--- a/include/image-commands.mk
+++ b/include/image-commands.mk
@@ -329,6 +329,17 @@ endef
 
 # Convert a raw image into a $1 type image.
 # E.g. | qemu-image vdi
+define Build/qemu-exsi
+	if command -v qemu-img; then \
+		name="$(subst .vmdk.zip,,$@)"; \
+		qemu-img convert -f raw -O $1 $@ $$name.vmdk; \
+		rm -f $@; \
+		zip -jm $@ $$name*.vmdk; \
+	else \
+		echo "WARNING: Install qemu-img to create VDI/VMDK images" >&2; exit 1; \
+	fi
+endef
+
 define Build/qemu-image
 	if command -v qemu-img; then \
 		qemu-img convert -f raw -O $1 $@ $@.new; \

--- a/target/linux/x86/image/Makefile
+++ b/target/linux/x86/image/Makefile
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ define Device/Default
   IMAGE/combined.img := grub-config pc | combined | grub-install | append-metadata
   IMAGE/combined.img.gz := grub-config pc | combined | grub-install | gzip | append-metadata
   IMAGE/combined.vdi := grub-config pc | combined | grub-install | qemu-image vdi
-  IMAGE/combined.vmdk := grub-config pc | combined | grub-install | qemu-image vmdk
+  IMAGE/combined.vmdk.zip := grub-config pc | combined | grub-install | qemu-exsi vmdk -o adapter_type=lsilogic -o subformat=monolithicFlat
   IMAGE/combined.vhdx := grub-config pc | combined | grub-install | qemu-image vhdx -o subformat=dynamic
   IMAGE/rootfs.img := append-rootfs | pad-to $(ROOTFS_PARTSIZE)
   IMAGE/rootfs.img.gz := append-rootfs | pad-to $(ROOTFS_PARTSIZE) | gzip
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ define Device/Default
   IMAGE/combined-efi.img := grub-config efi | combined efi | grub-install efi | append-metadata
   IMAGE/combined-efi.img.gz := grub-config efi | combined efi | grub-install efi | gzip | append-metadata
   IMAGE/combined-efi.vdi := grub-config efi | combined efi | grub-install efi | qemu-image vdi
-  IMAGE/combined-efi.vmdk := grub-config efi | combined efi | grub-install efi | qemu-image vmdk
+  IMAGE/combined-efi.vmdk.zip := grub-config efi | combined efi | grub-install efi | qemu-exsi vmdk -o adapter_type=lsilogic -o subformat=monolithicFlat
   IMAGE/combined-efi.vhdx := grub-config efi | combined efi | grub-install efi | qemu-image vhdx -o subformat=dynamic
   ifeq ($(CONFIG_TARGET_IMAGES_GZIP),y)
     IMAGES-y := rootfs.img.gz
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ define Device/Default
     IMAGES-$$(CONFIG_GRUB_EFI_IMAGES) += combined-efi.vdi
   endif
   ifeq ($(CONFIG_VMDK_IMAGES),y)
-    IMAGES-$$(CONFIG_GRUB_IMAGES) += combined.vmdk
-    IMAGES-$$(CONFIG_GRUB_EFI_IMAGES) += combined-efi.vmdk
+    IMAGES-$$(CONFIG_GRUB_IMAGES) += combined.vmdk.zip
+    IMAGES-$$(CONFIG_GRUB_EFI_IMAGES) += combined-efi.vmdk.zip
   endif
   ifeq ($(CONFIG_VHDX_IMAGES),y)
     IMAGES-$$(CONFIG_GRUB_IMAGES) += combined.vhdx