diff --git a/plugins/providers/docker/action/login.rb b/plugins/providers/docker/action/login.rb
index a63c0fdc6..56f3b7e2c 100644
--- a/plugins/providers/docker/action/login.rb
+++ b/plugins/providers/docker/action/login.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,21 @@ module VagrantPlugins
           @logger = Log4r::Logger.new("vagrant::docker::login")
         end
 
+        def login(env, config, driver)
+          # Login!
+          env[:ui].output(I18n.t("docker_provider.logging_in"))
+          driver.login(
+            config.email, config.username,
+            config.password, config.auth_server)
+
+          # Continue, so that the auth is protected
+          # from meddling.
+          @app.call(env)
+
+          # Log out
+          driver.logout(config.auth_server)
+        end
+
         def call(env)
           config = env[:machine].provider_config
           driver = env[:machine].provider.driver
@@ -16,21 +31,15 @@ module VagrantPlugins
           # If we don't have a password set, don't auth
           return @app.call(env) if config.password == ""
 
-          # Grab a host VM lock to do the login so that we only login
-          # once per container for the rest of this process.
-          env[:machine].provider.host_vm_lock do
-            # Login!
-            env[:ui].output(I18n.t("docker_provider.logging_in"))
-            driver.login(
-              config.email, config.username,
-              config.password, config.auth_server)
-
-            # Continue, within the lock, so that the auth is protected
-            # from meddling.
-            @app.call(env)
-
-            # Log out
-            driver.logout(config.auth_server)
+          if !env[:machine].provider.host_vm?
+            # no host vm in use, using docker directly
+            login(env, config, driver)
+          else
+            # Grab a host VM lock to do the login so that we only login
+            # once per container for the rest of this process.
+            env[:machine].provider.host_vm_lock do
+              login(env, config, driver)
+            end
           end
         end
       end
diff --git a/test/unit/plugins/providers/docker/action/login_test.rb b/test/unit/plugins/providers/docker/action/login_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..85b68897b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/plugins/providers/docker/action/login_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+require_relative "../../../../base"
+require_relative "../../../../../../plugins/providers/docker/action/login"
+
+
+describe VagrantPlugins::DockerProvider::Action::Login do
+  include_context "unit"
+  include_context "virtualbox"
+
+  let(:sandbox) { isolated_environment }
+
+  let(:iso_env) do
+    # We have to create a Vagrantfile so there is a root path
+    sandbox.vagrantfile("")
+    sandbox.create_vagrant_env
+  end
+
+  let(:provider_config) { double("provider_config", username: "docker", password: "") }
+
+  let(:machine) do
+    iso_env.machine(iso_env.machine_names[0], :docker).tap do |m|
+      allow(m).to receive(:id).and_return("12345")
+      allow(m).to receive(:provider_config).and_return(provider_config)
+      allow(m.provider).to receive(:driver).and_return(driver)
+      allow(m.provider).to receive(:host_vm?).and_return(false)
+    end
+  end
+
+  let(:env)    {{ machine: machine, ui: machine.ui, root_path: Pathname.new(".") }}
+  let(:app)    { lambda { |*args| }}
+  let(:driver) { double("driver", create: "abcd1234") }
+
+
+  subject { described_class.new(app, env) }
+
+  after do
+    sandbox.close
+  end
+
+  describe "#call" do
+    it "calls the next action in the chain" do
+      allow(driver).to receive(:host_vm?).and_return(false)
+
+      called = false
+      app = ->(*args) { called = true }
+
+      action = described_class.new(app, env)
+
+      action.call(env)
+
+      expect(called).to eq(true)
+    end
+
+    it "uses a host vm lock if host_vm is true and password is set" do
+      allow(driver).to receive(:host_vm?).and_return(true)
+      allow(driver).to receive(:login).and_return(true)
+      allow(driver).to receive(:logout).and_return(true)
+
+      allow(machine.provider).to receive(:host_vm?).and_return(true)
+      allow(machine.provider).to receive(:host_vm_lock) { |&block| block.call }
+
+      allow(provider_config).to receive(:password).and_return("docker")
+      allow(provider_config).to receive(:email).and_return("docker")
+      allow(provider_config).to receive(:auth_server).and_return("docker")
+
+      called = false
+      app = ->(*args) { called = true }
+
+      action = described_class.new(app, env)
+
+      action.call(env)
+
+      expect(called).to eq(true)
+    end
+
+    it "doesn't use the host vm if not set" do
+      allow(driver).to receive(:host_vm?).and_return(false)
+      allow(driver).to receive(:login).and_return(true)
+      allow(driver).to receive(:logout).and_return(true)
+
+      allow(machine.provider).to receive(:host_vm?).and_return(false)
+
+      allow(provider_config).to receive(:password).and_return("docker")
+      allow(provider_config).to receive(:email).and_return("docker")
+      allow(provider_config).to receive(:auth_server).and_return("docker")
+
+      called = false
+      app = ->(*args) { called = true }
+
+      action = described_class.new(app, env)
+
+      action.call(env)
+
+      expect(called).to eq(true)
+    end
+  end
+end