diff --git a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
index 5f70ca1e9..559e4b164 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
@@ -130,10 +130,24 @@ module Vagrant
       # initialization. The cache file will cause this to mostly be a no-op
       # most of the time.
       @checkpoint_thr = Thread.new do
-        @checkpoint_result = Checkpoint.check(
+        Thread.current[:result] = nil
+
+        # If we disabled checkpoint via env var, don't run this
+        if ENV["VAGRANT_CHECKPOINT_DISABLE"].to_s != ""
+          next
+        end
+
+        # If we disabled state and knowing what alerts we've seen, then
+        # disable the signature file.
+        signature_file = @data_dir.join("checkpoint_signature")
+        if ENV["VAGRANT_CHECKPOINT_NO_STATE"].to_s != ""
+          signature_file = nil
+        end
+
+        Thread.current[:result] = Checkpoint.check(
           product: "vagrant",
           version: VERSION,
-          signature_file: @data_dir.join("checkpoint_signature"),
+          signature_file: signature_file,
           cache_file: @data_dir.join("checkpoint_cache"),
         )
       end
@@ -263,7 +277,7 @@ module Vagrant
     # @return [Hash]
     def checkpoint
       @checkpoint_thr.join
-      return @checkpoint_result
+      return @checkpoint_thr[:result]
     end
 
     # Makes a call to the CLI with the given arguments as if they
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/shared_helpers.rb b/lib/vagrant/shared_helpers.rb
index 5521d43e9..c2c52ae10 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/shared_helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/shared_helpers.rb
@@ -38,25 +38,6 @@ module Vagrant
     ENV["VAGRANT_INSTALLER_EMBEDDED_DIR"]
   end
 
-  # Returns the latest version of Vagrant that is available.
-  #
-  # This makes an HTTP call.
-  #
-  # @return [String]
-  def self.latest_version
-    # Lazy-require this so that the overhead of this file is low
-    require "vagrant/util/downloader"
-
-    tf  = Tempfile.new("vagrant")
-    tf.close
-    url = "http://www.vagrantup.com/latest-version.json"
-    Vagrant::Util::Downloader.new(url, tf.path).download!
-    data = JSON.parse(File.read(tf.path))
-    data["version"]
-  ensure
-    tf.unlink if tf
-  end
-
   # This returns whether or not 3rd party plugins should be loaded.
   #
   # @return [Boolean]
diff --git a/plugins/commands/version/command.rb b/plugins/commands/version/command.rb
index 100082440..873b202c9 100644
--- a/plugins/commands/version/command.rb
+++ b/plugins/commands/version/command.rb
@@ -22,8 +22,15 @@ module VagrantPlugins
           "vagrant.version_current", version: Vagrant::VERSION))
         @env.ui.machine("version-installed", Vagrant::VERSION)
 
-        # Load the latest version
-        latest = Vagrant.latest_version
+        # Load the latest information
+        cp = @env.checkpoint
+        if !cp
+          @env.ui.output("\n"+I18n.t(
+            "vagrant.version_no_checkpoint"))
+          return 0
+        end
+
+        latest = cp["current_version"]
 
         # Output latest version
         @env.ui.output(I18n.t(
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index 050fe2972..4be7a92e7 100644
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -229,6 +229,9 @@ en:
       Latest Version: %{version}
     version_latest_installed: |-
       You're running an up-to-date version of Vagrant!
+    version_no_checkpoint: |-
+      Vagrant was unable to check for the latest version of Vagrant.
+      Please check manually at http://www.vagrantup.com
     version_upgrade_howto: |-
       To upgrade to the latest version, visit the downloads page and
       download and install the latest version of Vagrant from the URL