diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
index 8f894b9b2..6862c3d04 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/builder.go
@@ -295,7 +295,13 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 
 	steps := []multistep.Step{
 		new(stepDownloadGuestAdditions),
-		new(stepDownloadISO),
+		&common.StepDownload{
+			Checksum:     b.config.ISOChecksum,
+			ChecksumType: b.config.ISOChecksumType,
+			Description:  "ISO",
+			ResultKey:    "iso_path",
+			Url:          []string{b.config.ISOUrl},
+		},
 		new(stepPrepareOutputDir),
 		&common.StepCreateFloppy{
 			Files: b.config.FloppyFiles,
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/step_download_iso.go b/builder/virtualbox/step_download_iso.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 39bcea3de..000000000
--- a/builder/virtualbox/step_download_iso.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,90 +0,0 @@
-package virtualbox
-
-import (
-	"encoding/hex"
-	"fmt"
-	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
-	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/common"
-	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
-	"log"
-	"time"
-)
-
-// This step downloads the ISO specified.
-//
-// Uses:
-//   cache packer.Cache
-//   config *config
-//   ui     packer.Ui
-//
-// Produces:
-//   iso_path string
-type stepDownloadISO struct{}
-
-func (s stepDownloadISO) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
-	cache := state["cache"].(packer.Cache)
-	config := state["config"].(*config)
-	ui := state["ui"].(packer.Ui)
-
-	checksum, err := hex.DecodeString(config.ISOChecksum)
-	if err != nil {
-		state["error"] = fmt.Errorf("Error parsing checksum: %s", err)
-		return multistep.ActionHalt
-	}
-
-	log.Printf("Acquiring lock to download the ISO.")
-	cachePath := cache.Lock(config.ISOUrl)
-	defer cache.Unlock(config.ISOUrl)
-
-	downloadConfig := &common.DownloadConfig{
-		Url:        config.ISOUrl,
-		TargetPath: cachePath,
-		CopyFile:   false,
-		Hash:       common.HashForType(config.ISOChecksumType),
-		Checksum:   checksum,
-	}
-
-	download := common.NewDownloadClient(downloadConfig)
-
-	downloadCompleteCh := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		ui.Say("Copying or downloading ISO. Progress will be reported periodically.")
-		cachePath, err = download.Get()
-		downloadCompleteCh <- err
-	}()
-
-	progressTicker := time.NewTicker(5 * time.Second)
-	defer progressTicker.Stop()
-
-DownloadWaitLoop:
-	for {
-		select {
-		case err := <-downloadCompleteCh:
-			if err != nil {
-				err := fmt.Errorf("Error downloading ISO: %s", err)
-				state["error"] = err
-				ui.Error(err.Error())
-				return multistep.ActionHalt
-			}
-
-			break DownloadWaitLoop
-		case <-progressTicker.C:
-			progress := download.PercentProgress()
-			if progress >= 0 {
-				ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Download progress: %d%%", progress))
-			}
-		case <-time.After(1 * time.Second):
-			if _, ok := state[multistep.StateCancelled]; ok {
-				ui.Say("Interrupt received. Cancelling download...")
-				return multistep.ActionHalt
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	log.Printf("Path to ISO on disk: %s", cachePath)
-	state["iso_path"] = cachePath
-
-	return multistep.ActionContinue
-}
-
-func (stepDownloadISO) Cleanup(map[string]interface{}) {}
diff --git a/common/step_download.go b/common/step_download.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9f97a8eac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/step_download.go
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
+	"log"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// StepDownload downloads a remote file using the download client within
+// this package. This step handles setting up the download configuration,
+// progress reporting, interrupt handling, etc.
+//
+// Uses:
+//   cache packer.Cache
+//   ui    packer.Ui
+type StepDownload struct {
+	// The checksum and the type of the checksum for the download
+	Checksum     string
+	ChecksumType string
+
+	// A short description of the type of download being done. Example:
+	// "ISO" or "Guest Additions"
+	Description string
+
+	// The name of the key where the final path of the ISO will be put
+	// into the state.
+	ResultKey string
+
+	// A list of URLs to attempt to download this thing.
+	Url []string
+}
+
+func (s *StepDownload) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
+	cache := state["cache"].(packer.Cache)
+	ui := state["ui"].(packer.Ui)
+
+	checksum, err := hex.DecodeString(s.Checksum)
+	if err != nil {
+		state["error"] = fmt.Errorf("Error parsing checksum: %s", err)
+		return multistep.ActionHalt
+	}
+
+	ui.Say(fmt.Sprintf("Downloading or copying %s", s.Description))
+
+	var finalPath string
+	for _, url := range s.Url {
+		ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Downloading or copying: %s", url))
+		log.Printf("Acquiring lock to download: %s", url)
+		cachePath := cache.Lock(url)
+		defer cache.Unlock(url)
+
+		config := &DownloadConfig{
+			Url:        url,
+			TargetPath: cachePath,
+			CopyFile:   false,
+			Hash:       HashForType(s.ChecksumType),
+			Checksum:   checksum,
+		}
+
+		path, err, retry := s.download(config, state)
+		if err != nil {
+			ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Error downloading: %s", err))
+		}
+
+		if !retry {
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
+
+		if err == nil {
+			finalPath = path
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	if finalPath == "" {
+		err := fmt.Errorf("%s download failed.", s.Description)
+		state["error"] = err
+		ui.Error(err.Error())
+		return multistep.ActionHalt
+	}
+
+	state[s.ResultKey] = finalPath
+	return multistep.ActionContinue
+}
+
+func (s *StepDownload) Cleanup(map[string]interface{}) {}
+
+func (s *StepDownload) download(config *DownloadConfig, state map[string]interface{}) (string, error, bool) {
+	var path string
+	ui := state["ui"].(packer.Ui)
+	download := NewDownloadClient(config)
+
+	downloadCompleteCh := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		var err error
+		path, err = download.Get()
+		downloadCompleteCh <- err
+	}()
+
+	progressTicker := time.NewTicker(5 * time.Second)
+	defer progressTicker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case err := <-downloadCompleteCh:
+			if err != nil {
+				return "", err, true
+			}
+
+			return path, nil, true
+		case <-progressTicker.C:
+			progress := download.PercentProgress()
+			if progress >= 0 {
+				ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Download progress: %d%%", progress))
+			}
+		case <-time.After(1 * time.Second):
+			if _, ok := state[multistep.StateCancelled]; ok {
+				ui.Say("Interrupt received. Cancelling download...")
+				return "", nil, false
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/common/step_download_test.go b/common/step_download_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..258beda09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/step_download_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestStepDownload_Impl(t *testing.T) {
+	var raw interface{}
+	raw = new(StepDownload)
+	if _, ok := raw.(multistep.Step); !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("download should be a step")
+	}
+}