diff --git a/lib/vagrant/machine.rb b/lib/vagrant/machine.rb
index 33e140ef2..534f5b5a5 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/machine.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/machine.rb
@@ -28,17 +28,26 @@ module Vagrant
     # Initialize a new machine.
     #
     # @param [String] name Name of the virtual machine.
-    # @param [Object] provider The provider backing this machine. This is
+    # @param [Class] provider The provider backing this machine. This is
     #   currently expected to be a V1 `provider` plugin.
     # @param [Object] config The configuration for this machine.
     # @param [Box] box The box that is backing this virtual machine.
     # @param [Environment] env The environment that this machine is a
     #   part of.
-    def initialize(name, provider, config, box, env)
-      @name   = name
-      @config = config
-      @box    = box
-      @env    = env
+    def initialize(name, provider_cls, config, box, env)
+      @name     = name
+      @box      = box
+      @config   = config
+      @env      = env
+      @provider = provider_cls.new(self)
+    end
+
+    # Returns the state of this machine. The state is queried from the
+    # backing provider, so it can be any arbitrary symbol.
+    #
+    # @return [Symbol]
+    def state
+      @provider.state
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/unit/vagrant/machine_test.rb b/test/unit/vagrant/machine_test.rb
index 034b695b1..2895e8ab7 100644
--- a/test/unit/vagrant/machine_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/vagrant/machine_test.rb
@@ -4,12 +4,39 @@ describe Vagrant::Machine do
   include_context "unit"
 
   let(:name)     { "foo" }
-  let(:provider) { Object.new }
+  let(:provider) { double("provider") }
+  let(:provider_cls) do
+    obj = double("provider_cls")
+    obj.stub(:new => provider)
+    obj
+  end
   let(:box)      { Object.new }
   let(:config)   { Object.new }
   let(:environment) { isolated_environment }
 
-  let(:instance) { described_class.new(name, provider, config, box, environment) }
+  let(:instance) { described_class.new(name, provider_cls, config, box, environment) }
+
+  describe "initialization" do
+    it "should initialize the provider with the machine object" do
+      received_machine = nil
+
+      provider_cls = double("provider_cls")
+      provider_cls.should_receive(:new) do |machine|
+        # Store this for later so we can verify that it is the
+        # one we expected to receive.
+        received_machine = machine
+
+        # Verify the machine is fully ready to be used.
+        machine.name.should == name
+        machine.config.should eql(config)
+        machine.box.should eql(box)
+        machine.env.should eql(environment)
+      end
+
+      instance = described_class.new(name, provider_cls, config, box, environment)
+      received_machine.should eql(instance)
+    end
+  end
 
   describe "attributes" do
     it "should provide access to the name" do
@@ -28,4 +55,13 @@ describe Vagrant::Machine do
       instance.env.should eql(environment)
     end
   end
+
+  describe "state" do
+    it "should query state from the provider" do
+      state = :running
+
+      provider.should_receive(:state).and_return(state)
+      instance.state.should == state
+    end
+  end
 end