diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/ssh.go b/builder/vmware/common/ssh.go
index c463f5f78..a931dd734 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/ssh.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/ssh.go
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ func SSHAddressFunc(config *SSHConfig) func(multistep.StateBag) (string, error)
 		driver := state.Get("driver").(Driver)
 		vmxPath := state.Get("vmx_path").(string)
 
+		if config.SSHHost != "" {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", config.SSHHost, config.SSHPort), nil
+		}
+
 		log.Println("Lookup up IP information...")
 		f, err := os.Open(vmxPath)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config.go b/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config.go
index 1299bc772..8bb616c17 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package common
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"net"
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ type SSHConfig struct {
 	SSHUser           string `mapstructure:"ssh_username"`
 	SSHKeyPath        string `mapstructure:"ssh_key_path"`
 	SSHPassword       string `mapstructure:"ssh_password"`
+	SSHHost           string `mapstructure:"ssh_host"`
 	SSHPort           uint   `mapstructure:"ssh_port"`
 	SSHSkipRequestPty bool   `mapstructure:"ssh_skip_request_pty"`
 	RawSSHWaitTimeout string `mapstructure:"ssh_wait_timeout"`
@@ -53,6 +55,14 @@ func (c *SSHConfig) Prepare(t *packer.ConfigTemplate) []error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if c.SSHHost != "" {
+		if ip := net.ParseIP(c.SSHHost); ip == nil {
+			if _, err := net.LookupHost(c.SSHHost); err != nil {
+				errs = append(errs, errors.New("ssh_host is an invalid IP or hostname"))
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	if c.SSHUser == "" {
 		errs = append(errs, errors.New("An ssh_username must be specified."))
 	}
diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html.markdown
index 8de9e13ec..dd545f56a 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-iso.html.markdown
@@ -185,6 +185,9 @@ Optional:
   The associated public key is expected to already be configured on the
   VM being prepared by some other process (kickstart, etc.).
 
+* `ssh_host` (string) - Hostname or IP address of the host. By default, DHCP
+  is used to connect to the host and this field is not used. 
+
 * `ssh_password` (string) - The password for `ssh_username` to use to
   authenticate with SSH. By default this is the empty string.