+
+	if _, ok := state.GetOk("error"); ok {
+		t.Fatal("should NOT have error")
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
index 4b3958968..f51e68d5f 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/iso/builder.go
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 		&vboxcommon.StepShutdown{
 			Command: b.config.ShutdownCommand,
 			Timeout: b.config.ShutdownTimeout,
+			Delay: b.config.PostShutdownDelay,
 		},
 		new(vboxcommon.StepRemoveDevices),
 		&vboxcommon.StepVBoxManage{
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go
index 56e349b83..9145859b2 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/ovf/builder.go
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 		&vboxcommon.StepShutdown{
 			Command: b.config.ShutdownCommand,
 			Timeout: b.config.ShutdownTimeout,
+			Delay: b.config.PostShutdownDelay,
 		},
 		new(vboxcommon.StepRemoveDevices),
 		&vboxcommon.StepVBoxManage{