diff --git a/builder/vmware/iso/builder_test.go b/builder/vmware/iso/builder_test.go
index cd39df5d3..868eb601a 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/iso/builder_test.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/iso/builder_test.go
@@ -198,6 +198,123 @@ func TestBuilderPrepare_RemoteType(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBuilderPrepare_Export(t *testing.T) {
+	type testCase struct {
+		InputConfigVals         map[string]string
+		ExpectedSkipExportValue bool
+		ExpectedFormat          string
+		ExpectedErr             bool
+		Reason                  string
+	}
+	testCases := []testCase{
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type": "",
+				"format":      "",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: true,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "vmx",
+			ExpectedErr:             false,
+			Reason:                  "should have defaulted format to vmx.",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type":     "esx5",
+				"format":          "",
+				"remote_host":     "fakehost.com",
+				"remote_password": "fakepassword",
+				"remote_username": "fakeuser",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ovf",
+			ExpectedErr:             false,
+			Reason:                  "should have defaulted format to ovf with remote set to esx5.",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type": "esx5",
+				"format":      "",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ovf",
+			ExpectedErr:             true,
+			Reason:                  "should have errored because remote host isn't set for remote build.",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type":     "invalid",
+				"format":          "",
+				"remote_host":     "fakehost.com",
+				"remote_password": "fakepassword",
+				"remote_username": "fakeuser",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ovf",
+			ExpectedErr:             true,
+			Reason:                  "should error with invalid remote type",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type": "",
+				"format":      "invalid",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "invalid",
+			ExpectedErr:             true,
+			Reason:                  "should error with invalid format",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type": "",
+				"format":      "ova",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ova",
+			ExpectedErr:             false,
+			Reason:                  "should set user-given ova format",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type":     "esx5",
+				"format":          "ova",
+				"remote_host":     "fakehost.com",
+				"remote_password": "fakepassword",
+				"remote_username": "fakeuser",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ova",
+			ExpectedErr:             false,
+			Reason:                  "should set user-given ova format",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		config := testConfig()
+		for k, v := range tc.InputConfigVals {
+			config[k] = v
+		}
+		config["skip_validate_credentials"] = true
+		outCfg := &Config{}
+		warns, errs := (outCfg).Prepare(config)
+
+		if len(warns) > 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", warns)
+		}
+
+		if (errs != nil) != tc.ExpectedErr {
+			t.Fatalf("received error: \n %s \n but 'expected err' was %t", errs, tc.ExpectedErr)
+		}
+
+		if outCfg.Format != tc.ExpectedFormat {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected: %s. Actual: %s. Reason: %s", tc.ExpectedFormat,
+				outCfg.Format, tc.Reason)
+		}
+		if outCfg.SkipExport != tc.ExpectedSkipExportValue {
+			t.Fatalf("For SkipExport expected %t but recieved %t",
+				tc.ExpectedSkipExportValue, outCfg.SkipExport)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBuilderPrepare_RemoteExport(t *testing.T) {
 	var b Builder
 	config := testConfig()
diff --git a/builder/vmware/iso/config.go b/builder/vmware/iso/config.go
index 253b578ff..dcb5d0faf 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/iso/config.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/iso/config.go
@@ -177,14 +177,14 @@ func (c *Config) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 	}
 
 	if c.Format == "" {
-		if c.RemoteType != "esx5" {
+		if c.RemoteType == "" {
 			c.Format = "vmx"
 		} else {
 			c.Format = "ovf"
 		}
 	}
 
-	if c.RemoteType != "esx5" && c.Format == "vmx" {
+	if c.RemoteType == "" && c.Format == "vmx" {
 		// if we're building locally and want a vmx, there's nothing to export.
 		// Set skip export flag here to keep the export step from attempting
 		// an unneded export
diff --git a/builder/vmware/vmx/config.go b/builder/vmware/vmx/config.go
index cc7b31531..fc32099e1 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/vmx/config.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/vmx/config.go
@@ -124,14 +124,14 @@ func (c *Config) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 	}
 
 	if c.Format == "" {
-		if c.RemoteType != "esx5" {
+		if c.RemoteType == "" {
 			c.Format = "vmx"
 		} else {
 			c.Format = "ovf"
 		}
 	}
 
-	if c.RemoteType != "esx5" && c.Format == "vmx" {
+	if c.RemoteType == "" && c.Format == "vmx" {
 		// if we're building locally and want a vmx, there's nothing to export.
 		// Set skip export flag here to keep the export step from attempting
 		// an unneded export
@@ -143,14 +143,6 @@ func (c *Config) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 		errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs, err)
 	}
 
-	if c.Format == "" {
-		if c.RemoteType != "esx5" {
-			c.Format = "vmx"
-		} else {
-			c.Format = "ovf"
-		}
-	}
-
 	// Warnings
 	var warnings []string
 	if c.ShutdownCommand == "" {
diff --git a/builder/vmware/vmx/config_test.go b/builder/vmware/vmx/config_test.go
index 4b5c63483..cd386f4a2 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/vmx/config_test.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/vmx/config_test.go
@@ -58,3 +58,120 @@ func TestNewConfig_sourcePath(t *testing.T) {
 	warns, errs = (&Config{}).Prepare(cfg)
 	testConfigOk(t, warns, errs)
 }
+
+func TestNewConfig_exportConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	type testCase struct {
+		InputConfigVals         map[string]string
+		ExpectedSkipExportValue bool
+		ExpectedFormat          string
+		ExpectedErr             bool
+		Reason                  string
+	}
+	testCases := []testCase{
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type": "",
+				"format":      "",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: true,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "vmx",
+			ExpectedErr:             false,
+			Reason:                  "should have defaulted format to vmx.",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type":     "esx5",
+				"format":          "",
+				"remote_host":     "fakehost.com",
+				"remote_password": "fakepassword",
+				"remote_username": "fakeuser",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ovf",
+			ExpectedErr:             false,
+			Reason:                  "should have defaulted format to ovf with remote set to esx5.",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type": "esx5",
+				"format":      "",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ovf",
+			ExpectedErr:             true,
+			Reason:                  "should have errored because remote host isn't set for remote build.",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type":     "invalid",
+				"format":          "",
+				"remote_host":     "fakehost.com",
+				"remote_password": "fakepassword",
+				"remote_username": "fakeuser",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ovf",
+			ExpectedErr:             true,
+			Reason:                  "should error with invalid remote type",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type": "",
+				"format":      "invalid",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "invalid",
+			ExpectedErr:             true,
+			Reason:                  "should error with invalid format",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type": "",
+				"format":      "ova",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ova",
+			ExpectedErr:             false,
+			Reason:                  "should set user-given ova format",
+		},
+		{
+			InputConfigVals: map[string]string{
+				"remote_type":     "esx5",
+				"format":          "ova",
+				"remote_host":     "fakehost.com",
+				"remote_password": "fakepassword",
+				"remote_username": "fakeuser",
+			},
+			ExpectedSkipExportValue: false,
+			ExpectedFormat:          "ova",
+			ExpectedErr:             false,
+			Reason:                  "should set user-given ova format",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		cfg := testConfig(t)
+		for k, v := range tc.InputConfigVals {
+			cfg[k] = v
+		}
+		cfg["skip_validate_credentials"] = true
+		outCfg := &Config{}
+		warns, errs := (outCfg).Prepare(cfg)
+
+		if len(warns) > 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", warns)
+		}
+
+		if (errs != nil) != tc.ExpectedErr {
+			t.Fatalf("received error: \n %s \n but 'expected err' was %t", errs, tc.ExpectedErr)
+		}
+
+		if outCfg.Format != tc.ExpectedFormat {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected: %s. Actual: %s. Reason: %s", tc.ExpectedFormat,
+				outCfg.Format, tc.Reason)
+		}
+		if outCfg.SkipExport != tc.ExpectedSkipExportValue {
+			t.Fatalf("For SkipExport expected %t but recieved %t",
+				tc.ExpectedSkipExportValue, outCfg.SkipExport)
+		}
+	}
+}