diff --git a/functions b/functions
index 84e88fbd16..bb51a55fdf 100644
--- a/functions
+++ b/functions
@@ -1219,6 +1219,14 @@ function upload_image() {
         return
     fi
 
+    # vmdk format images
+    if [[ "$image_url" =~ '.vmdk' ]]; then
+        IMAGE="$FILES/${IMAGE_FNAME}"
+        IMAGE_NAME="${IMAGE_FNAME%.vmdk}"
+        glance --os-auth-token $token --os-image-url http://$GLANCE_HOSTPORT image-create --name "$IMAGE_NAME" --is-public=True --container-format bare --disk-format vmdk --property vmware-disktype="preallocated" < "${IMAGE}"
+        return
+    fi
+
     # XenServer-ovf-format images are provided as .vhd.tgz as well
     # and should not be decompressed prior to loading
     if [[ "$image_url" =~ '.vhd.tgz' ]]; then
diff --git a/stackrc b/stackrc
index 88f7d8ac0b..74a399c823 100644
--- a/stackrc
+++ b/stackrc
@@ -240,7 +240,8 @@ case "$VIRT_DRIVER" in
         esac
         ;;
     vsphere)
-        IMAGE_URLS="";;
+        DEFAULT_IMAGE_NAME=${DEFAULT_IMAGE_NAME:-debian-2.6.32-i686}
+        IMAGE_URLS=${IMAGE_URLS:-"http://partnerweb.vmware.com/programs/vmdkimage/debian-2.6.32-i686.vmdk"};;
     *) # Default to Cirros with kernel, ramdisk and disk image
         DEFAULT_IMAGE_NAME=${DEFAULT_IMAGE_NAME:-cirros-0.3.1-x86_64-uec}
         IMAGE_URLS=${IMAGE_URLS:-"http://download.cirros-cloud.net/0.3.1/cirros-0.3.1-x86_64-uec.tar.gz"};;