diff --git a/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner.go b/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner.go
index a459bbe76..8546e04fc 100644
--- a/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner.go
+++ b/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner.go
@@ -558,6 +558,25 @@ func (p *provisioner) configureVaultsFunc(gemCmd string, knifeCmd string, confDi
 			path.Join(confDir, p.UserName+".pem"),
 		)
 
+		// if client gets recreated, remove (old) client (with old keys) from vaults/items
+		// otherwise, the (new) client (with new keys) will not be able to decrypt the vault
+		if p.RecreateClient {
+			for vault, items := range p.Vaults {
+				for _, item := range items {
+					deleteCmd := fmt.Sprintf("%s vault remove %s %s -C \"%s\" -M client %s",
+						knifeCmd,
+						vault,
+						item,
+						p.NodeName,
+						options,
+					)
+					if err := p.runCommand(o, comm, deleteCmd); err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 		for vault, items := range p.Vaults {
 			for _, item := range items {
 				updateCmd := fmt.Sprintf("%s vault update %s %s -C %s -M client %s",
diff --git a/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner_test.go b/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner_test.go
index f9e9f33fe..1585df5a1 100644
--- a/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner_test.go
+++ b/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner_test.go
@@ -299,6 +299,36 @@ func TestResourceProvider_configureVaults(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 
+		"Linux Vault []string (recreate-client for vault)": {
+			Config: map[string]interface{}{
+				"fetch_chef_certificates": true,
+				"node_name":               "nodename1",
+				"prevent_sudo":            true,
+				"run_list":                []interface{}{"cookbook::recipe"},
+				"server_url":              "https://chef.local",
+				"user_name":               "bob",
+				"user_key":                "USER-KEY",
+				"vault_json":              `{"vault1": ["item1", "item2"]}`,
+				"recreate_client":         true,
+			},
+
+			GemCmd:   linuxGemCmd,
+			KnifeCmd: linuxKnifeCmd,
+			ConfDir:  linuxConfDir,
+
+			Commands: map[string]bool{
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s install chef-vault", linuxGemCmd): true,
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s vault remove vault1 item1 -C \"nodename1\" -M client -c %s/client.rb "+
+					"-u bob --key %s/bob.pem", linuxKnifeCmd, linuxConfDir, linuxConfDir): true,
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s vault remove vault1 item2 -C \"nodename1\" -M client -c %s/client.rb "+
+					"-u bob --key %s/bob.pem", linuxKnifeCmd, linuxConfDir, linuxConfDir): true,
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s vault update vault1 item1 -C nodename1 -M client -c %s/client.rb "+
+					"-u bob --key %s/bob.pem", linuxKnifeCmd, linuxConfDir, linuxConfDir): true,
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s vault update vault1 item2 -C nodename1 -M client -c %s/client.rb "+
+					"-u bob --key %s/bob.pem", linuxKnifeCmd, linuxConfDir, linuxConfDir): true,
+			},
+		},
+
 		"Windows Vault string": {
 			Config: map[string]interface{}{
 				"node_name":    "nodename1",
@@ -345,6 +375,36 @@ func TestResourceProvider_configureVaults(t *testing.T) {
 					"-u bob --key %s/bob.pem", windowsKnifeCmd, windowsConfDir, windowsConfDir): true,
 			},
 		},
+
+		"Windows Vault [] string (recreate-client for vault)": {
+			Config: map[string]interface{}{
+				"fetch_chef_certificates": true,
+				"node_name":               "nodename1",
+				"prevent_sudo":            true,
+				"run_list":                []interface{}{"cookbook::recipe"},
+				"server_url":              "https://chef.local",
+				"user_name":               "bob",
+				"user_key":                "USER-KEY",
+				"vault_json":              `{"vault1": ["item1", "item2"]}`,
+				"recreate_client":         true,
+			},
+
+			GemCmd:   windowsGemCmd,
+			KnifeCmd: windowsKnifeCmd,
+			ConfDir:  windowsConfDir,
+
+			Commands: map[string]bool{
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s install chef-vault", windowsGemCmd): true,
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s vault remove vault1 item1 -C \"nodename1\" -M client -c %s/client.rb "+
+					"-u bob --key %s/bob.pem", windowsKnifeCmd, windowsConfDir, windowsConfDir): true,
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s vault remove vault1 item2 -C \"nodename1\" -M client -c %s/client.rb "+
+					"-u bob --key %s/bob.pem", windowsKnifeCmd, windowsConfDir, windowsConfDir): true,
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s vault update vault1 item1 -C nodename1 -M client -c %s/client.rb "+
+					"-u bob --key %s/bob.pem", windowsKnifeCmd, windowsConfDir, windowsConfDir): true,
+				fmt.Sprintf("%s vault update vault1 item2 -C nodename1 -M client -c %s/client.rb "+
+					"-u bob --key %s/bob.pem", windowsKnifeCmd, windowsConfDir, windowsConfDir): true,
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	o := new(terraform.MockUIOutput)