diff --git a/share/doc/xsd/vm.xsd b/share/doc/xsd/vm.xsd
index ae3b333c6f..a6f1b96bbe 100644
--- a/share/doc/xsd/vm.xsd
+++ b/share/doc/xsd/vm.xsd
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
         <!-- NET_RX: Received bytes from the network -->
         <xs:element name="NET_RX" type="xs:integer"/>
         <xs:element name="TEMPLATE" type="xs:anyType"/>
+        <xs:element name="USER_TEMPLATE" type="xs:anyType"/>
         <xs:element name="HISTORY_RECORDS">
           <xs:complexType>
             <xs:sequence>
diff --git a/src/oca/java/src/org/opennebula/client/vm/VirtualMachine.java b/src/oca/java/src/org/opennebula/client/vm/VirtualMachine.java
index 583a06ff10..6b1509c165 100644
--- a/src/oca/java/src/org/opennebula/client/vm/VirtualMachine.java
+++ b/src/oca/java/src/org/opennebula/client/vm/VirtualMachine.java
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ public class VirtualMachine extends PoolElement{
      * @param client XML-RPC Client.
      * @param id The id of the target vm.
      * @param new_template New template contents
-     * @return If successful the message contains the vm id.
+     * @return If an error occurs the error message contains the reason.
      */
     public static OneResponse update(Client client, int id, String new_template)
     {
@@ -558,6 +558,17 @@ public class VirtualMachine extends PoolElement{
         return rename(client, id, name);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Replaces this VM's user template contents.
+     *
+     * @param new_template New template contents
+     * @return If an error occurs the error message contains the reason.
+     */
+    public OneResponse update(String new_template)
+    {
+        return client.call(UPDATE, id, new_template);
+    }
+
     // =================================
     // Helpers
     // =================================
diff --git a/src/onedb/3.8.1_to_3.9.80.rb b/src/onedb/3.8.1_to_3.9.80.rb
index d03487348a..021b4039c3 100644
--- a/src/onedb/3.8.1_to_3.9.80.rb
+++ b/src/onedb/3.8.1_to_3.9.80.rb
@@ -345,6 +345,35 @@ module Migrator
         @db.run "DROP TABLE old_cluster_pool;"
 
 
+        ########################################################################
+        # Feature #1556: New elem USER_TEMPLATE
+        ########################################################################
+
+        @db.run "ALTER TABLE vm_pool RENAME TO old_vm_pool;"
+        @db.run "CREATE TABLE vm_pool (oid INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, name VARCHAR(128), body TEXT, uid INTEGER, gid INTEGER, last_poll INTEGER, state INTEGER, lcm_state INTEGER, owner_u INTEGER, group_u INTEGER, other_u INTEGER);"
+
+        @db.fetch("SELECT * FROM old_vm_pool") do |row|
+
+            doc = Document.new(row[:body])
+            doc.root.add_element("USER_TEMPLATE")
+
+            @db[:vm_pool].insert(
+                :oid        => row[:oid],
+                :name       => row[:name],
+                :body       => doc.root.to_s,
+                :uid        => row[:uid],
+                :gid        => row[:gid],
+                :last_poll  => row[:last_poll],
+                :state      => row[:state],
+                :lcm_state  => row[:lcm_state],
+                :owner_u    => row[:owner_u],
+                :group_u    => row[:group_u],
+                :other_u    => row[:other_u])
+        end
+
+        @db.run "DROP TABLE old_vm_pool;"
+
+
         ########################################################################
         #
         # Banner for the new /var/lib/one/vms directory