diff --git a/plugins/commands/up/middleware/store_box_metadata.rb b/plugins/commands/up/middleware/store_box_metadata.rb
index 08e362889..f3520c4a7 100644
--- a/plugins/commands/up/middleware/store_box_metadata.rb
+++ b/plugins/commands/up/middleware/store_box_metadata.rb
@@ -10,19 +10,25 @@ module VagrantPlugins
     class StoreBoxMetadata
       def initialize(app, env)
         @app = app
+        @logger = Log4r::Logger.new("vagrant::up::storeboxmetadata")
       end
 
       def call(env)
-        box = env[:machine].box
-        box_meta = {
-          name: box.name,
-          version: box.version,
-          provider: box.provider,
-          directory: box.directory.sub(Vagrant.user_data_path.to_s + "/", "")
-        }
-        meta_file = env[:machine].data_dir.join("box_meta")
-        File.open(meta_file.to_s, "w+") do |file|
-          file.write(JSON.dump(box_meta))
+        if env[:machine].box
+          box = env[:machine].box
+          box_meta = {
+            name: box.name,
+            version: box.version,
+            provider: box.provider,
+            directory: box.directory.sub(Vagrant.user_data_path.to_s + "/", "")
+          }
+          meta_file = env[:machine].data_dir.join("box_meta")
+          @logger.debug("Writing box metadata file to #{meta_file}")
+          File.open(meta_file.to_s, "w+") do |file|
+            file.write(JSON.dump(box_meta))
+          end
+        else
+          @logger.debug("No box data found for #{env[:machine].name} with provider #{env[:machine].provider_name}")
         end
         @app.call(env)
       end
diff --git a/test/unit/plugins/commands/up/middleware/store_box_metadata_test.rb b/test/unit/plugins/commands/up/middleware/store_box_metadata_test.rb
index 438494beb..80c831def 100644
--- a/test/unit/plugins/commands/up/middleware/store_box_metadata_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/plugins/commands/up/middleware/store_box_metadata_test.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,21 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::CommandUp::StoreBoxMetadata do
   let(:subject) { described_class.new(app, env) }
 
   describe "#call" do
+    context "with no box file" do
+      let(:machine) { double("machine", name: "guest", provider_name: "provider") }
+      let(:env) { {machine: machine} }
+
+      before do
+        allow(machine).to receive(:box).and_return(nil)
+        expect(app).to receive(:call).with(env)
+      end
+
+
+      it "does not write the metadata file" do
+        expect(File).to_not receive(:open)
+        subject.call(env)
+      end
+    end
 
     let(:meta_file) { double("meta_file") }