diff --git a/config/cloudinit/datasource/vmware/vmware_amd64.go b/config/cloudinit/datasource/vmware/vmware_amd64.go
index a0b71c27..4dbfe128 100644
--- a/config/cloudinit/datasource/vmware/vmware_amd64.go
+++ b/config/cloudinit/datasource/vmware/vmware_amd64.go
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ type ovfWrapper struct {
 }
 
 func (ovf ovfWrapper) readConfig(key string) (string, error) {
-	return ovf.env.Properties["guestinfo."+key], nil
+	if val := ovf.env.Properties["guestinfo."+key]; val != "" {
+		return val, nil
+	}
+	return readConfig(key)
 }
 
 func NewDatasource(fileName string) *VMWare {