Illustrative embodiments include a method for creating a virtual machine using a preprovisioned mutated template. A template to use for creating the virtual machine is identified, a template including data usable to create the virtual machine on a data processing system. A block of data is selected in the mutated template for reconstructing the template from the mutated template. The block of data is included in the mutated template at a location specified in a manifest associated with the mutated template. A data structure of the template is populated with the block of data such that the block of data occupies a predetermined position in the template, thereby reconstructing the template from the mutated template. The virtual machine is created on the data processing system using the template.