diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
index b7bc58c16..18b16867a 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ type config struct {
 	GuestAdditionsURL    string     `mapstructure:"guest_additions_url"`
 	GuestAdditionsSHA256 string     `mapstructure:"guest_additions_sha256"`
 	GuestOSType          string     `mapstructure:"guest_os_type"`
-	Headless             bool       `mapstructure:"headless"`
 	HardDriveInterface   string     `mapstructure:"hard_drive_interface"`
+	Headless             bool       `mapstructure:"headless"`
 	HTTPDir              string     `mapstructure:"http_directory"`
 	HTTPPortMin          uint       `mapstructure:"http_port_min"`
 	HTTPPortMax          uint       `mapstructure:"http_port_max"`
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 	templates := map[string]*string{
 		"guest_additions_sha256":  &b.config.GuestAdditionsSHA256,
 		"guest_os_type":           &b.config.GuestOSType,
+		"hard_drive_interface":    &b.config.HardDriveInterface,
 		"http_directory":          &b.config.HTTPDir,
 		"iso_checksum":            &b.config.ISOChecksum,
 		"iso_checksum_type":       &b.config.ISOChecksumType,
@@ -214,6 +215,11 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 			errs, errors.New("invalid format, only 'ovf' or 'ova' are allowed"))
 	}
 
+	if b.config.HardDriveInterface != "ide" && b.config.HardDriveInterface != "sata" {
+		errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
+			errs, errors.New("hard_drive_interface can only be ide or sata"))
+	}
+
 	if b.config.HTTPPortMin > b.config.HTTPPortMax {
 		errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(
 			errs, errors.New("http_port_min must be less than http_port_max"))
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go
index 4ea869fef..35ea79bf9 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/builder_test.go
@@ -252,6 +252,38 @@ func TestBuilderPrepare_GuestAdditionsURL(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBuilderPrepare_HardDriveInterface(t *testing.T) {
+	var b Builder
+	config := testConfig()
+
+	// Test a default boot_wait
+	delete(config, "hard_drive_interface")
+	err := b.Prepare(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if b.config.HardDriveInterface != "ide" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", b.config.HardDriveInterface)
+	}
+
+	// Test with a bad
+	config["hard_drive_interface"] = "fake"
+	b = Builder{}
+	err = b.Prepare(config)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should have error")
+	}
+
+	// Test with a good
+	config["hard_drive_interface"] = "sata"
+	b = Builder{}
+	err = b.Prepare(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %s", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBuilderPrepare_HTTPPort(t *testing.T) {
 	var b Builder
 	config := testConfig()
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/step_create_disk.go b/builder/virtualbox/step_create_disk.go
index 80abeeb75..14005cc85 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/step_create_disk.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/step_create_disk.go
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ func (s *stepCreateDisk) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 		return multistep.ActionHalt
 	}
 
+	// Add a SATA controller if we were asked to use SATA. We still attach
+	// the IDE controller above because some other things (disks) require
+	// that.
 	if config.HardDriveInterface == "sata" {
 		controllerName = "SATA Controller"
 		command = []string{