diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5632df812..f1b38c70d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ FEATURES:
 * builder/amazon: Copy AMI to multiple regions with `ami_regions`. [GH-322]
 * builder/virtualbox,vmware: Can now use SSH keys as an auth mechanism for
   SSH using `ssh_key_path`. [GH-70]
+* builder/virtualbox,vmware: Support SHA512 as a checksum type. [GH-356]
 * builder/vmware: The root hard drive type can now be specified with
   "disk_type_id" for advanced users. [GH-328]
 * provisioner/salt-masterless: Ability to specfy a minion config. [GH-264]
diff --git a/common/download.go b/common/download.go
index fb34c7965..fe4087d97 100644
--- a/common/download.go
+++ b/common/download.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/md5"
 	"crypto/sha1"
 	"crypto/sha256"
+	"crypto/sha512"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
@@ -60,6 +61,8 @@ func HashForType(t string) hash.Hash {
 		return sha1.New()
 	case "sha256":
 		return sha256.New()
+	case "sha512":
+		return sha512.New()
 	default:
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/common/download_test.go b/common/download_test.go
index 055272b17..f1fec941e 100644
--- a/common/download_test.go
+++ b/common/download_test.go
@@ -81,6 +81,19 @@ func TestHashForType(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if h := HashForType("sha512"); h == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("sha512 hash is nil")
+	} else {
+		h.Write([]byte("foo"))
+		result := h.Sum(nil)
+
+		expected := "f7fbba6e0636f890e56fbbf3283e524c6fa3204ae298382d624741d0dc6638326e282c41be5e4254d8820772c5518a2c5a8c0c7f7eda19594a7eb539453e1ed7"
+		actual := hex.EncodeToString(result)
+		if actual != expected {
+			t.Fatalf("bad hash: %s", actual)
+		}
+	}
+
 	if HashForType("fake") != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("fake hash is not nil")
 	}
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox.html.markdown
index ff29bf647..8b38740fb 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox.html.markdown
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ Required:
   checksum is specified with `iso_checksum_type`, documented below.
 
 * `iso_checksum_type` (string) - The type of the checksum specified in
-  `iso_checksum`. Valid values are "md5", "sha1", or "sha256" currently.
+  `iso_checksum`. Valid values are "md5", "sha1", "sha256", or "sha512" currently.
 
 * `iso_url` (string) - A URL to the ISO containing the installation image.
   This URL can be either an HTTP URL or a file URL (or path to a file).
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/vmware.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/builders/vmware.html.markdown
index ca67fa414..baadb0d93 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/vmware.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/vmware.html.markdown
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Required:
   checksum is specified with `iso_checksum_type`, documented below.
 
 * `iso_checksum_type` (string) - The type of the checksum specified in
-  `iso_checksum`. Valid values are "md5", "sha1", or "sha256" currently.
+  `iso_checksum`. Valid values are "md5", "sha1", "sha256", or "sha512" currently.
 
 * `iso_url` (string) - A URL to the ISO containing the installation image.
   This URL can be either an HTTP URL or a file URL (or path to a file).