diff --git a/gns3server/handlers/virtualbox_handler.py b/gns3server/handlers/virtualbox_handler.py
index 6049ec3e..fef071bb 100644
--- a/gns3server/handlers/virtualbox_handler.py
+++ b/gns3server/handlers/virtualbox_handler.py
@@ -15,10 +15,12 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
+import os
 from ..web.route import Route
 from ..schemas.virtualbox import VBOX_CREATE_SCHEMA
 from ..schemas.virtualbox import VBOX_UPDATE_SCHEMA
 from ..schemas.virtualbox import VBOX_NIO_SCHEMA
+from ..schemas.virtualbox import VBOX_CAPTURE_SCHEMA
 from ..schemas.virtualbox import VBOX_OBJECT_SCHEMA
 from ..modules.virtualbox import VirtualBox
 
@@ -262,3 +264,45 @@ class VirtualBoxHandler:
         vm = vbox_manager.get_vm(request.match_info["uuid"])
         vm.port_remove_nio_binding(int(request.match_info["port_id"]))
         response.set_status(204)
+
+    @Route.post(
+        r"/virtualbox/{uuid}/capture/{port_id:\d+}/start",
+        parameters={
+            "uuid": "Instance UUID",
+            "port_id": "ID of the port to start a packet capture"
+        },
+        status_codes={
+            200: "Capture started",
+            400: "Invalid instance UUID",
+            404: "Instance doesn't exist"
+        },
+        description="Start a packet capture on a VirtualBox VM instance",
+        input=VBOX_CAPTURE_SCHEMA)
+    def start_capture(request, response):
+
+        vbox_manager = VirtualBox.instance()
+        vm = vbox_manager.get_vm(request.match_info["uuid"])
+        port_id = int(request.match_info["port_id"])
+        pcap_file_path = os.path.join(vm.project.capture_working_directory(), request.json["filename"])
+        vm.start_capture(port_id, pcap_file_path)
+        response.json({"port_id": port_id,
+                       "pcap_file_path": pcap_file_path})
+
+    @Route.post(
+        r"/virtualbox/{uuid}/capture/{port_id:\d+}/stop",
+        parameters={
+            "uuid": "Instance UUID",
+            "port_id": "ID of the port to stop a packet capture"
+        },
+        status_codes={
+            204: "Capture stopped",
+            400: "Invalid instance UUID",
+            404: "Instance doesn't exist"
+        },
+        description="Stop a packet capture on a VirtualBox VM instance")
+    def start_capture(request, response):
+
+        vbox_manager = VirtualBox.instance()
+        vm = vbox_manager.get_vm(request.match_info["uuid"])
+        vm.stop_capture(int(request.match_info["port_id"]))
+        response.set_status(204)
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/base_manager.py b/gns3server/modules/base_manager.py
index 112f47d2..eafd5765 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/base_manager.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/base_manager.py
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ from uuid import UUID, uuid4
 from ..config import Config
 from .project_manager import ProjectManager
 
-from .nios.nio_udp import NIO_UDP
-from .nios.nio_tap import NIO_TAP
+from .nios.nio_udp import NIOUDP
+from .nios.nio_tap import NIOTAP
 
 
 class BaseManager:
@@ -237,11 +237,11 @@ class BaseManager:
                     sock.connect((rhost, rport))
             except OSError as e:
                 raise aiohttp.web.HTTPInternalServerError(text="Could not create an UDP connection to {}:{}: {}".format(rhost, rport, e))
-            nio = NIO_UDP(lport, rhost, rport)
+            nio = NIOUDP(lport, rhost, rport)
         elif nio_settings["type"] == "nio_tap":
             tap_device = nio_settings["tap_device"]
             if not self._has_privileged_access(executable):
                 raise aiohttp.web.HTTPForbidden(text="{} has no privileged access to {}.".format(executable, tap_device))
-            nio = NIO_TAP(tap_device)
+            nio = NIOTAP(tap_device)
         assert nio is not None
         return nio
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/nios/nio.py b/gns3server/modules/nios/nio.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eee5f1d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gns3server/modules/nios/nio.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2013 GNS3 Technologies Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+"""
+Base interface for NIOs.
+"""
+
+
+class NIO(object):
+    """
+    Network Input/Output.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+
+        self._capturing = False
+        self._pcap_output_file = ""
+
+    def startPacketCapture(self, pcap_output_file):
+        """
+
+        :param pcap_output_file: PCAP destination file for the capture
+        """
+
+        self._capturing = True
+        self._pcap_output_file = pcap_output_file
+
+    def stopPacketCapture(self):
+
+        self._capturing = False
+        self._pcap_output_file = ""
+
+    @property
+    def capturing(self):
+        """
+        Returns either a capture is configured on this NIO.
+
+        :returns: boolean
+        """
+
+        return self._capturing
+
+    @property
+    def pcap_output_file(self):
+        """
+        Returns the path to the PCAP output file.
+
+        :returns: path to the PCAP output file
+        """
+
+        return self._pcap_output_file
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/nios/nio_tap.py b/gns3server/modules/nios/nio_tap.py
index 43f440ad..9f51ce13 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/nios/nio_tap.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/nios/nio_tap.py
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@
 Interface for TAP NIOs (UNIX based OSes only).
 """
 
+from .nio import NIO
 
-class NIO_TAP(object):
+
+class NIOTAP(NIO):
 
     """
     TAP NIO.
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ class NIO_TAP(object):
 
     def __init__(self, tap_device):
 
+        super().__init__()
         self._tap_device = tap_device
 
     @property
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/nios/nio_udp.py b/gns3server/modules/nios/nio_udp.py
index a9765f03..a87875fe 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/nios/nio_udp.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/nios/nio_udp.py
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@
 Interface for UDP NIOs.
 """
 
+from .nio import NIO
 
-class NIO_UDP(object):
+
+class NIOUDP(NIO):
 
     """
     UDP NIO.
@@ -30,10 +32,9 @@ class NIO_UDP(object):
     :param rport: remote port number
     """
 
-    _instance_count = 0
-
     def __init__(self, lport, rhost, rport):
 
+        super().__init__()
         self._lport = lport
         self._rhost = rhost
         self._rport = rport
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/project.py b/gns3server/modules/project.py
index 14de142b..ca29aa93 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/project.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/project.py
@@ -122,7 +122,21 @@ class Project:
         try:
             os.makedirs(workdir, exist_ok=True)
         except OSError as e:
-            raise aiohttp.web.HTTPInternalServerError(text="Could not create VM working directory: {}".format(e))
+            raise aiohttp.web.HTTPInternalServerError(text="Could not create the VM working directory: {}".format(e))
+        return workdir
+
+    def capture_working_directory(self):
+        """
+        Return a working directory where to store packet capture files.
+
+        :returns: path to the directory
+        """
+
+        workdir = os.path.join(self._path, "captures")
+        try:
+            os.makedirs(workdir, exist_ok=True)
+        except OSError as e:
+            raise aiohttp.web.HTTPInternalServerError(text="Could not create the capture working directory: {}".format(e))
         return workdir
 
     def mark_vm_for_destruction(self, vm):
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/virtualbox/virtualbox_vm.py b/gns3server/modules/virtualbox/virtualbox_vm.py
index aa08a54a..8822fc3e 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/virtualbox/virtualbox_vm.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/virtualbox/virtualbox_vm.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import sys
 import shlex
 import re
 import os
-import subprocess
 import tempfile
 import json
 import socket
@@ -833,13 +832,7 @@ class VirtualBoxVM(BaseVM):
         if nio.capturing:
             raise VirtualBoxError("Packet capture is already activated on adapter {adapter_id}".format(adapter_id=adapter_id))
 
-        try:
-            os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(output_file), exist_ok=True)
-        except OSError as e:
-            raise VirtualBoxError("Could not create captures directory {}".format(e))
-
         nio.startPacketCapture(output_file)
-
         log.info("VirtualBox VM '{name}' [{uuid}]: starting packet capture on adapter {adapter_id}".format(name=self.name,
                                                                                                            uuid=self.uuid,
                                                                                                            adapter_id=adapter_id))
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/virtualbox.py b/gns3server/schemas/virtualbox.py
index 5248240d..091682e4 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/virtualbox.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/virtualbox.py
@@ -154,6 +154,21 @@ VBOX_NIO_SCHEMA = {
     "required": ["type"]
 }
 
+VBOX_CAPTURE_SCHEMA = {
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Request validation to start a packet capture on a VirtualBox VM instance port",
+    "type": "object",
+    "properties": {
+        "capture_filename": {
+            "description": "Capture file name",
+            "type": "string",
+            "minLength": 1,
+        },
+    },
+    "additionalProperties": False,
+    "required": ["capture_filename"]
+}
+
 VBOX_OBJECT_SCHEMA = {
     "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
     "description": "VirtualBox VM instance",