diff --git a/lib/vagrant/machine.rb b/lib/vagrant/machine.rb
index 43abe1b5e..f2c74fd57 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/machine.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/machine.rb
@@ -129,8 +129,21 @@ module Vagrant
     #
     # @return [Object]
     def guest
-      raise Errors::MachineGuestNotReady if !communicator.ready?
-      # XXX: Todo
+      raise Errors::MachineGuestNotReady if !communicate.ready?
+
+      # Load the initial guest.
+      guest = load_guest(config.vm.guest)
+
+      # Loop and distro dispatch while there are distros.
+      while true
+        distro = guest.distro_dispatch
+        break if !distro
+
+        guest = load_guest(distro)
+      end
+
+      # Return the result
+      guest
     end
 
     # This sets the unique ID associated with this machine. This will
@@ -230,5 +243,32 @@ module Vagrant
     def state
       @provider.state
     end
+
+    protected
+
+    # Given a guest name (such as `:windows`), this will load the associated
+    # guest implementation and return an instance.
+    #
+    # @param [Symbol] guest The name of the guest implementation.
+    # @return [Object]
+    def load_guest(guest)
+      @logger.info("Loading guest: #{guest}")
+
+      klass = nil
+      Vagrant.plugin("1").registered.each do |plugin|
+        if plugin.guest.has_key?(guest)
+          klass = plugin.guest[guest]
+          break
+        end
+      end
+
+      if klass.nil?
+        raise Errors::VMGuestError,
+          :_key  => :unknown_type,
+          :guest => guest.to_s
+      end
+
+      return klass.new(self)
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/plugin/v1/guest.rb b/lib/vagrant/plugin/v1/guest.rb
index 86e96c249..a62cbbce6 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/plugin/v1/guest.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/plugin/v1/guest.rb
@@ -27,9 +27,8 @@ module Vagrant
         # Vagrant can successfully SSH into the machine) to give the system a chance
         # to determine the distro and return a distro-specific system.
         #
-        # **Warning:** If a return value which subclasses from {Base} is
-        # returned, Vagrant will use it as the new system instance for the
-        # class.
+        # If this method returns nil, then this instance is assumed to be
+        # the most specific guest implementation.
         def distro_dispatch
         end
 
diff --git a/plugins/providers/virtualbox/action/halt.rb b/plugins/providers/virtualbox/action/halt.rb
index b4f2d8bba..5f339de8e 100644
--- a/plugins/providers/virtualbox/action/halt.rb
+++ b/plugins/providers/virtualbox/action/halt.rb
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@ module VagrantPlugins
             # attempt a graceful shutdown
             if current_state == :running && !env["force"]
               env[:ui].info I18n.t("vagrant.actions.vm.halt.graceful")
-              env[:vm].guest.halt
+              env[:machine].guest.halt
             end
 
             # If we're not powered off now, then force it
-            if env[:vm].state != :poweroff
+            if env[:machine].state != :poweroff
               env[:ui].info I18n.t("vagrant.actions.vm.halt.force")
-              env[:vm].driver.halt
+              env[:machine].driver.halt
             end
 
             # Sleep for a second to verify that the VM properly
diff --git a/test/unit/support/shared/base_context.rb b/test/unit/support/shared/base_context.rb
index 947fd01ed..734a9c5d8 100644
--- a/test/unit/support/shared/base_context.rb
+++ b/test/unit/support/shared/base_context.rb
@@ -5,11 +5,23 @@ require "unit/support/isolated_environment"
 
 shared_context "unit" do
   before(:each) do
+    # State to store the list of registered plugins that we have to
+    # unregister later.
+    @_plugins = []
+
     # Create a thing to store our temporary files so that they aren't
     # unlinked right away.
     @_temp_files = []
   end
 
+  after(:each) do
+    # Unregister each of the plugins we have may have temporarily
+    # registered for the duration of this test.
+    @_plugins.each do |plugin|
+      plugin.unregister!
+    end
+  end
+
   # This creates an isolated environment so that Vagrant doesn't
   # muck around with your real system during unit tests.
   #
@@ -22,6 +34,20 @@ shared_context "unit" do
     env
   end
 
+  # This registers a Vagrant plugin for the duration of a single test.
+  # This will yield a new plugin class that you can then call the
+  # public plugin methods on.
+  #
+  # @yield [plugin] Yields the plugin class for you to call the public
+  #   API that you need to.
+  def register_plugin
+    plugin = Class.new(Vagrant.plugin("1"))
+    plugin.name("Test Plugin #{plugin.inspect}")
+    yield plugin if block_given?
+    @_plugins << plugin
+    plugin
+  end
+
   # This helper creates a temporary file and returns a Pathname
   # object pointed to it.
   #
diff --git a/test/unit/vagrant/machine_test.rb b/test/unit/vagrant/machine_test.rb
index a8ccc5ab8..7cc7eb03f 100644
--- a/test/unit/vagrant/machine_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/vagrant/machine_test.rb
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ describe Vagrant::Machine do
     end
 
     before(:each) do
-      instance.stub(:communicator).and_return(communicator)
+      instance.stub(:communicate).and_return(communicator)
     end
 
     it "should raise an exception if communication is not ready" do
@@ -208,6 +208,47 @@ describe Vagrant::Machine do
       expect { instance.guest }.
         to raise_error(Vagrant::Errors::MachineGuestNotReady)
     end
+
+    it "should return the configured guest" do
+      test_guest = Class.new(Vagrant.plugin("1", :guest))
+
+      register_plugin do |p|
+        p.guest(:test) { test_guest }
+      end
+
+      config.vm.guest = :test
+
+      result = instance.guest
+      result.should be_kind_of(test_guest)
+    end
+
+    it "should raise an exception if it can't find the configured guest" do
+      config.vm.guest = :bad
+
+      expect { instance.guest }.
+        to raise_error(Vagrant::Errors::VMGuestError)
+    end
+
+    it "should distro dispatch to the most specific guest" do
+      # Create the classes and dispatch the parent into the child
+      guest_parent = Class.new(Vagrant.plugin("1", :guest)) do
+        def distro_dispatch
+          :child
+        end
+      end
+
+      guest_child  = Class.new(Vagrant.plugin("1", :guest))
+
+      # Register the classes
+      register_plugin do |p|
+        p.guest(:parent) { guest_parent }
+        p.guest(:child)  { guest_child }
+      end
+
+      # Test that the result is the child
+      config.vm.guest = :parent
+      instance.guest.should be_kind_of(guest_child)
+    end
   end
 
   describe "setting the ID" do