diff --git a/lib/vagrant/box_metadata.rb b/lib/vagrant/box_metadata.rb
index e0431b4f4..14ac62ee7 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/box_metadata.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/box_metadata.rb
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ module Vagrant
       end
 
       providers = nil
-      providers = Array(opts[:provider]) if opts[:provider]
+      providers = Array(opts[:provider]).map(&:to_sym) if opts[:provider]
 
       @version_map.keys.sort.reverse.each do |v|
         next if !requirements.all? { |r| r.satisfied_by?(v) }
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ module Vagrant
 
         @version = raw["version"]
         @provider_map = (raw["providers"] || []).map do |p|
-          [p["name"], p]
+          [p["name"].to_sym, p]
         end
         @provider_map = Hash[@provider_map]
       end
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ module Vagrant
       # Returns a [Provider] for the given name, or nil if it isn't
       # supported by this version.
       def provider(name)
-        p = @provider_map[name]
+        p = @provider_map[name.to_sym]
         return nil if !p
         Provider.new(p)
       end
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ module Vagrant
       # Returns the providers that are available for this version
       # of the box.
       #
-      # @return [Provider]
+      # @return [Array<Symbol>]
       def providers
-        @provider_map.keys
+        @provider_map.keys.map(&:to_sym)
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/test/unit/vagrant/box_metadata_test.rb b/test/unit/vagrant/box_metadata_test.rb
index 45d6e7974..4ace29922 100644
--- a/test/unit/vagrant/box_metadata_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/vagrant/box_metadata_test.rb
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ describe Vagrant::BoxMetadata do
     end
 
     it "matches the constraint that has the given provider" do
-      result = subject.version(">= 0", provider: "vmware")
+      result = subject.version(">= 0", provider: :vmware)
       expect(result).to_not be_nil
       expect(result).to be_kind_of(Vagrant::BoxMetadata::Version)
       expect(result.version).to eq("1.1.0")
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ describe Vagrant::BoxMetadata::Version do
   describe "#providers" do
     it "returns the providers available" do
       expect(subject.providers.sort).to eq(
-        ["virtualbox", "vmware"])
+        [:virtualbox, :vmware])
     end
   end
 end