diff --git a/provisioner/salt-masterless/provisioner.go b/provisioner/salt-masterless/provisioner.go
index 41d1e261b..9f4dc9b68 100644
--- a/provisioner/salt-masterless/provisioner.go
+++ b/provisioner/salt-masterless/provisioner.go
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ type Config struct {
 	// Local path to the minion config
 	MinionConfig string `mapstructure:"minion_config"`
 
+	// Local path to the minion grains
+	GrainsFile string `mapstructure:"grains_file"`
+
 	// Local path to the salt state tree
 	LocalStateTree string `mapstructure:"local_state_tree"`
 
@@ -107,6 +110,11 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 			errors.New("remote_state_tree and remote_pillar_roots only apply when minion_config is not used"))
 	}
 
+	err = validateFileConfig(p.config.GrainsFile, "grains_file", false)
+	if err != nil {
+		errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs, err)
+	}
+
 	// build the command line args to pass onto salt
 	var cmd_args bytes.Buffer
 
@@ -208,6 +216,26 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Provision(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if p.config.GrainsFile != "" {
+		ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Uploading grains file: %s", p.config.GrainsFile))
+		src = p.config.GrainsFile
+		dst = filepath.ToSlash(filepath.Join(p.config.TempConfigDir, "grains"))
+		if err = p.uploadFile(ui, comm, dst, src); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error uploading local grains file to remote: %s", err)
+		}
+
+		// move grains file into /etc/salt
+		ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Make sure directory %s exists", "/etc/salt"))
+		if err := p.createDir(ui, comm, "/etc/salt"); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error creating remote salt configuration directory: %s", err)
+		}
+		src = filepath.ToSlash(filepath.Join(p.config.TempConfigDir, "grains"))
+		dst = "/etc/salt/grains"
+		if err = p.moveFile(ui, comm, dst, src); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Unable to move %s/grains to /etc/salt/grains: %s", p.config.TempConfigDir, err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Uploading local state tree: %s", p.config.LocalStateTree))
 	src = p.config.LocalStateTree
 	dst = filepath.ToSlash(filepath.Join(p.config.TempConfigDir, "states"))
diff --git a/provisioner/salt-masterless/provisioner_test.go b/provisioner/salt-masterless/provisioner_test.go
index 2b7f3a026..2b40887d3 100644
--- a/provisioner/salt-masterless/provisioner_test.go
+++ b/provisioner/salt-masterless/provisioner_test.go
@@ -119,6 +119,29 @@ func TestProvisionerPrepare_MinionConfig_RemotePillarRoots(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestProvisionerPrepare_GrainsFile(t *testing.T) {
+	var p Provisioner
+	config := testConfig()
+
+	config["grains_file"] = "/i/dont/exist/i/think"
+	err := p.Prepare(config)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should have error")
+	}
+
+	tf, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "grains")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error tempfile: %s", err)
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(tf.Name())
+
+	config["grains_file"] = tf.Name()
+	err = p.Prepare(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestProvisionerPrepare_LocalStateTree(t *testing.T) {
 	var p Provisioner
 	config := testConfig()
diff --git a/website/source/docs/provisioners/salt-masterless.html.md b/website/source/docs/provisioners/salt-masterless.html.md
index adcc4a517..fb83fa435 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/provisioners/salt-masterless.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/provisioners/salt-masterless.html.md
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ Optional:
     uploaded to the `/etc/salt` on the remote. This option overrides the
     `remote_state_tree` or `remote_pillar_roots` options.
 
+- `grains_file` (string) - The path to your local [grains file](
+    https://docs.saltstack.com/en/latest/topics/grains). This will be
+    uploaded to `/etc/salt/grains` on the remote.
+
 - `skip_bootstrap` (boolean) - By default the salt provisioner runs [salt
     bootstrap](https://github.com/saltstack/salt-bootstrap) to install salt. Set
     this to true to skip this step.