diff --git a/builder/qemu/builder.go b/builder/qemu/builder.go
index 971613dd8..77178ffd2 100644
--- a/builder/qemu/builder.go
+++ b/builder/qemu/builder.go
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 	}
 
 	if b.config.MachineType == "" {
-		b.config.MachineType = "pc-1.0"
+		b.config.MachineType = "pc"
 	}
 
 	if b.config.OutputDir == "" {
diff --git a/builder/qemu/step_forward_ssh.go b/builder/qemu/step_forward_ssh.go
index 7c7925b17..3b84d26c1 100644
--- a/builder/qemu/step_forward_ssh.go
+++ b/builder/qemu/step_forward_ssh.go
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ package qemu
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
-	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
 	"log"
 	"math/rand"
 	"net"
+
+	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
 )
 
 // This step adds a NAT port forwarding definition so that SSH is available
@@ -23,9 +24,16 @@ func (s *stepForwardSSH) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 
 	log.Printf("Looking for available SSH port between %d and %d", config.SSHHostPortMin, config.SSHHostPortMax)
 	var sshHostPort uint
+	var offset uint = 0
+
 	portRange := int(config.SSHHostPortMax - config.SSHHostPortMin)
+	if portRange > 0 {
+		// Have to check if > 0 to avoid a panic
+		offset = uint(rand.Intn(portRange))
+	}
+
 	for {
-		sshHostPort = uint(rand.Intn(portRange)) + config.SSHHostPortMin
+		sshHostPort = offset + config.SSHHostPortMin
 		log.Printf("Trying port: %d", sshHostPort)
 		l, err := net.Listen("tcp", fmt.Sprintf(":%d", sshHostPort))
 		if err == nil {
diff --git a/builder/qemu/step_run.go b/builder/qemu/step_run.go
index 6d4b43d6e..82a98dbba 100644
--- a/builder/qemu/step_run.go
+++ b/builder/qemu/step_run.go
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ package qemu
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
-	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
 	"log"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
 )
 
 // stepRun runs the virtual machine
@@ -78,13 +79,12 @@ func getCommandArgs(bootDrive string, state multistep.StateBag) ([]string, error
 
 	defaultArgs["-name"] = vmName
 	defaultArgs["-machine"] = fmt.Sprintf("type=%s", config.MachineType)
-	defaultArgs["-netdev"] = "user,id=user.0"
+	defaultArgs["-netdev"] = fmt.Sprintf("user,id=user.0,hostfwd=tcp::%v-:22", sshHostPort)
 	defaultArgs["-device"] = fmt.Sprintf("%s,netdev=user.0", config.NetDevice)
 	defaultArgs["-drive"] = fmt.Sprintf("file=%s,if=%s", imgPath, config.DiskInterface)
 	defaultArgs["-cdrom"] = isoPath
 	defaultArgs["-boot"] = bootDrive
 	defaultArgs["-m"] = "512M"
-	defaultArgs["-redir"] = fmt.Sprintf("tcp:%v::22", sshHostPort)
 	defaultArgs["-vnc"] = vnc
 
 	// Append the accelerator to the machine type if it is specified