diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bccd6230b..ee95c0fc9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
   - Performance optimizations in `virtualbox` gem. Huge speed gains.
   - `:chef_server` provisioner is now `:chef_client`. [GH-359]
   - SUSE host only networking support. [GH-369]
+  - Show nice error message for invalid HTTP responses for HTTP
+    downloader. [GH-403]
 
 ## 0.7.6 (July 2, 2011)
 
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/downloaders/http.rb b/lib/vagrant/downloaders/http.rb
index 0cd042fec..bda8e9c0a 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/downloaders/http.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/downloaders/http.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ module Vagrant
               # TODO: Error on some redirect limit
               download!(response["Location"], destination_file)
               return
+            elsif !response.is_a?(Net::HTTPOK)
+              raise Errors::DownloaderHTTPStatusError, :status => response.code
             end
 
             total = response.content_length
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/errors.rb b/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
index cf3aa13b3..3d28a3a1a 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
@@ -148,6 +148,11 @@ module Vagrant
       error_key(:socket_error, "vagrant.downloaders.http")
     end
 
+    class DownloaderHTTPStatusError < VagrantError
+      status_code(51)
+      error_key(:status_error, "vagrant.downloaders.http")
+    end
+
     class ForwardPortAutolistEmpty < VagrantError
       status_code(27)
       error_key(:auto_empty, "vagrant.actions.vm.forward_ports")
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index 23b81ec78..3beff04ac 100644
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -448,6 +448,11 @@ en:
           An error occurred while trying to download the specified box. This most
           often happens if there is no internet connection or the address is
           invalid.
+        status_error: |-
+          Bad status code: %{status}
+
+          Please verify that the box exists and is accessible. Also verify that
+          this computer is properly connected to the internet.
 
     hosts:
       bsd:
diff --git a/test/vagrant/downloaders/http_test.rb b/test/vagrant/downloaders/http_test.rb
index 65ee9d219..6d4ba3a98 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/downloaders/http_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/downloaders/http_test.rb
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ class HttpDownloaderTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       h = mock("http")
       response = mock("response")
       response.stubs(:content_length)
+      response.stubs(:is_a?).with(anything).returns(false)
+      response.stubs(:is_a?).with(Net::HTTPOK).returns(true)
       segment = mock("segment")
       segment.stubs(:length).returns(7)