diff --git a/provisioner/chef-client/provisioner.go b/provisioner/chef-client/provisioner.go
index 71f37aafa..aba777e27 100644
--- a/provisioner/chef-client/provisioner.go
+++ b/provisioner/chef-client/provisioner.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 type Config struct {
 	common.PackerConfig `mapstructure:",squash"`
 
+	ChefEnvironment      string `mapstructure:"chef_environment"`
 	ConfigTemplate       string `mapstructure:"config_template"`
 	ExecuteCommand       string `mapstructure:"execute_command"`
 	InstallCommand       string `mapstructure:"install_command"`
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ type ConfigTemplate struct {
 	ServerUrl            string
 	ValidationKeyPath    string
 	ValidationClientName string
+	ChefEnvironment      string
 }
 
 type ExecuteTemplate struct {
@@ -75,6 +77,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 	errs := common.CheckUnusedConfig(md)
 
 	templates := map[string]*string{
+		"chef_environment":       &p.config.ChefEnvironment,
 		"config_template":        &p.config.ConfigTemplate,
 		"node_name":              &p.config.NodeName,
 		"staging_dir":            &p.config.StagingDir,
@@ -206,7 +209,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Provision(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator) error {
 	}
 
 	configPath, err := p.createConfig(
-		ui, comm, nodeName, serverUrl, remoteValidationKeyPath, p.config.ValidationClientName)
+		ui, comm, nodeName, serverUrl, remoteValidationKeyPath, p.config.ValidationClientName, p.config.ChefEnvironment)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Error creating Chef config file: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -260,7 +263,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) uploadDirectory(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator, ds
 	return comm.UploadDir(dst, src, nil)
 }
 
-func (p *Provisioner) createConfig(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator, nodeName string, serverUrl string, remoteKeyPath string, validationClientName string) (string, error) {
+func (p *Provisioner) createConfig(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator, nodeName string, serverUrl string, remoteKeyPath string, validationClientName string, chefEnvironment string) (string, error) {
 	ui.Message("Creating configuration file 'client.rb'")
 
 	// Read the template
@@ -285,6 +288,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) createConfig(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator, nodeN
 		ServerUrl:            serverUrl,
 		ValidationKeyPath:    remoteKeyPath,
 		ValidationClientName: validationClientName,
+		ChefEnvironment:      chefEnvironment,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
@@ -552,4 +556,7 @@ validation_key "{{.ValidationKeyPath}}"
 {{if ne .NodeName ""}}
 node_name "{{.NodeName}}"
 {{end}}
+{{if ne .ChefEnvironment ""}}
+environment "{{.ChefEnvironment}}"
+{{end}}
 `
diff --git a/provisioner/chef-client/provisioner_test.go b/provisioner/chef-client/provisioner_test.go
index b9d3b9c43..b6a5a9d2e 100644
--- a/provisioner/chef-client/provisioner_test.go
+++ b/provisioner/chef-client/provisioner_test.go
@@ -22,6 +22,22 @@ func TestProvisioner_Impl(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestProvisionerPrepare_chefEnvironment(t *testing.T) {
+	var p Provisioner
+
+	config := testConfig()
+	config["chef_environment"] = "some-env"
+
+	err := p.Prepare(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if p.config.ChefEnvironment != "some-env" {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected: %#v", p.config.ChefEnvironment)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestProvisionerPrepare_configTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 	var err error
 	var p Provisioner
diff --git a/website/source/docs/provisioners/chef-client.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/provisioners/chef-client.html.markdown
index 92a3af381..36ae9ee8c 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/provisioners/chef-client.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/provisioners/chef-client.html.markdown
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ The reference of available configuration options is listed below. No
 configuration is actually required, but `node_name` is recommended
 since it will allow the provisioner to clean up the node/client.
 
+* `chef_environment` (string) - The name of the chef_environment sent to the
+  Chef server. By default this is empty and will not use an environment.
+
 * `config_template` (string) - Path to a template that will be used for
   the Chef configuration file. By default Packer only sets configuration
   it needs to match the settings set in the provisioner configuration. If