diff --git a/command/push.go b/command/push.go
index 42c1bc465..74915de3f 100644
--- a/command/push.go
+++ b/command/push.go
@@ -32,13 +32,16 @@ type pushUploadFn func(
 	io.Reader, *uploadOpts) (<-chan struct{}, <-chan error, error)
 
 func (c *PushCommand) Run(args []string) int {
-	var create bool
 	var token string
+	var message string
+	var create bool
 
 	f := flag.NewFlagSet("push", flag.ContinueOnError)
 	f.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Error(c.Help()) }
-	f.BoolVar(&create, "create", false, "create")
 	f.StringVar(&token, "token", "", "token")
+	f.StringVar(&message, "m", "", "message")
+	f.StringVar(&message, "message", "", "message")
+	f.BoolVar(&create, "create", false, "create (deprecated)")
 	if err := f.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return 1
 	}
@@ -49,6 +52,12 @@ func (c *PushCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
+	// Print deprecations
+	if create {
+		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("The '-create' option is now the default and is\n" +
+			"longer used. It will be removed in the next version."))
+	}
+
 	// Read the template
 	tpl, err := packer.ParseTemplateFile(args[0], nil)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -149,6 +158,15 @@ func (c *PushCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		uploadOpts.Builds[b.Name] = info
 	}
 
+	// Add the upload metadata
+	metadata := make(map[string]interface{})
+	if message != "" {
+		metadata["message"] = message
+	}
+	metadata["template"] = tpl.RawContents
+	metadata["template_name"] = filepath.Base(args[0])
+	uploadOpts.Metadata = metadata
+
 	// Warn about builds not having post-processors.
 	var badBuilds []string
 	for name, b := range uploadOpts.Builds {
@@ -169,12 +187,6 @@ func (c *PushCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 				"Builds: %s\n\n", strings.Join(badBuilds, ", ")))
 	}
 
-	// Create the build config if it doesn't currently exist.
-	if err := c.create(uploadOpts.Slug, create); err != nil {
-		c.Ui.Error(err.Error())
-		return 1
-	}
-
 	// Start the archiving process
 	r, err := archive.CreateArchive(path, &opts)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -217,59 +229,30 @@ func (*PushCommand) Help() string {
 	helpText := `
 Usage: packer push [options] TEMPLATE
 
-  Push the template and the files it needs to a Packer build service.
-  This will not initiate any builds, it will only update the templates
-  used for builds.
+  Push the given template and supporting files to a Packer build service such as
+  Atlas.
 
-  The configuration about what is pushed is configured within the
-  template's "push" section.
+  If a build configuration for the given template does not exist, it will be
+  created automatically. If the build configuration already exists, a new
+  version will be created with this template and the supporting files.
+
+  Additional configuration options (such as the Atlas server URL and files to
+  include) may be specified in the "push" section of the Packer template. Please
+  see the online documentation for more information about these configurables.
 
 Options:
 
-  -create             Create the build configuration if it doesn't exist.
+  -m, -message=<detail>    A message to identify the purpose or changes in this
+                           Packer template much like a VCS commit message
 
-  -token=<token>      Access token to use to upload. If blank, the
-                      ATLAS_TOKEN environmental variable will be used.
+  -token=<token>           The access token to use to when uploading
 `
 
 	return strings.TrimSpace(helpText)
 }
 
 func (*PushCommand) Synopsis() string {
-	return "push template files to a Packer build service"
-}
-
-func (c *PushCommand) create(name string, create bool) error {
-	if c.uploadFn != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	// Separate the slug into the user and name components
-	user, name, err := atlas.ParseSlug(name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Malformed push name: %s", err)
-	}
-
-	// Check if it exists. If so, we're done.
-	if _, err := c.client.BuildConfig(user, name); err == nil {
-		return nil
-	} else if err != atlas.ErrNotFound {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// Otherwise, show an error if we're not creating.
-	if !create {
-		return fmt.Errorf(
-			"Push target doesn't exist: %s. Either create this online via\n"+
-				"the website or pass the -create flag.", name)
-	}
-
-	// Create it
-	if err := c.client.CreateBuildConfig(user, name); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	return nil
+	return "push a template and supporting files to a Packer build service"
 }
 
 func (c *PushCommand) upload(
@@ -284,10 +267,17 @@ func (c *PushCommand) upload(
 		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("upload: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	// Get the app
+	// Get the build configuration
 	bc, err := c.client.BuildConfig(user, name)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("upload: %s", err)
+		if err == atlas.ErrNotFound {
+			// Build configuration doesn't exist, attempt to create it
+			bc, err = c.client.CreateBuildConfig(user, name)
+		}
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("upload: %s", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Build the version to send up
@@ -307,7 +297,7 @@ func (c *PushCommand) upload(
 	// Start the upload
 	doneCh, errCh := make(chan struct{}), make(chan error)
 	go func() {
-		err := c.client.UploadBuildConfigVersion(&version, r, r.Size)
+		err := c.client.UploadBuildConfigVersion(&version, opts.Metadata, r, r.Size)
 		if err != nil {
 			errCh <- err
 			return
@@ -320,9 +310,10 @@ func (c *PushCommand) upload(
 }
 
 type uploadOpts struct {
-	URL    string
-	Slug   string
-	Builds map[string]*uploadBuildInfo
+	URL      string
+	Slug     string
+	Builds   map[string]*uploadBuildInfo
+	Metadata map[string]interface{}
 }
 
 type uploadBuildInfo struct {
diff --git a/packer/template.go b/packer/template.go
index 5cbef4fac..717ae7682 100644
--- a/packer/template.go
+++ b/packer/template.go
@@ -3,15 +3,16 @@ package packer
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/hashicorp/go-version"
-	"github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure"
-	jsonutil "github.com/mitchellh/packer/common/json"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"sort"
 	"text/template"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/go-version"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure"
+	jsonutil "github.com/mitchellh/packer/common/json"
 )
 
 // The rawTemplate struct represents the structure of a template read
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ type rawTemplate struct {
 // The Template struct represents a parsed template, parsed into the most
 // completed form it can be without additional processing by the caller.
 type Template struct {
+	RawContents    []byte
 	Description    string
 	Variables      map[string]RawVariable
 	Builders       map[string]RawBuilderConfig
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@ func ParseTemplate(data []byte, vars map[string]string) (t *Template, err error)
 	}
 
 	t = &Template{}
+	t.RawContents = data
 	t.Description = rawTpl.Description
 	t.Variables = make(map[string]RawVariable)
 	t.Builders = make(map[string]RawBuilderConfig)
diff --git a/packer/template_test.go b/packer/template_test.go
index d42895665..bf11fc7d0 100644
--- a/packer/template_test.go
+++ b/packer/template_test.go
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ func TestParseTemplateFile_basic(t *testing.T) {
 	if len(result.Builders) != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", result.Builders)
 	}
+
+	if string(result.RawContents) != data {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %q to be %q", result.RawContents, data)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestParseTemplateFile_minPackerVersionBad(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/post-processor/atlas/post-processor_test.go b/post-processor/atlas/post-processor_test.go
index db35b8790..2f8c63c47 100644
--- a/post-processor/atlas/post-processor_test.go
+++ b/post-processor/atlas/post-processor_test.go
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestPostProcessorConfigure(t *testing.T) {
+	currentEnv := os.Getenv("ATLAS_TOKEN")
+	os.Setenv("ATLAS_TOKEN", "")
+	defer os.Setenv("ATLAS_TOKEN", currentEnv)
+
 	var p PostProcessor
 	if err := p.Configure(validDefaults()); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
diff --git a/website/source/docs/command-line/push.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/command-line/push.html.markdown
index 10165cc22..be4040527 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/command-line/push.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/command-line/push.html.markdown
@@ -7,27 +7,42 @@ description: |-
 
 # Command-Line: Push
 
-The `packer push` Packer command takes a template and pushes it to a build
-service. The build service will automatically build your Packer template and
-expose the artifacts.
+The `packer push` Packer command takes a template and pushes it to a Packer
+build service such as [HashiCorp's Atlas](https://atlas.hashicorp.com). The
+build service will automatically build your Packer template and expose the
+artifacts.
 
-This command currently only sends templates to
-[Atlas](https://atlas.hashicorp.com) by HashiCorp, but the command will
-be pluggable in the future with alternate implementations.
-
-External build services such as Atlas make it easy to iterate on Packer
-templates, especially when the builder you're running may not be easily
+External build services such as HashiCorp's Atlas make it easy to iterate on
+Packer templates, especially when the builder you are running may not be easily
 accessable (such as developing `qemu` builders on Mac or Windows).
 
-For the `push` command to work, the
-[push configuration](/docs/templates/push.html)
+!> The Packer build service will receive the raw copy of your Packer template
+when you push. **If you have sensitive data in your Packer template, you should
+move that data into Packer variables or environment variables!**
+
+For the `push` command to work, the [push configuration](/docs/templates/push.html)
 must be completed within the template.
 
 ## Options
 
-* `-create=true` - If the build configuration matching the name of the push
-  doesn't exist, it will be created if this is true. This defaults to true.
+* `-message` - A message to identify the purpose or changes in this Packer
+  template much like a VCS commit message. This message will be passed to the
+  Packer build service. This option is also available as a short option `-m`.
+
+* `-token` - An access token for authenticating the push to the Packer build
+  service such as Atlas. This can also be specified within the push
+  configuration in the template.
+
+## Examples
+
+Push a Packer template:
+
+```shell
+$ packer push -m "Updating the apache version" template.json
+```
+
+Push a Packer template with a custom token:
 
-* `-token=FOO` - An access token for authenticating the push. This can also
-  be specified within the push configuration in the template. By setting this
-  in the template, you can take advantage of user variables.
+```shell
+$ packer push -token ABCD1234 template.json
+```
diff --git a/website/source/docs/templates/push.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/templates/push.html.markdown
index 1f97a3048..691d4f34d 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/templates/push.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/templates/push.html.markdown
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ each category, the available configuration keys are alphabetized.
   this is `https://atlas.hashicorp.com`.
 
 * `base_dir` (string) - The base directory of the files to upload. This
-  will be the CWD when the build service executes your template. This
-  path is relative to the template.
+  will be the current working directory when the build service executes your
+  template. This path is relative to the template.
 
 * `include` (array of strings) - Glob patterns to include relative to
   the `base_dir`. If this is specified, only files that match the include
@@ -57,9 +57,38 @@ each category, the available configuration keys are alphabetized.
   the `base_dir`.
 
 * `token` (string) - An access token to use to authenticate to the build
-  service. For Atlas, you can retrieve this access token in your account
-  section by clicking your account name in the upper right corner.
+  service.
 
 * `vcs` (bool) - If true, Packer will detect your VCS (if there is one)
   and only upload the files that are tracked by the VCS. This is useful
-  for automatically excluding ignored files. This defaults to true.
+  for automatically excluding ignored files. This defaults to false.
+
+## Examples
+
+A push configuration section with minimal options:
+
+```javascript
+{
+  "push": {
+    "name": "hashicorp/precise64"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+A push configuration specifying Packer to inspect the VCS and list individual
+files to include:
+
+```javascript
+{
+  "push": {
+    "name": "hashicorp/precise64",
+    "vcs": true,
+    "include": [
+      "other_file/outside_of.vcs"
+    ]
+  }
+}
+```
+
+~> **Variable interpolation** is not currently possible in Packer push
+configurations. This will be fixed in an upcoming release.