diff --git a/internal/core/target.go b/internal/core/target.go
index 858029808..1dada36fa 100644
--- a/internal/core/target.go
+++ b/internal/core/target.go
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/vagrant/internal/serverclient"
 )
 
+const DEFAULT_COMMUNICATOR_NAME = "ssh"
+
 type Target struct {
 	ctx     context.Context
 	target  *vagrant_server.Target
@@ -149,12 +151,15 @@ func (t *Target) Communicate() (c core.Communicator, err error) {
 	rawCommunicatorName, err := t.vagrantfile.GetValue("vm", "communicator")
 	// If there is an error getting the communicator, default to using the ssh communicator
 	if err != nil {
-		communicatorName = "ssh"
+		communicatorName = DEFAULT_COMMUNICATOR_NAME
 	}
 	if rawCommunicatorName == nil {
-		communicatorName = "ssh"
+		communicatorName = DEFAULT_COMMUNICATOR_NAME
 	} else {
-		communicatorName = rawCommunicatorName.(string)
+		communicatorName, err = optionToString(rawCommunicatorName)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 	communicator, err := t.project.basis.component(
 		t.ctx, component.CommunicatorType, communicatorName)