diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/step_compact_disk.go b/builder/vmware/common/step_compact_disk.go
index fa1cb1faf..d4ed5100f 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/step_compact_disk.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/step_compact_disk.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"math"
+	"os"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/packer/helper/multistep"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/packer/packer"
@@ -33,13 +35,42 @@ func (s StepCompactDisk) Run(_ context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multis
 		return multistep.ActionContinue
 	}
 
-	ui.Say("Compacting all attached disk images")
+	ui.Say("Compacting all attached virtual disks...")
 	for i, diskPath := range diskPaths {
-		ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Compacting disk image %d", i+1))
+		ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Compacting virtual disk %d", i+1))
+		// Get the file size of the virtual disk prior to compaction
+		fi, err := os.Stat(diskPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			state.Put("error", fmt.Errorf("Error getting virtual disk file info pre compaction: %s", err))
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
+		diskFileSizeStart := fi.Size()
+		// Defragment and compact the disk
 		if err := driver.CompactDisk(diskPath); err != nil {
 			state.Put("error", fmt.Errorf("Error compacting disk: %s", err))
 			return multistep.ActionHalt
 		}
+		// Get the file size of the virtual disk post compaction
+		fi, err = os.Stat(diskPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			state.Put("error", fmt.Errorf("Error getting virtual disk file info post compaction: %s", err))
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
+		diskFileSizeEnd := fi.Size()
+		// Report compaction results
+		log.Printf("Before compaction the disk file size was: %d", diskFileSizeStart)
+		log.Printf("After compaction the disk file size was: %d", diskFileSizeEnd)
+		if diskFileSizeStart > 0 {
+			percentChange := ((float64(diskFileSizeEnd) / float64(diskFileSizeStart)) * 100.0) - 100.0
+			switch {
+			case percentChange < 0:
+				ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Compacting reduced the disk file size by %.2f%%", math.Abs(percentChange)))
+			case percentChange == 0:
+				ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("The compacting operation left the disk file size unchanged"))
+			case percentChange > 0:
+				ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("WARNING: Compacting increased the disk file size by %.2f%%", percentChange))
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	return multistep.ActionContinue