diff --git a/src/datastore_mad/remotes/downloader.sh b/src/datastore_mad/remotes/downloader.sh
index 65fc45cb4d..c1ee3e2479 100755
--- a/src/datastore_mad/remotes/downloader.sh
+++ b/src/datastore_mad/remotes/downloader.sh
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ function get_rbd_cmd
     echo "ssh '$(esc_sq "$DST_HOST")' \"$RBD export '$(esc_sq "$SOURCE")' -\""
 }
 
-TEMP=`getopt -o m:s:l:c:n -l md5:,sha1:,limit:,max-size:,convert:,nodecomp -- "$@"`
+TEMP=`getopt -o m:s:l:c:n -l md5:,sha1:,limit:,max-size:,nodecomp -- "$@"`
 
 if [ $? != 0 ] ; then
     echo "Arguments error" >&2
@@ -328,10 +328,6 @@ while true; do
             export MAX_SIZE="$2"
             shift 2
             ;;
-        --convert)
-            export CONVERT="$2"
-            shift 2
-            ;;
         --)
             shift
             break
@@ -477,24 +473,7 @@ if [ -n "$HASH_TYPE" ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
-function convert_image
-{
-    original_type=$(qemu-img info $TO | grep "^file format:" | awk '{print $3}' || :)
-    if [ "$CONVERT" != "$original_type" ]; then
-        tmpimage=$TO".tmp"
-        qemu-img convert -f $original_type -O $CONVERT $TO $tmpimage
-        mv $tmpimage $TO
-    fi
-}
-
 # Unarchive only if the destination is filesystem
 if [ "$TO" != "-" ]; then
     unarchive "$TO"
-
-    if [ -n "$CONVERT" ] && [ -f "$TO" ]; then
-        convert_image
-    fi
-
-elif [ -n "$CONVERT" ]; then
-    convert_image
 fi
diff --git a/src/datastore_mad/remotes/vcenter/cp b/src/datastore_mad/remotes/vcenter/cp
index bd1df85156..53bf11fc10 100755
--- a/src/datastore_mad/remotes/vcenter/cp
+++ b/src/datastore_mad/remotes/vcenter/cp
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ $LOAD_PATH << File.dirname(__FILE__)
 
 require 'vcenter_driver'
 require 'open3'
+require 'rexml/document'
 
 def file_location?(target_path, f)
     target_path == File.basename(f)
@@ -119,21 +120,56 @@ if VCenterDriver::FileHelper.remote_or_needs_unpack?(img_path)
     downsh_args << "--sha1 #{sha1} " if sha1 && !sha1.empty?
     downsh_args << '--nodecomp ' if nodecomp && !nodecomp.empty?
     downsh_args << "--limit #{limit_bw} " if limit_bw && !limit_bw.empty?
-    unless VCenterDriver::FileHelper.from_s3?(img_path)
-        downsh_args << '--convert vmdk'
-    end
 
+    # Define downloader script and driver action variable
     downloader = "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/../downloader.sh #{downsh_args}"
     b64        = Base64.encode64(drv_action.to_xml).gsub!("\n", '')
-
     rc = system("DRV_ACTION=#{b64} #{downloader} #{img_path} #{temp_file}")
 
+    # Fail if download fails
     if there_is_not_system_error?(rc)
         STDERR.puts "Error downloading #{img_path}"
         FileUtils.rm_rf(temp_file)
         exit(-1)
     end
 
+    # Convert from current format to VMDK
+    unless VCenterDriver::FileHelper.from_s3?(img_path)
+        file_type=''
+        begin
+            Open3.popen3("qemu-img info #{temp_file}") do
+              |_stdin, stdout, stderr, wait_thr|
+                if !stderr.nil?
+                    STDERR.puts "'qemu-img info' stderr: #{stderr}"
+                    raise StandardError
+                end
+                file_type=stdout.read.split("\n")[1].split(':')[1].lstrip
+                if file_type.nil? then raise StandardError end
+
+                wait_thr.join
+            end
+        rescue StandardError
+            STDERR.puts "'qemu-img info' output appears to be invalid.' \
+              ' Cannot determine file type."
+            STDERR.puts "Removing #{temp_file}..."
+            FileUtils.rm_rf(temp_file)
+            exit(-1)
+        end
+        unless file_type == 'vmdk'
+            out_file = File.basename(temp_file, '.*')+'.tmp'
+            convert=system("qemu-img convert -f #{file_type}"\
+              " -O vmdk #{temp_file} #{out_file}")
+            if there_is_not_system_error?(convert)
+                STDERR.puts "Error converting #{temp_file}."
+                STDERR.puts "Removing #{temp_file} and #{out_file}."
+                File.Utils.rm_rf(out_file)
+                File.Utils.rm_rf(temp_file)
+                exit(-1)
+            end
+            FileUtils.mv(out_file, temp_file)
+        end
+    end
+
     img_path = temp_file
 end