diff --git a/packer/template.go b/packer/template.go
index aadaf4511..4a3170427 100644
--- a/packer/template.go
+++ b/packer/template.go
@@ -317,6 +317,10 @@ func ParseTemplate(data []byte, vars map[string]string) (t *Template, err error)
 			raw.pauseBefore = duration
 		}
 
+		// Remove the pause_before setting if it is there so that we don't
+		// get template validation errors later.
+		delete(v, "pause_before")
+
 		raw.RawConfig = v
 	}
 
diff --git a/packer/template_test.go b/packer/template_test.go
index 38412c790..2d17bb3e7 100644
--- a/packer/template_test.go
+++ b/packer/template_test.go
@@ -1479,6 +1479,11 @@ func TestTemplateBuild_ProvisionerPauseBefore(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", pp.PauseBefore)
 		}
 	}
+
+	config := coreBuild.provisioners[0].config[0].(map[string]interface{})
+	if _, ok := config["pause_before"]; ok {
+		t.Fatal("pause_before should be removed")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestTemplateBuild_variables(t *testing.T) {