diff --git a/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go b/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go
index de53e2305..10fce5911 100755
--- a/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/iso/builder.go
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	BootCommand         []string `mapstructure:"boot_command"`
 	KeepRegistered      bool     `mapstructure:"keep_registered"`
 	SkipCompaction      bool     `mapstructure:"skip_compaction"`
+	SkipExport          bool     `mapstructure:"skip_export"`
 	VMXTemplatePath     string   `mapstructure:"vmx_template_path"`
 	VMXDiskTemplatePath string   `mapstructure:"vmx_disk_template_path"`
 
@@ -301,7 +302,8 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 			RemoteType: b.config.RemoteType,
 		},
 		&StepExport{
-			Format: b.config.Format,
+			Format:     b.config.Format,
+			SkipExport: b.config.SkipExport,
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/builder/vmware/iso/step_export.go b/builder/vmware/iso/step_export.go
index ed4db4896..974c89852 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/iso/step_export.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/iso/step_export.go
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 type StepExport struct {
-	Format string
+	Format     string
+	SkipExport bool
 }
 
 func (s *StepExport) generateArgs(c *Config, outputPath string, hidePassword bool) []string {
@@ -35,6 +36,12 @@ func (s *StepExport) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 	c := state.Get("config").(*Config)
 	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
 
+	// Skip export if requested
+	if c.SkipExport {
+		ui.Say("Skipping export of virtual machine...")
+		return multistep.ActionContinue
+	}
+
 	if c.RemoteType != "esx5" || s.Format == "" {
 		return multistep.ActionContinue
 	}