diff --git a/release/Makefile b/release/Makefile
index 8a6ece7d1b58..8a517f810243 100644
--- a/release/Makefile
+++ b/release/Makefile
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ VMTARGETS=	vm-base vm-image
 VMFORMATS?=	vhd vmdk qcow2 raw
 VMSIZE?=	20G
 VMBASE?=	vm
+AZURECONF?=	${.CURDIR}/tools/azure.conf
 
 CLEANFILES=	packagesystem *.txz MANIFEST system ${IMAGES}
 .if defined(WITH_COMPRESSED_IMAGES) && !empty(WITH_COMPRESSED_IMAGES)
@@ -121,6 +122,12 @@ CLEANDIRS=	dist ftp release bootonly dvd
 .if defined(WITH_VMIMAGES) && !empty(WITH_VMIMAGES)
 CLEANDIRS+=	${VMTARGETS}
 .endif
+.if exists(${.CURDIR}/${TARGET}/mk-azure.sh)
+CLEANFILES+=	${OSRELEASE}.vhd \
+		${OSRELEASE}.vhd.raw \
+		azure.img
+CLEANDIRS+=	vm-azure
+.endif
 beforeclean:
 	chflags -R noschg .
 .include <bsd.obj.mk>
@@ -338,3 +345,11 @@ vm-image: vm-base
 . endif
 .endif
 	touch ${.TARGET}
+
+vm-azure:
+.if exists(${.CURDIR}/${TARGET}/mk-azure.sh)
+	env TARGET=${TARGET} TARGET_ARCH=${TARGET_ARCH} AZURECONF=${AZURECONF} \
+		${.CURDIR}/${TARGET}/mk-azure.sh ${.TARGET} azure.img \
+		${WORLDDIR} ${.TARGET} ${VMSIZE} ${OSRELEASE}.vhd
+.endif
+	touch ${.TARGET}
diff --git a/release/amd64/mk-azure.sh b/release/amd64/mk-azure.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..b691d54f6a69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/amd64/mk-azure.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#-
+# Copyright (c) 2014 The FreeBSD Foundation
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# This software was developed by Glen Barber under sponsorship
+# from the FreeBSD Foundation.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+# are met:
+# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+#    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND
+# ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+# IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+# ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
+# FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+# DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS
+# OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
+# HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+# LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
+# OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+# SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+# mk-azure.sh: Create virtual machine disk images for Microsoft Azure
+#
+# $FreeBSD$
+#
+
+export PATH="/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/bin"
+
+usage() {
+	echo "Usage:"
+	echo -n "$(basename ${0}) vm-azure <base image>"
+	echo " <source tree> <dest dir> <disk image size> <vm image name>"
+	exit 1
+}
+
+panic() {
+	msg="${@}"
+	printf "${msg}\n"
+	if [ ! -z "${mddev}" ]; then
+		mdconfig -d -u ${mddev}
+	fi
+	# Do not allow one failure case to chain through any remaining image
+	# builds.
+	exit 0
+}
+
+vm_create_azure() {
+	# Arguments:
+	# vm-azure <base image> <source tree> <dest dir> <disk image size> <vm image name>
+
+	VMBASE="${1}"
+	WORLDDIR="${2}"
+	DESTDIR="${3}"
+	VMSIZE="${4}"
+	VMIMAGE="${5}"
+
+	if [ -z "${VMBASE}" -o -z "${WORLDDIR}" -o -z "${DESTDIR}" \
+		-o -z "${VMSIZE}" -o -z "${VMIMAGE}" ]; then
+			usage
+	fi
+
+	trap "umount ${DESTDIR}/dev ${DESTDIR}" EXIT
+
+	i=0
+	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}
+	truncate -s ${VMSIZE} ${VMBASE}
+	mddev=$(mdconfig -f ${VMBASE})
+	newfs -j /dev/${mddev}
+	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}
+	mount /dev/${mddev} ${DESTDIR}
+	make -C ${WORLDDIR} DESTDIR=$(realpath ${DESTDIR}) \
+		installworld installkernel distribution || \
+		panic 1 "\n\nCannot install the base system to ${DESTDIR}."
+	mount -t devfs devfs ${DESTDIR}/dev
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} /usr/bin/newaliases
+	echo '# Custom /etc/fstab for FreeBSD VM images' \
+		> ${DESTDIR}/etc/fstab
+	echo '/dev/gpt/rootfs	/	ufs	rw	2	2' \
+		>> ${DESTDIR}/etc/fstab
+	# Although a swap partition is created, it is not used in Azure.
+	echo '#/dev/gpt/swapfs	none	swap	sw	0	0' \
+		>> ${DESTDIR}/etc/fstab
+
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} /etc/rc.d/ldconfig forcestart
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes /usr/sbin/pkg bootstrap -y
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes /usr/sbin/pkg install -y \
+	        python python2 python27 py27-asn1 sudo bash
+	if [ ! -z "${VM_EXTRA_PACKAGES}" ]; then
+	        chroot ${DESTDIR} env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes /usr/sbin/pkg install -y \
+	                ${VM_EXTRA_PACKAGES}
+	fi
+
+	fetch -o ${DESTDIR}/usr/sbin/waagent \
+		http://people.freebsd.org/~gjb/waagent
+	chmod +x ${DESTDIR}/usr/sbin/waagent
+	rm -f ${DESTDIR}/etc/resolv.conf
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} /usr/sbin/waagent -verbose -install
+	yes | chroot ${DESTDIR} /usr/sbin/waagent -deprovision
+	echo 'sshd_enable="YES"' > ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+	echo 'ifconfig_hn0="SYNCDHCP"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+	echo 'waagent_enable="YES"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+
+	echo 'console="comconsole vidconsole"' >> ${DESTDIR}/boot/loader.conf
+	echo 'comconsole_speed="115200"' >> ${DESTDIR}/boot/loader.conf
+
+	if [ ! -z "${VM_RC_LIST}" ]; then
+		for _rcvar in ${VM_RC_LIST}; do
+			echo ${_rcvar}_enable="YES" >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+		done
+	fi
+
+	sync
+
+	while ! umount ${DESTDIR}/dev ${DESTDIR}; do
+		i=$(( $i + 1 ))
+		if [ $i -ge 10 ]; then
+			# This should never happen.  But, it has happened.
+			msg="Cannot umount(8) ${DESTDIR}\n"
+			msg="${msg}Something has gone horribly wrong."
+			panic 1 "${msg}"
+		fi
+		sleep 1
+	done
+
+	mkimg -f vhdf -s gpt \
+		-b /boot/pmbr -p freebsd-boot/bootfs:=/boot/gptboot \
+		-p freebsd-swap/swapfs::1G \
+		-p freebsd-ufs/rootfs:=${VMBASE} \
+		-o ${VMIMAGE}.raw
+
+	if [ ! -x "/usr/local/bin/qemu-img" ]; then
+		env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg install -y emulators/qemu-devel
+	fi
+
+	size=$(qemu-img info -f raw --output json ${VMIMAGE}.raw | awk '/virtual-size/ {print $2}' | tr -d ',')
+	size=$(( ( ${size} / ( 1024 * 1024 ) + 1 ) * ( 1024 * 1024 ) ))
+	qemu-img resize ${VMIMAGE}.raw ${size}
+	qemu-img convert -f raw -o subformat=fixed -O vpc ${VMIMAGE}.raw ${VMIMAGE}
+
+	return 0
+}
+
+main() {
+	cmd="${1}"
+	shift 1
+
+	if [ -e "${AZURECONF}" -a ! -c "${AZURECONF}" ]; then
+		. ${AZURECONF}
+	fi
+
+	case ${cmd} in
+		vm-azure)
+			eval vm_create_azure "$@" || return 0
+			;;
+		*|\?)
+			usage
+			;;
+	esac
+
+	return 0
+}
+
+main "$@"
diff --git a/release/i386/mk-azure.sh b/release/i386/mk-azure.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..b691d54f6a69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/i386/mk-azure.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#-
+# Copyright (c) 2014 The FreeBSD Foundation
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# This software was developed by Glen Barber under sponsorship
+# from the FreeBSD Foundation.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+# are met:
+# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+#    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND
+# ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+# IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+# ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
+# FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+# DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS
+# OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
+# HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+# LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
+# OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+# SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+# mk-azure.sh: Create virtual machine disk images for Microsoft Azure
+#
+# $FreeBSD$
+#
+
+export PATH="/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/bin"
+
+usage() {
+	echo "Usage:"
+	echo -n "$(basename ${0}) vm-azure <base image>"
+	echo " <source tree> <dest dir> <disk image size> <vm image name>"
+	exit 1
+}
+
+panic() {
+	msg="${@}"
+	printf "${msg}\n"
+	if [ ! -z "${mddev}" ]; then
+		mdconfig -d -u ${mddev}
+	fi
+	# Do not allow one failure case to chain through any remaining image
+	# builds.
+	exit 0
+}
+
+vm_create_azure() {
+	# Arguments:
+	# vm-azure <base image> <source tree> <dest dir> <disk image size> <vm image name>
+
+	VMBASE="${1}"
+	WORLDDIR="${2}"
+	DESTDIR="${3}"
+	VMSIZE="${4}"
+	VMIMAGE="${5}"
+
+	if [ -z "${VMBASE}" -o -z "${WORLDDIR}" -o -z "${DESTDIR}" \
+		-o -z "${VMSIZE}" -o -z "${VMIMAGE}" ]; then
+			usage
+	fi
+
+	trap "umount ${DESTDIR}/dev ${DESTDIR}" EXIT
+
+	i=0
+	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}
+	truncate -s ${VMSIZE} ${VMBASE}
+	mddev=$(mdconfig -f ${VMBASE})
+	newfs -j /dev/${mddev}
+	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}
+	mount /dev/${mddev} ${DESTDIR}
+	make -C ${WORLDDIR} DESTDIR=$(realpath ${DESTDIR}) \
+		installworld installkernel distribution || \
+		panic 1 "\n\nCannot install the base system to ${DESTDIR}."
+	mount -t devfs devfs ${DESTDIR}/dev
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} /usr/bin/newaliases
+	echo '# Custom /etc/fstab for FreeBSD VM images' \
+		> ${DESTDIR}/etc/fstab
+	echo '/dev/gpt/rootfs	/	ufs	rw	2	2' \
+		>> ${DESTDIR}/etc/fstab
+	# Although a swap partition is created, it is not used in Azure.
+	echo '#/dev/gpt/swapfs	none	swap	sw	0	0' \
+		>> ${DESTDIR}/etc/fstab
+
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} /etc/rc.d/ldconfig forcestart
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes /usr/sbin/pkg bootstrap -y
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes /usr/sbin/pkg install -y \
+	        python python2 python27 py27-asn1 sudo bash
+	if [ ! -z "${VM_EXTRA_PACKAGES}" ]; then
+	        chroot ${DESTDIR} env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes /usr/sbin/pkg install -y \
+	                ${VM_EXTRA_PACKAGES}
+	fi
+
+	fetch -o ${DESTDIR}/usr/sbin/waagent \
+		http://people.freebsd.org/~gjb/waagent
+	chmod +x ${DESTDIR}/usr/sbin/waagent
+	rm -f ${DESTDIR}/etc/resolv.conf
+	chroot ${DESTDIR} /usr/sbin/waagent -verbose -install
+	yes | chroot ${DESTDIR} /usr/sbin/waagent -deprovision
+	echo 'sshd_enable="YES"' > ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+	echo 'ifconfig_hn0="SYNCDHCP"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+	echo 'waagent_enable="YES"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+
+	echo 'console="comconsole vidconsole"' >> ${DESTDIR}/boot/loader.conf
+	echo 'comconsole_speed="115200"' >> ${DESTDIR}/boot/loader.conf
+
+	if [ ! -z "${VM_RC_LIST}" ]; then
+		for _rcvar in ${VM_RC_LIST}; do
+			echo ${_rcvar}_enable="YES" >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+		done
+	fi
+
+	sync
+
+	while ! umount ${DESTDIR}/dev ${DESTDIR}; do
+		i=$(( $i + 1 ))
+		if [ $i -ge 10 ]; then
+			# This should never happen.  But, it has happened.
+			msg="Cannot umount(8) ${DESTDIR}\n"
+			msg="${msg}Something has gone horribly wrong."
+			panic 1 "${msg}"
+		fi
+		sleep 1
+	done
+
+	mkimg -f vhdf -s gpt \
+		-b /boot/pmbr -p freebsd-boot/bootfs:=/boot/gptboot \
+		-p freebsd-swap/swapfs::1G \
+		-p freebsd-ufs/rootfs:=${VMBASE} \
+		-o ${VMIMAGE}.raw
+
+	if [ ! -x "/usr/local/bin/qemu-img" ]; then
+		env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg install -y emulators/qemu-devel
+	fi
+
+	size=$(qemu-img info -f raw --output json ${VMIMAGE}.raw | awk '/virtual-size/ {print $2}' | tr -d ',')
+	size=$(( ( ${size} / ( 1024 * 1024 ) + 1 ) * ( 1024 * 1024 ) ))
+	qemu-img resize ${VMIMAGE}.raw ${size}
+	qemu-img convert -f raw -o subformat=fixed -O vpc ${VMIMAGE}.raw ${VMIMAGE}
+
+	return 0
+}
+
+main() {
+	cmd="${1}"
+	shift 1
+
+	if [ -e "${AZURECONF}" -a ! -c "${AZURECONF}" ]; then
+		. ${AZURECONF}
+	fi
+
+	case ${cmd} in
+		vm-azure)
+			eval vm_create_azure "$@" || return 0
+			;;
+		*|\?)
+			usage
+			;;
+	esac
+
+	return 0
+}
+
+main "$@"
diff --git a/release/tools/azure.conf b/release/tools/azure.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..da205bb1d307
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/tools/azure.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# $FreeBSD$
+#
+
+# Set to a list of packages to install.
+# Example:
+#export VM_EXTRA_PACKAGES="www/apache24"
+export VM_EXTRA_PACKAGES=
+
+# Set to a list of third-party software to enable in rc.conf(5).
+# Example:
+#export VM_RC_LIST="apache24"
+export VM_RC_LIST="apache24"