diff --git a/builder/xenserver/common/ssh.go b/builder/xenserver/common/ssh.go
index d7a9a6b..8500a58 100644
--- a/builder/xenserver/common/ssh.go
+++ b/builder/xenserver/common/ssh.go
@@ -20,9 +20,11 @@ func SSHAddress(state multistep.StateBag) (string, error) {
 }
 
 func SSHLocalAddress(state multistep.StateBag) (string, error) {
-	sshLocalPort := state.Get("local_ssh_port").(uint)
+	sshLocalPort, ok := state.Get("local_ssh_port").(uint)
+	if !ok {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("SSH port forwarding hasn't been set up yet")
+	}
 	conn_str := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", "127.0.0.1", sshLocalPort)
-	log.Printf("sshLocalAddress: %s", conn_str)
 	return conn_str, nil
 }
 
@@ -49,24 +51,14 @@ func SSHConfig(state multistep.StateBag) (*gossh.ClientConfig, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func execute_ssh_cmd(cmd, host, port, username, password string) (stdout string, err error) {
-	// Setup connection config
-	config := &gossh.ClientConfig{
-		User: username,
-		Auth: []gossh.AuthMethod{
-			gossh.Password(password),
-		},
-	}
-
-	client, err := gossh.Dial("tcp", host+":"+port, config)
-
+func doExecuteSSHCmd(cmd, target string, config *gossh.ClientConfig) (stdout string, err error) {
+	client, err := gossh.Dial("tcp", target, config)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
 	//Create session
 	session, err := client.NewSession()
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
@@ -82,6 +74,31 @@ func execute_ssh_cmd(cmd, host, port, username, password string) (stdout string,
 	return strings.Trim(b.String(), "\n"), nil
 }
 
+func ExecuteHostSSHCmd(state multistep.StateBag, cmd string) (stdout string, err error) {
+	config := state.Get("commonconfig").(CommonConfig)
+	// Setup connection config
+	sshConfig := &gossh.ClientConfig{
+		User: config.Username,
+		Auth: []gossh.AuthMethod{
+			gossh.Password(config.Password),
+		},
+	}
+	return doExecuteSSHCmd(cmd, config.HostIp+":22", sshConfig)
+}
+
+func ExecuteGuestSSHCmd(state multistep.StateBag, cmd string) (stdout string, err error) {
+	localAddress, err := SSHLocalAddress(state)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	sshConfig, err := SSHConfig(state)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	return doExecuteSSHCmd(cmd, localAddress, sshConfig)
+}
+
 func forward(local_conn net.Conn, config *gossh.ClientConfig, server, remote_dest string, remote_port uint) error {
 	defer local_conn.Close()
 
diff --git a/builder/xenserver/common/step_get_vnc_port.go b/builder/xenserver/common/step_get_vnc_port.go
index 4dd208c..88afba2 100644
--- a/builder/xenserver/common/step_get_vnc_port.go
+++ b/builder/xenserver/common/step_get_vnc_port.go
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ import (
 type StepGetVNCPort struct{}
 
 func (self *StepGetVNCPort) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
-
-	config := state.Get("commonconfig").(CommonConfig)
 	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
 
 	ui.Say("Step: forward the instances VNC port over SSH")
@@ -19,7 +17,7 @@ func (self *StepGetVNCPort) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 	domid := state.Get("domid").(string)
 	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("xenstore-read /local/domain/%s/console/vnc-port", domid)
 
-	remote_vncport, err := execute_ssh_cmd(cmd, config.HostIp, "22", config.Username, config.Password)
+	remote_vncport, err := ExecuteHostSSHCmd(state, cmd)
 	if err != nil {
 		ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Unable to get VNC port (is the VM running?): %s", err.Error()))
 		return multistep.ActionHalt
diff --git a/builder/xenserver/common/step_shutdown_and_export.go b/builder/xenserver/common/step_shutdown_and_export.go
index c49edfe..39fe0d6 100644
--- a/builder/xenserver/common/step_shutdown_and_export.go
+++ b/builder/xenserver/common/step_shutdown_and_export.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func (StepShutdownAndExport) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction
 		if config.ShutdownCommand != "" {
 			ui.Say("Executing shutdown command...")
 
-			_, err := execute_ssh_cmd(config.ShutdownCommand, config.HostIp, "22", config.Username, config.Password)
+			_, err := ExecuteGuestSSHCmd(state, config.ShutdownCommand)
 			if err != nil {
 				ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Shutdown command failed: %s", err.Error()))
 				return false
diff --git a/builder/xenserver/common/step_start_on_himn.go b/builder/xenserver/common/step_start_on_himn.go
index fbc0ae8..816c228 100644
--- a/builder/xenserver/common/step_start_on_himn.go
+++ b/builder/xenserver/common/step_start_on_himn.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ func (self *StepStartOnHIMN) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction
 
 	ui := state.Get("ui").(packer.Ui)
 	client := state.Get("client").(XenAPIClient)
-	config := state.Get("commonconfig").(CommonConfig)
 
 	ui.Say("Step: Start VM on the Host Internal Mangement Network")
 
@@ -96,7 +95,7 @@ func (self *StepStartOnHIMN) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction
 	err = InterruptibleWait{
 		Predicate: func() (success bool, err error) {
 			ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Attempting to ping interface: %s", ping_cmd))
-			_, err = execute_ssh_cmd(ping_cmd, config.HostIp, "22", config.Username, config.Password)
+			_, err = ExecuteHostSSHCmd(state, ping_cmd)
 
 			switch err.(type) {
 			case nil:
diff --git a/builder/xenserver/common/step_type_boot_command.go b/builder/xenserver/common/step_type_boot_command.go
index d1e1f69..76afcb9 100644
--- a/builder/xenserver/common/step_type_boot_command.go
+++ b/builder/xenserver/common/step_type_boot_command.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func (self *StepTypeBootCommand) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAct
 	log.Printf("Connected to the VNC console: %s", c.DesktopName)
 
 	// find local ip
-	envVar, err := execute_ssh_cmd("echo $SSH_CLIENT", config.HostIp, "22", config.Username, config.Password)
+	envVar, err := ExecuteHostSSHCmd(state, "echo $SSH_CLIENT")
 	if err != nil {
 		ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error detecting local IP: %s", err))
 		return multistep.ActionHalt