diff --git a/builder/proxmox/builder.go b/builder/proxmox/builder.go
index 59e271380..b919e4c43 100644
--- a/builder/proxmox/builder.go
+++ b/builder/proxmox/builder.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 		},
 		&communicator.StepConnect{
 			Config:    &b.config.Comm,
-			Host:      getVMIP,
+			Host:      commHost(b.config.Comm.Host()),
 			SSHConfig: b.config.Comm.SSHConfigFunc(),
 		},
 		&common.StepProvision{},
@@ -98,6 +98,19 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 	return artifact, nil
 }
 
+// Returns ssh_host or winrm_host (see communicator.Config.Host) config
+// parameter when set, otherwise gets the host IP from running VM
+func commHost(host string) func(state multistep.StateBag) (string, error) {
+	if host != "" {
+		return func(state multistep.StateBag) (string, error) {
+			return host, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return getVMIP
+}
+
+// Reads the first non-loopback interface's IP address from the VM.
+// qemu-guest-agent package must be installed on the VM
 func getVMIP(state multistep.StateBag) (string, error) {
 	c := state.Get("proxmoxClient").(*proxmox.Client)
 	vmRef := state.Get("vmRef").(*proxmox.VmRef)
diff --git a/builder/proxmox/config.go b/builder/proxmox/config.go
index 8b60c509f..a45ad5a9c 100644
--- a/builder/proxmox/config.go
+++ b/builder/proxmox/config.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	NICs    []nicConfig  `mapstructure:"network_adapters"`
 	Disks   []diskConfig `mapstructure:"disks"`
 	ISOFile string       `mapstructure:"iso_file"`
+	Agent   bool         `mapstructure:"qemu_agent"`
 
 	TemplateName        string `mapstructure:"template_name"`
 	TemplateDescription string `mapstructure:"template_description"`
@@ -68,6 +69,8 @@ type diskConfig struct {
 
 func NewConfig(raws ...interface{}) (*Config, []string, error) {
 	c := new(Config)
+	// Agent defaults to true
+	c.Agent = true
 
 	var md mapstructure.Metadata
 	err := config.Decode(c, &config.DecodeOpts{
diff --git a/builder/proxmox/config_test.go b/builder/proxmox/config_test.go
index e04f4a0d5..ec654dc54 100644
--- a/builder/proxmox/config_test.go
+++ b/builder/proxmox/config_test.go
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ func TestBasicExampleFromDocsIsValid(t *testing.T) {
 	// OS not set, using default 'other'
 	// NIC 0 model not set, using default 'e1000'
 	// Disk 0 cache mode not set, using default 'none'
+	// Agent not set, default is true
 
 	if b.config.Memory != 512 {
 		t.Errorf("Expected Memory to be 512, got %d", b.config.Memory)
@@ -112,4 +113,40 @@ func TestBasicExampleFromDocsIsValid(t *testing.T) {
 	if b.config.Disks[0].CacheMode != "none" {
 		t.Errorf("Expected disk cache mode to be 'none', got %s", b.config.Disks[0].CacheMode)
 	}
+	if b.config.Agent != true {
+		t.Errorf("Expected Agent to be true, got %t", b.config.Agent)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAgentSetToFalse(t *testing.T) {
+	// only the mandatory attributes are specified
+	const config = `{
+		"builders": [
+			{
+				"type": "proxmox",
+				"proxmox_url": "https://my-proxmox.my-domain:8006/api2/json",
+				"username": "apiuser@pve",
+				"password": "supersecret",
+				"iso_file": "local:iso/Fedora-Server-dvd-x86_64-29-1.2.iso",
+				"ssh_username": "root",
+				"node": "my-proxmox",
+				"qemu_agent": false
+			}
+		]
+	}`
+
+	tpl, err := template.Parse(strings.NewReader(config))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	b := &Builder{}
+	warn, err := b.Prepare(tpl.Builders["proxmox"].Config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err, warn)
+	}
+
+	if b.config.Agent != false {
+		t.Errorf("Expected Agent to be false, got %t", b.config.Agent)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/builder/proxmox/step_start_vm.go b/builder/proxmox/step_start_vm.go
index 779394023..a7521b14b 100644
--- a/builder/proxmox/step_start_vm.go
+++ b/builder/proxmox/step_start_vm.go
@@ -21,10 +21,15 @@ func (s *stepStartVM) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multist
 	client := state.Get("proxmoxClient").(*proxmox.Client)
 	c := state.Get("config").(*Config)
 
+	agent := "1"
+	if c.Agent == false {
+		agent = "0"
+	}
+
 	ui.Say("Creating VM")
 	config := proxmox.ConfigQemu{
 		Name:         c.VMName,
-		Agent:        "1",
+		Agent:        agent,
 		Description:  "Packer ephemeral build VM",
 		Memory:       c.Memory,
 		QemuCores:    c.Cores,
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/proxmox.html.md b/website/source/docs/builders/proxmox.html.md
index 2345c1911..472509cdd 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/proxmox.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/proxmox.html.md
@@ -146,6 +146,9 @@ builder.
 -   `unmount_iso` (bool) - If true, remove the mounted ISO from the template
     after finishing. Defaults to `false`.
 
+-   `qemu_agent` (boolean) - Disables QEMU Agent option for this VM. When enabled,
+    then `qemu-guest-agent` must be installed on the guest. When disabled, then 
+    `ssh_host` should be used. Defaults to `true`.
 
 ## Example: Fedora with kickstart