diff --git a/lib/vagrant/errors.rb b/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
index 9db88ceb6..b90d4277e 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
@@ -227,6 +227,14 @@ module Vagrant
       error_key(:port_collision_resume)
     end
 
+    class GuestCapabilityInvalid < VagrantError
+      error_key(:guest_capability_invalid)
+    end
+
+    class GuestCapabilityNotFound < VagrantError
+      error_key(:guest_capability_not_found)
+    end
+
     class GuestNotDetected < VagrantError
       error_key(:guest_not_detected)
     end
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/guest.rb b/lib/vagrant/guest.rb
index 2a36ea3e6..f13dc4885 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/guest.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/guest.rb
@@ -104,12 +104,30 @@ module Vagrant
     #
     # @return [Boolean]
     def capability?(cap_name)
-      @chain.each do |guest_name, guest|
-        caps = @capabilities[guest_name]
-        return true if caps && caps.has_key?(cap_name)
+      !capability_module(cap_name).nil?
+    end
+
+    # Executes the capability with the given name, optionally passing
+    # more arguments onwards to the capability.
+    def capability(cap_name)
+      @logger.info("Execute capability: #{cap_name} (#{@chain[0][0]})")
+      cap_mod = capability_module(cap_name)
+      if !cap_mod
+        raise Errors::GuestCapabilityNotFound,
+          :cap => cap_name.to_s,
+          :guest => @chain[0][0].to_s
       end
 
-      false
+      cap_method = nil
+      begin
+        cap_method = cap_mod.method(cap_name)
+      rescue NameError
+        raise Errors::GuestCapabilityInvalid,
+          :cap => cap_name.to_s,
+          :guest => @chain[0][0].to_s
+      end
+
+      cap_method.call
     end
 
     # This returns whether the guest is ready to work. If this returns
@@ -120,5 +138,20 @@ module Vagrant
     def ready?
       !@chain.empty?
     end
+
+    protected
+
+    # Returns the registered module for a capability with the given name.
+    #
+    # @param [Symbol] cap_name
+    # @return [Module]
+    def capability_module(cap_name)
+      @chain.each do |guest_name, guest|
+        caps = @capabilities[guest_name]
+        return caps[cap_name] if caps && caps.has_key?(cap_name)
+      end
+
+      nil
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index ea5ae4d1d..9a70947e0 100644
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -173,6 +173,17 @@ en:
         of the official installers or another gem is wrongly attempting to
         use Vagrant internals directly. Please properly install Vagrant to
         fix this. If this error persists, please contact support.
+      guest_capability_invalid: |-
+        The registered guest capability '%{cap}' for the
+        detected guest OS '%{guest}' is invalid. The capability does
+        not implement the proper method. This is a bug with Vagrant or the
+        plugin that implements this capability. Please report a bug.
+      guest_capability_not_found: |-
+        Vagrant attempted to execute the capability '%{cap}'
+        on the detect guest OS '%{guest}', but the guest doesn't
+        support that capability. This capability is required for your
+        configuration of Vagrant. Please either reconfigure Vagrant to
+        avoid this capability or fix the issue by creating the capability.
       guest_not_detected: |-
         The guest operating system of the machine could not be detected!
         Vagrant requires this knowledge to perform specific tasks such
diff --git a/test/unit/vagrant/guest_test.rb b/test/unit/vagrant/guest_test.rb
index 228c19360..f530e7046 100644
--- a/test/unit/vagrant/guest_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/vagrant/guest_test.rb
@@ -12,9 +12,14 @@ describe Vagrant::Guest do
   subject { described_class.new(machine, guests, capabilities) }
 
   # This registers a capability with a specific guest
-  def register_capability(guest, capability)
+  def register_capability(guest, capability, options=nil)
+    options ||= {}
+
     cap = Class.new do
-      define_method(capability) do
+      if !options[:corrupt]
+        define_method(capability) do
+          raise "cap: #{capability}"
+        end
       end
     end
 
@@ -41,6 +46,34 @@ describe Vagrant::Guest do
     guests[name] = [guest, parent]
   end
 
+  describe "#capability" do
+    before :each do
+      register_guest(:foo, nil, true)
+      register_guest(:bar, :foo, true)
+
+      subject.detect!
+    end
+
+    it "executes the capability" do
+      register_capability(:bar, :test)
+
+      expect { subject.capability(:test) }.
+        to raise_error(RuntimeError, "cap: test")
+    end
+
+    it "raises an exception if the capability doesn't exist" do
+      expect { subject.capability(:what_is_this_i_dont_even) }.
+        to raise_error(Vagrant::Errors::GuestCapabilityNotFound)
+    end
+
+    it "raises an exception if the method doesn't exist on the module" do
+      register_capability(:bar, :test_is_corrupt, corrupt: true)
+
+      expect { subject.capability(:test_is_corrupt) }.
+        to raise_error(Vagrant::Errors::GuestCapabilityInvalid)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#capability?" do
     before :each do
       register_guest(:foo, nil, true)