diff --git a/doc/topics/cloud/vmware.rst b/doc/topics/cloud/vmware.rst
index 7cb08fc690..5670eac870 100644
--- a/doc/topics/cloud/vmware.rst
+++ b/doc/topics/cloud/vmware.rst
@@ -612,6 +612,7 @@ Example of a complete profile:
           Hard disk 0:
             controller: 'SCSI controller 0'
             size: 20
+            mode: 'independent_nonpersistent'
         cd:
           CD/DVD drive 0:
             controller: 'IDE 0'
@@ -628,3 +629,30 @@ Example of a complete profile:
     be available. In such cases, the closest match to another ``image`` should
     be used. In the example above, a Debian 8 VM is created using the image
     ``debian7_64Guest`` which is for a Debian 7 guest.
+
+
+Specifying disk backing mode
+============================
+
+.. versionadded:: Nitrogen
+
+Disk backing mode can now be specified when cloning a VM. This option
+can be set in the cloud profile as shown in example below:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+    my-vm:
+      provider: esx01
+      datastore: esx01-datastore
+      resourcepool: Resources
+      folder: vm
+
+
+      devices:
+        disk:
+          Hard disk 1:
+            mode: 'independent_nonpersistent'
+
+          Hard disk 2:
+            size: 15
+            mode: 'independent_nonpersistent'
diff --git a/doc/topics/releases/2016.3.4.rst b/doc/topics/releases/2016.3.4.rst
index 6f85e0bfcb..fdf87973bd 100644
--- a/doc/topics/releases/2016.3.4.rst
+++ b/doc/topics/releases/2016.3.4.rst
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Changes
 - The `disk.wipe` execution module function has been modified
   so that it correctly wipes a disk.
 - Add ability to clone from a snapshot to the VMWare salt-cloud driver.
+- Add ability to specify disk backing mode in the VMWare salt cloud profile.
 
 Changes for v2016.3.3..v2016.3.4
 --------------------------------
diff --git a/salt/cloud/clouds/vmware.py b/salt/cloud/clouds/vmware.py
index c31f0dfffd..6845360f32 100644
--- a/salt/cloud/clouds/vmware.py
+++ b/salt/cloud/clouds/vmware.py
@@ -270,6 +270,15 @@ def _edit_existing_hard_disk_helper(disk, size_kb):
     return disk_spec
 
 
+def _edit_existing_hard_disk_mode_helper(disk, mode):
+    disk_spec = vim.vm.device.VirtualDeviceSpec()
+    disk_spec.operation = vim.vm.device.VirtualDeviceSpec.Operation.edit
+    disk.backing.diskMode = mode
+    disk_spec.device = disk
+
+    return disk_spec
+
+
 def _add_new_hard_disk_helper(disk_label, size_gb, unit_number, controller_key=1000, thin_provision=False):
     random_key = randint(-2099, -2000)
 
@@ -601,15 +610,30 @@ def _manage_devices(devices, vm=None, container_ref=None):
             if isinstance(device, vim.vm.device.VirtualDisk):
                 # this is a hard disk
                 if 'disk' in list(devices.keys()):
-                    # there is atleast one disk specified to be created/configured
+                    # there is at least one disk specified to be created/configured
                     unit_number += 1
                     existing_disks_label.append(device.deviceInfo.label)
                     if device.deviceInfo.label in list(devices['disk'].keys()):
-                        size_gb = float(devices['disk'][device.deviceInfo.label]['size'])
-                        size_kb = int(size_gb * 1024.0 * 1024.0)
-                        if device.capacityInKB < size_kb:
-                            # expand the disk
-                            disk_spec = _edit_existing_hard_disk_helper(device, size_kb)
+                        disk_spec = None
+                        if 'size' in devices['disk'][device.deviceInfo.label]:
+                            disk_spec = _get_size_spec(device, devices)
+
+                        if 'mode' in devices['disk'][device.deviceInfo.label]:
+                            if devices['disk'][device.deviceInfo.label]['mode'] \
+                                in [
+                                    'independent_persistent',
+                                    'persistent',
+                                    'independent_nonpersistent',
+                                    'nonpersistent',
+                                    'undoable',
+                                    'append'
+                            ]:
+                                disk_spec = _get_mode_spec(device, devices, disk_spec)
+                            else:
+                                raise SaltCloudSystemExit('Invalid disk'
+                                                          ' backing mode'
+                                                          ' specified!')
+                        if disk_spec:
                             device_specs.append(disk_spec)
 
             elif isinstance(device.backing, vim.vm.device.VirtualEthernetCard.NetworkBackingInfo) or isinstance(device.backing, vim.vm.device.VirtualEthernetCard.DistributedVirtualPortBackingInfo):
@@ -755,6 +779,31 @@ def _manage_devices(devices, vm=None, container_ref=None):
     return ret
 
 
+def _get_mode_spec(device, devices, disk_spec):
+    if device.backing.diskMode != \
+            devices['disk'][device.deviceInfo.label]['mode']:
+        if not disk_spec:
+            disk_spec = \
+                _edit_existing_hard_disk_mode_helper(
+                    device,
+                    devices['disk'][device.deviceInfo.label]['mode']
+                )
+        else:
+            disk_spec.device.backing.diskMode = \
+                devices['disk'][device.deviceInfo.label]['mode']
+    return disk_spec
+
+
+def _get_size_spec(device, devices):
+    size_gb = float(devices['disk'][device.deviceInfo.label]['size'])
+    size_kb = int(size_gb * 1024.0 * 1024.0)
+    disk_spec = None
+    if device.capacityInKB < size_kb:
+        # expand the disk
+        disk_spec = _edit_existing_hard_disk_helper(device, size_kb)
+    return disk_spec
+
+
 def _wait_for_vmware_tools(vm_ref, max_wait):
     time_counter = 0
     starttime = time.time()