diff --git a/packer/template.go b/packer/template.go
index 6c601d05b..f2f78f84b 100644
--- a/packer/template.go
+++ b/packer/template.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"sort"
+	"time"
 )
 
 // The rawTemplate struct represents the structure of a template read
@@ -63,10 +64,13 @@ type RawPostProcessorConfig struct {
 type RawProvisionerConfig struct {
 	TemplateOnlyExcept `mapstructure:",squash"`
 
-	Type     string
-	Override map[string]interface{}
+	Type           string
+	Override       map[string]interface{}
+	RawPauseBefore string `mapstructure:"pause_before"`
 
 	RawConfig interface{}
+
+	pauseBefore time.Duration
 }
 
 // RawVariable represents a variable configuration within a template.
@@ -289,6 +293,19 @@ func ParseTemplate(data []byte) (t *Template, err error) {
 			}
 		}
 
+		// Setup the pause settings
+		if raw.RawPauseBefore != "" {
+			duration, err := time.ParseDuration(raw.RawPauseBefore)
+			if err != nil {
+				errors = append(
+					errors, fmt.Errorf(
+						"provisioner %d: pause_before invalid: %s",
+						i+1, err))
+			}
+
+			raw.pauseBefore = duration
+		}
+
 		raw.RawConfig = v
 	}
 
diff --git a/packer/template_test.go b/packer/template_test.go
index 053a4705d..5ab991d16 100644
--- a/packer/template_test.go
+++ b/packer/template_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"reflect"
 	"sort"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 )
 
 func testTemplateComponentFinder() *ComponentFinder {
@@ -445,6 +446,38 @@ func TestParseTemplate_Provisioners(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestParseTemplate_ProvisionerPauseBefore(t *testing.T) {
+	data := `
+	{
+		"builders": [{"type": "foo"}],
+
+		"provisioners": [
+			{
+				"type": "shell",
+				"pause_before": "10s"
+			}
+		]
+	}
+	`
+
+	result, err := ParseTemplate([]byte(data))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	if result == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should have result")
+	}
+	if len(result.Provisioners) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", result.Provisioners)
+	}
+	if result.Provisioners[0].Type != "shell" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", result.Provisioners[0].Type)
+	}
+	if result.Provisioners[0].pauseBefore != 10 * time.Second {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", result.Provisioners[0].pauseBefore)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestParseTemplate_Variables(t *testing.T) {
 	data := `
 	{