diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b3b9ea731..0e7d9612d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ BUG FIXES:
   - guests/arch: use systemd way of setting host names. [GH-2041]
   - guests/debian: Force bring up eth0. Fixes hangs on setting hostname.
    [GH-2026]
+  - hosts/bsd: Nicer error if can't read NFS exports. [GH-2038]
   - hosts/fedora: properly detect later CentOS versions. [GH-2008]
   - providers/virtualbox: VirtualBox 4.2 now supports up to 36
     network adapters. [GH-1886]
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/errors.rb b/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
index 05898297a..791e2bcc4 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
@@ -335,6 +335,10 @@ module Vagrant
       error_key(:not_found, "vagrant.actions.vm.host_only_network")
     end
 
+    class NFSCantReadExports < VagrantError
+      error_key(:nfs_cant_read_exports)
+    end
+
     class NFSNoGuestIP < VagrantError
       error_key(:nfs_no_guest_ip)
     end
diff --git a/plugins/hosts/bsd/host.rb b/plugins/hosts/bsd/host.rb
index bbff34041..ea72ff9d0 100644
--- a/plugins/hosts/bsd/host.rb
+++ b/plugins/hosts/bsd/host.rb
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ module VagrantPlugins
             end
           end
         end
+      rescue Errno::EACCES
+        raise Vagrant::Errors::NFSCantReadExports
       end
 
       protected
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index 0f9d7f74b..b23e09fd9 100644
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -365,6 +365,10 @@ en:
         A multi-vm environment is required for name specification to this command.
       multi_vm_target_required: |-
         This command requires a specific VM name to target in a multi-VM environment.
+      nfs_cant_read_exports: |-
+        Vagrant can't read your current NFS exports! The exports file should be
+        readable by any user. This is usually caused by invalid permissions
+        on your NFS exports file. Please fix them and try again.
       nfs_no_guest_ip: |-
         No guest IP was given to the Vagrant core NFS helper. This is an
         internal error that should be reported as a bug.