diff --git a/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/destroy.rb b/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/destroy.rb
index d30d78f41..cd7a34d23 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/destroy.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/destroy.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ module Vagrant
         end
 
         def depersist
-          Env.depersist_vm(@runner)
+          @runner.env.depersist_vm
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/box.rb b/lib/vagrant/box.rb
index f50c0f825..e93d9ba92 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/box.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/box.rb
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ module Vagrant
     # only be used internally.
     attr_accessor :temp_path
 
-    # The environment which this box belongs to
+    # The environment which this box belongs to. Although this could
+    # actually be many environments, this points to the environment
+    # of a specific instance.
     attr_accessor :env
 
     class <<self
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/commands.rb b/lib/vagrant/commands.rb
index 6ac7489b8..ade5971d1 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/commands.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/commands.rb
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ msg
       # This command requires that an instance already be brought up with
       # `vagrant up`.
       def down
-        Env.load!
-        Env.require_persisted_vm
-        Env.persisted_vm.destroy
+        env = Environment.load!
+        env.require_persisted_vm
+        env.vm.destroy
       end
 
       # Reload the environment. This is almost equivalent to the {up} command
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
index 01ab5734a..5fa9f8cfa 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ module Vagrant
 
       File.open(dotfile_path) do |f|
         @vm = Vagrant::VM.find(f.read)
-        @vm.env = self
+        @vm.env = self if @vm
       end
     rescue Errno::ENOENT
       @vm = nil
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ module Vagrant
     def require_persisted_vm
       require_root_path
 
-      error_and_exit(:environment_not_created) if !persisted_vm
+      error_and_exit(:environment_not_created) if !vm
     end
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index 2c5a7db70..e759edb82 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ class Test::Unit::TestCase
     mock_vm.stubs(:invoke_callback)
     mock_vm.stubs(:invoke_around_callback).yields
     mock_vm.stubs(:actions).returns([action])
+    mock_vm.stubs(:env).returns(mock_environment)
 
     [mock_vm, vm, action]
   end
diff --git a/test/vagrant/actions/vm/destroy_test.rb b/test/vagrant/actions/vm/destroy_test.rb
index 4ce5aa0d6..e060e50ad 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/actions/vm/destroy_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/actions/vm/destroy_test.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', '..', '..', 'test_helper')
 class DestroyActionTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   setup do
     @runner, @vm, @action = mock_action(Vagrant::Actions::VM::Destroy)
-    mock_config
   end
 
   context "executing" do
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ class DestroyActionTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
   context "depersisting" do
     should "call depersist_vm on Env" do
-      Vagrant::Env.expects(:depersist_vm).with(@runner).once
+      @runner.env.expects(:depersist_vm).once
       @action.depersist
     end
   end
diff --git a/test/vagrant/commands_test.rb b/test/vagrant/commands_test.rb
index 3139ca34a..b4a0416a3 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/commands_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/commands_test.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ class CommandsTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     @persisted_vm.stubs(:execute!)
     Vagrant::Env.stubs(:persisted_vm).returns(@persisted_vm)
     Vagrant::Env.stubs(:require_persisted_vm)
+
+    @env = mock_environment
+    @env.stubs(:vm).returns(@persisted_vm)
+    @env.stubs(:require_persisted_vm)
+    Vagrant::Environment.stubs(:load!).returns(@env)
   end
 
   context "init" do
@@ -82,8 +87,13 @@ class CommandsTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       @persisted_vm.stubs(:destroy)
     end
 
+    should "load the current environment" do
+      Vagrant::Environment.expects(:load!).once.returns(@env)
+      Vagrant::Commands.down
+    end
+
     should "require a persisted VM" do
-      Vagrant::Env.expects(:require_persisted_vm).once
+      @env.expects(:require_persisted_vm).once
       Vagrant::Commands.down
     end
 
diff --git a/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb b/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
index cf4337c53..03e813f79 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
@@ -358,6 +358,17 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         assert_equal vm, @env.vm
       end
 
+      should "not set the environment if the VM is nil" do
+        filemock = mock("filemock")
+        filemock.expects(:read).returns("foo")
+        Vagrant::VM.expects(:find).with("foo").returns(nil)
+        File.expects(:open).with(@env.dotfile_path).once.yields(filemock)
+        File.expects(:file?).with(@env.dotfile_path).once.returns(true)
+
+        assert_nothing_raised { @env.load_vm! }
+        assert_nil @env.vm
+      end
+
       should "do nothing if the root path is nil" do
         File.expects(:open).never
         @env.stubs(:root_path).returns(nil)
@@ -449,6 +460,25 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         @env.require_root_path
       end
     end
+
+    context "requiring a persisted VM" do
+      setup do
+        @env.stubs(:vm).returns("foo")
+        @env.stubs(:require_root_path)
+      end
+
+      should "require a root path" do
+        @env.expects(:require_root_path).once
+        @env.expects(:error_and_exit).never
+        @env.require_persisted_vm
+      end
+
+      should "error and exit if the VM is not set" do
+        @env.expects(:vm).returns(nil)
+        @env.expects(:error_and_exit).once
+        @env.require_persisted_vm
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   context "managing VM" do