diff --git a/features.in/build-vm/README b/features.in/build-vm/README
index c4c46971..5ad17802 100644
--- a/features.in/build-vm/README
+++ b/features.in/build-vm/README
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
-Эта фича конфигурирует создание образа виртуальной машины (VM).
+Эта фича конфигурирует создание образа виртуальной машины (VM)
+или тарбола rootfs для использования его на реальном компьютере.
 Дополняет финальную стадию сборки (lib/, image-scripts.d/).
-Требует для работы sudo(8) -- см. тж. doc/vm.txt
+Для создания образа виртуальной машины требуется sudo(8)
+Для создания тарбола sudo не требуется.
+-- см. тж. doc/vm.txt
diff --git a/features.in/build-vm/lib/90-build-vm.mk b/features.in/build-vm/lib/90-build-vm.mk
index 5fdbe42d..e161fbcf 100644
--- a/features.in/build-vm/lib/90-build-vm.mk
+++ b/features.in/build-vm/lib/90-build-vm.mk
@@ -22,18 +22,22 @@ VM_RAWDISK := $(IMAGE_OUTDIR)/$(IMAGE_NAME).raw
 VM_FSTYPE ?= ext4
 VM_SIZE ?= 0
 
+VM_GZIP_COMMAND ?= gzip
+VM_XZ_COMMAND ?= xz -T0
+
 check-sudo:
 	@if ! type -t sudo >&/dev/null; then \
 		echo "** error: sudo not available, see doc/vm.txt" >&2; \
+	fi
+
+check-qemu:
+	@if ! type -t qemu-img >&/dev/null; then \
+		echo "** error: qemu-img not available" >&2; \
 		exit 1; \
 	fi
 
-prepare-image: check-sudo
-	@# need to copy $(BUILDDIR)/.work/chroot/.host/qemu* into chroot
-	@#if qemu is used
-	@(cd "$(BUILDDIR)/.work/chroot/"; \
-		tar -rf "$(VM_TARBALL)" ./.host/qemu*) ||:; \
-	if [ -x /usr/share/mkimage-profiles/bin/tar2fs ]; then \
+tar2fs: check-sudo
+	@if [ -x /usr/share/mkimage-profiles/bin/tar2fs ]; then \
 		TOPDIR=/usr/share/mkimage-profiles; \
 	fi; \
 	if ! sudo $$TOPDIR/bin/tar2fs \
@@ -43,26 +47,40 @@ prepare-image: check-sudo
 		exit 1; \
 	fi
 
-convert-image: prepare-image
+prepare-image:
+	@# need to copy $(BUILDDIR)/.work/chroot/.host/qemu* into chroot
+	@#if qemu is used
+	@(cd "$(BUILDDIR)/.work/chroot/"; \
+		tar -rf "$(VM_TARBALL)" ./.host/qemu*) ||:
+
+convert-image/tar:
+	mv "$(VM_TARBALL)" "$(IMAGE_OUTPATH)"
+
+convert-image/tar.gz:
+	$(VM_GZIP_COMMAND) < "$(VM_TARBALL)" > "$(IMAGE_OUTPATH)"
+
+convert-image/tar.xz:
+	$(VM_XZ_COMMAND) < "$(VM_TARBALL)" > "$(IMAGE_OUTPATH)"
+
+convert-image/img: tar2fs
+	mv "$(VM_RAWDISK)" "$(IMAGE_OUTPATH)"
+
+convert-image/qcow2 convert-image/qcow2c convert-image/vmdk \
+	convert-image/vdi convert-image/vhd: check-qemu tar2fs
 	@VM_COMPRESS=; \
 	case "$(IMAGE_TYPE)" in \
-	"img") \
-		mv "$(VM_RAWDISK)" "$(IMAGE_OUTPATH)"; \
-		if [ "0$(DEBUG)" -le 1 ]; then rm "$(VM_TARBALL)"; fi; \
-		exit 0;; \
 	"vhd") VM_FORMAT="vpc";; \
 	"qcow2c") VM_FORMAT="qcow2"; VM_COMPRESS="-c";; \
 	*) VM_FORMAT="$(IMAGE_TYPE)"; \
 	esac; \
-	if ! type -t qemu-img >&/dev/null; then \
-		echo "** error: qemu-img not available" >&2; \
-		exit 1; \
-	else \
-		qemu-img convert $$VM_COMPRESS -O "$$VM_FORMAT" \
-			"$(VM_RAWDISK)" "$(IMAGE_OUTPATH)"; \
-		rm "$(VM_RAWDISK)"; \
-		if [ "0$(DEBUG)" -le 1 ]; then rm "$(VM_TARBALL)"; fi; \
-	fi
+	qemu-img convert $$VM_COMPRESS -O "$$VM_FORMAT" \
+		"$(VM_RAWDISK)" "$(IMAGE_OUTPATH)"
+
+post-convert:
+	@rm -f "$(VM_RAWDISK)"; \
+	if [ "0$(DEBUG)" -le 1 ]; then rm -f "$(VM_TARBALL)"; fi
+
+convert-image: prepare-image convert-image/$(IMAGE_TYPE) post-convert; @:
 
 run-image-scripts: GLOBAL_CLEANUP_PACKAGES := $(CLEANUP_PACKAGES)
 
diff --git a/features.in/pack/config.mk b/features.in/pack/config.mk
index 88eaf823..fbace003 100644
--- a/features.in/pack/config.mk
+++ b/features.in/pack/config.mk
@@ -29,12 +29,18 @@ use/pack/$(1).$(2): use/pack/$(1)
 	@$$(call set,IMAGE_COMPRESS,$(2))
 endef
 
+ifeq (ve,$(IMAGE_CLASS))
 $(foreach c,$(VE_ARCHIVES), \
 	$(eval $(call PACK_containers,$(c))) \
 	$(foreach z,$(VE_COMPRESSORS), \
 		$(eval $(call PACK_compressors,$(c),$(z)))))
+endif
 
-# virtual machines
-VM_EXTS := .img .qcow2 .qcow2c .vdi .vmdk .vhd
+# extensions for buld-vm
+VM_EXTS := .tar .tar.gz .tar.xz .img .qcow2 .qcow2c .vdi .vmdk .vhd
+
+ifeq (vm,$(IMAGE_CLASS))
 
 $(VM_EXTS:.%=use/pack/%): use/pack; @:
+
+endif