diff --git a/plugins/providers/docker/config.rb b/plugins/providers/docker/config.rb
index 6541d4a6e..05af800c1 100644
--- a/plugins/providers/docker/config.rb
+++ b/plugins/providers/docker/config.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require "pathname"
+
 module VagrantPlugins
   module DockerProvider
     class Config < Vagrant.plugin("2", :config)
@@ -110,6 +112,21 @@ module VagrantPlugins
       def validate(machine)
         errors = _detected_errors
 
+        if @build_dir && @image
+          errors << I18n.t("docker_provider.errors.config.both_build_and_image")
+        end
+
+        if !@build_dir && !@image
+          errors << I18n.t("docker_provider.errors.config.build_dir_or_image")
+        end
+
+        if @build_dir
+          build_dir_pn = Pathname.new(@build_dir)
+          if !build_dir_pn.directory? || !build_dir_pn.join("Dockerfile").file?
+            errors << I18n.t("docker_provider.errors.config.build_dir_invalid")
+          end
+        end
+
         @links.each do |link|
           parts = link.split(":")
           if parts.length != 2 || parts[0] == "" || parts[1] == ""
@@ -118,8 +135,12 @@ module VagrantPlugins
           end
         end
 
-        # TODO: Detect if base image has a CMD / ENTRYPOINT set before erroring out
-        errors << I18n.t("docker_provider.errors.config.cmd_not_set") if @cmd == UNSET_VALUE
+        if @vagrant_vagrantfile
+          vf_pn = Pathname.new(@vagrant_vagrantfile)
+          if !vf_pn.file?
+            errors << I18n.t("docker_provider.errors.config.invalid_vagrantfile")
+          end
+        end
 
         { "docker provider" => errors }
       end
diff --git a/templates/locales/providers_docker.yml b/templates/locales/providers_docker.yml
index ea565db98..4ef60ae57 100644
--- a/templates/locales/providers_docker.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/providers_docker.yml
@@ -92,8 +92,16 @@ en:
         and notify them to not use this communicator for anything except the
         "docker" provider.
       config:
+        both_build_and_image: |-
+          Only one of "build_dir" or "image" can be set
+        build_dir_invalid: |-
+          "build_dir" must exist and contain a Dockerfile
+        build_dir_or_image: |-
+          One of "build_dir" or "image" must be set
         invalid_link: |-
           Invalid link (should be 'name:alias'): "%{link}"
+        invalid_vagrantfile: |-
+          "vagrant_vagrantfile" must point to a Vagrantfile that exists.
       docker_provider_nfs_without_privileged: |-
         You've configured a NFS synced folder but didn't enable privileged
         mode for the container. Please set the `privileged` option to true
diff --git a/test/unit/plugins/providers/docker/config_spec.rb b/test/unit/plugins/providers/docker/config_spec.rb
index 8f2e473b6..376067e1b 100644
--- a/test/unit/plugins/providers/docker/config_spec.rb
+++ b/test/unit/plugins/providers/docker/config_spec.rb
@@ -5,8 +5,18 @@ require "vagrant/util/platform"
 require Vagrant.source_root.join("plugins/providers/docker/config")
 
 describe VagrantPlugins::DockerProvider::Config do
+  include_context "unit"
+
   let(:machine) { double("machine") }
 
+  let(:build_dir) do
+    temporary_dir.tap do |dir|
+      dir.join("Dockerfile").open("w") do |f|
+        f.write("Hello")
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   def assert_invalid
     errors = subject.validate(machine)
     if !errors.values.any? { |v| !v.empty? }
@@ -21,6 +31,10 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::DockerProvider::Config do
     end
   end
 
+  def valid_defaults
+    subject.image = "foo"
+  end
+
   describe "defaults" do
     before { subject.finalize! }
 
@@ -39,12 +53,53 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::DockerProvider::Config do
     Vagrant::Util::Platform.stub(linux: true)
   end
 
-  it "should be valid by default" do
+  it "should be invalid if both build dir and image are set" do
+    subject.build_dir = build_dir
+    subject.image = "foo"
     subject.finalize!
-    assert_valid
+    assert_invalid
+  end
+
+  describe "#build_dir" do
+    it "should be valid if not set with image" do
+      subject.build_dir = nil
+      subject.image = "foo"
+      subject.finalize!
+      assert_valid
+    end
+
+    it "should be valid with a valid directory" do
+      subject.build_dir = build_dir
+      subject.finalize!
+      assert_valid
+    end
+
+    it "should be invalid with a directory that doesn't have a Dockerfile" do
+      subject.build_dir = temporary_dir.to_s
+      subject.finalize!
+      assert_invalid
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#image" do
+    it "should be valid if set" do
+      subject.image = "foo"
+      subject.finalize!
+      assert_valid
+    end
+
+    it "should be invalid if not set" do
+      subject.image = nil
+      subject.finalize!
+      assert_invalid
+    end
   end
 
   describe "#link" do
+    before do
+      valid_defaults
+    end
+
     it "should be valid with good links" do
       subject.link "foo:bar"
       subject.link "db:blah"
@@ -93,4 +148,20 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::DockerProvider::Config do
       end
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#vagrant_vagrantfile" do
+    before { valid_defaults }
+
+    it "should be valid if set to a file" do
+      subject.vagrant_vagrantfile = temporary_file.to_s
+      subject.finalize!
+      assert_valid
+    end
+
+    it "should not be valid if set to a non-existent place" do
+      subject.vagrant_vagrantfile = "/i/shouldnt/exist"
+      subject.finalize!
+      assert_invalid
+    end
+  end
 end