diff --git a/helper/config/decode.go b/helper/config/decode.go
index 1088fd19b..177f8f930 100644
--- a/helper/config/decode.go
+++ b/helper/config/decode.go
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ func Decode(target interface{}, config *DecodeOpts, raws ...interface{}) error {
 // detecting things like user variables from the raw configuration params.
 func DetectContext(raws ...interface{}) (*interpolate.Context, error) {
 	var s struct {
+		BuildName    string            `mapstructure:"packer_build_name"`
+		BuildType    string            `mapstructure:"packer_builder_type"`
 		TemplatePath string            `mapstructure:"packer_template_path"`
 		Vars         map[string]string `mapstructure:"packer_user_variables"`
 	}
@@ -117,6 +119,8 @@ func DetectContext(raws ...interface{}) (*interpolate.Context, error) {
 	}
 
 	return &interpolate.Context{
+		BuildName:     s.BuildName,
+		BuildType:     s.BuildType,
 		TemplatePath:  s.TemplatePath,
 		UserVariables: s.Vars,
 	}, nil
diff --git a/packer/core_test.go b/packer/core_test.go
index f11242d0c..cc958356e 100644
--- a/packer/core_test.go
+++ b/packer/core_test.go
@@ -142,6 +142,64 @@ func TestCoreBuild_env(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestCoreBuild_buildNameVar(t *testing.T) {
+	config := TestCoreConfig(t)
+	testCoreTemplate(t, config, fixtureDir("build-var-build-name.json"))
+	b := TestBuilder(t, config, "test")
+	core := TestCore(t, config)
+
+	b.ArtifactId = "hello"
+
+	build, err := core.Build("test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := build.Prepare(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Interpolate the config
+	var result map[string]interface{}
+	err = configHelper.Decode(&result, nil, b.PrepareConfig...)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if result["value"] != "test" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", result)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCoreBuild_buildTypeVar(t *testing.T) {
+	config := TestCoreConfig(t)
+	testCoreTemplate(t, config, fixtureDir("build-var-build-type.json"))
+	b := TestBuilder(t, config, "test")
+	core := TestCore(t, config)
+
+	b.ArtifactId = "hello"
+
+	build, err := core.Build("test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := build.Prepare(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Interpolate the config
+	var result map[string]interface{}
+	err = configHelper.Decode(&result, nil, b.PrepareConfig...)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if result["value"] != "test" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", result)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestCoreBuild_nonExist(t *testing.T) {
 	config := TestCoreConfig(t)
 	testCoreTemplate(t, config, fixtureDir("build-basic.json"))
diff --git a/packer/test-fixtures/build-var-build-name.json b/packer/test-fixtures/build-var-build-name.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..da43d9ad9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packer/test-fixtures/build-var-build-name.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+    "builders": [{
+        "type": "test",
+        "value": "{{build_name}}"
+    }]
+}
diff --git a/packer/test-fixtures/build-var-build-type.json b/packer/test-fixtures/build-var-build-type.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3d925e406
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packer/test-fixtures/build-var-build-type.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+    "builders": [{
+        "type": "test",
+        "value": "{{build_type}}"
+    }]
+}
diff --git a/template/interpolate/funcs.go b/template/interpolate/funcs.go
index 6092707b8..e5d01b455 100644
--- a/template/interpolate/funcs.go
+++ b/template/interpolate/funcs.go
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ func init() {
 
 // Funcs are the interpolation funcs that are available within interpolations.
 var FuncGens = map[string]FuncGenerator{
+	"build_name":   funcGenBuildName,
+	"build_type":   funcGenBuildType,
 	"env":          funcGenEnv,
 	"isotime":      funcGenIsotime,
 	"pwd":          funcGenPwd,
@@ -56,6 +58,26 @@ func Funcs(ctx *Context) template.FuncMap {
 	return template.FuncMap(result)
 }
 
+func funcGenBuildName(ctx *Context) interface{} {
+	return func() (string, error) {
+		if ctx == nil || ctx.BuildName == "" {
+			return "", errors.New("build_name not available")
+		}
+
+		return ctx.BuildName, nil
+	}
+}
+
+func funcGenBuildType(ctx *Context) interface{} {
+	return func() (string, error) {
+		if ctx == nil || ctx.BuildType == "" {
+			return "", errors.New("build_name not available")
+		}
+
+		return ctx.BuildType, nil
+	}
+}
+
 func funcGenEnv(ctx *Context) interface{} {
 	return func(k string) (string, error) {
 		if !ctx.EnableEnv {
diff --git a/template/interpolate/funcs_test.go b/template/interpolate/funcs_test.go
index ff877f13e..065942c93 100644
--- a/template/interpolate/funcs_test.go
+++ b/template/interpolate/funcs_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,56 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
+func TestFuncBuildName(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		Input  string
+		Output string
+	}{
+		{
+			`{{build_name}}`,
+			"foo",
+		},
+	}
+
+	ctx := &Context{BuildName: "foo"}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		i := &I{Value: tc.Input}
+		result, err := i.Render(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Input: %s\n\nerr: %s", tc.Input, err)
+		}
+
+		if result != tc.Output {
+			t.Fatalf("Input: %s\n\nGot: %s", tc.Input, result)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFuncBuildType(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		Input  string
+		Output string
+	}{
+		{
+			`{{build_type}}`,
+			"foo",
+		},
+	}
+
+	ctx := &Context{BuildType: "foo"}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		i := &I{Value: tc.Input}
+		result, err := i.Render(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Input: %s\n\nerr: %s", tc.Input, err)
+		}
+
+		if result != tc.Output {
+			t.Fatalf("Input: %s\n\nGot: %s", tc.Input, result)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestFuncEnv(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := []struct {
 		Input  string
diff --git a/template/interpolate/i.go b/template/interpolate/i.go
index d5f7c8413..02f56197a 100644
--- a/template/interpolate/i.go
+++ b/template/interpolate/i.go
@@ -14,16 +14,23 @@ type Context struct {
 	// Funcs are extra functions available in the template
 	Funcs map[string]interface{}
 
-	// TemplatePath is the path to the template that this is being
-	// rendered within.
-	TemplatePath string
-
 	// UserVariables is the mapping of user variables that the
 	// "user" function reads from.
 	UserVariables map[string]string
 
 	// EnableEnv enables the env function
 	EnableEnv bool
+
+	// All the fields below are used for built-in functions.
+	//
+	// BuildName and BuildType are the name and type, respectively,
+	// of the builder being used.
+	//
+	// TemplatePath is the path to the template that this is being
+	// rendered within.
+	BuildName    string
+	BuildType    string
+	TemplatePath string
 }
 
 // Render is shorthand for constructing an I and calling Render.
diff --git a/website/source/docs/templates/configuration-templates.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/templates/configuration-templates.html.markdown
index 514bf7820..cef1385d3 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/templates/configuration-templates.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/templates/configuration-templates.html.markdown
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ While some configuration settings have local variables specific to only that
 configuration, a set of functions are available globally for use in _any string_
 in Packer templates. These are listed below for reference.
 
+* `build_name` - The name of the build being run.
+* `build_type` - The type of the builder being used currently.
 * `isotime [FORMAT]` - UTC time, which can be [formatted](http://golang.org/pkg/time/#example_Time_Format).
    See more examples below.
 * `lower` - Lowercases the string.