diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2c819c479..a8ac5588e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 ## 1.2.3 (unreleased)
 
+FEATURES:
+
+  - Added a `working_directory` configuration option to the Puppet apply
+    provisioner so you can specify the working directory when `puppet` is
+    called, making it friendly to Hiera data and such. [GH-1670]
+
 IMPROVEMENTS:
 
   - Setting hostnames works properly on SmartOS. [GH-1672]
diff --git a/plugins/provisioners/puppet/config/puppet.rb b/plugins/provisioners/puppet/config/puppet.rb
index 9febf3e0e..9c1a39389 100644
--- a/plugins/provisioners/puppet/config/puppet.rb
+++ b/plugins/provisioners/puppet/config/puppet.rb
@@ -2,18 +2,35 @@ module VagrantPlugins
   module Puppet
     module Config
       class Puppet < Vagrant.plugin("2", :config)
+        attr_accessor :facter
         attr_accessor :manifest_file
         attr_accessor :manifests_path
         attr_accessor :module_path
-        attr_accessor :pp_path
         attr_accessor :options
-        attr_accessor :facter
+        attr_accessor :temp_dir
+        attr_accessor :working_directory
 
-        def manifest_file; @manifest_file || "default.pp"; end
-        def manifests_path; @manifests_path || "manifests"; end
-        def pp_path; @pp_path || "/tmp/vagrant-puppet"; end
-        def options; @options ||= []; end
-        def facter; @facter ||= {}; end
+        def initialize
+          super
+
+          @manifest_file     = UNSET_VALUE
+          @manifests_path    = UNSET_VALUE
+          @module_path       = UNSET_VALUE
+          @options           = []
+          @facter            = {}
+          @temp_dir          = UNSET_VALUE
+          @working_directory = UNSET_VALUE
+        end
+
+        def finalize!
+          super
+
+          @manifest_file  = "default.pp" if @manifest_file == UNSET_VALUE
+          @manifests_path = "manifests" if @manifests_path == UNSET_VALUE
+          @module_path    = nil if @module_path == UNSET_VALUE
+          @temp_dir       = "/tmp/vagrant-puppet" if @temp_dir == UNSET_VALUE
+          @working_directory = nil if @working_directory == UNSET_VALUE
+        end
 
         # Returns the manifests path expanded relative to the root path of the
         # environment.
diff --git a/plugins/provisioners/puppet/provisioner/puppet.rb b/plugins/provisioners/puppet/provisioner/puppet.rb
index 386ee5263..57ea75d88 100644
--- a/plugins/provisioners/puppet/provisioner/puppet.rb
+++ b/plugins/provisioners/puppet/provisioner/puppet.rb
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ module VagrantPlugins
           root_path = @machine.env.root_path
           @expanded_manifests_path = @config.expanded_manifests_path(root_path)
           @expanded_module_paths   = @config.expanded_module_paths(root_path)
-          @manifest_file           = @config.manifest_file
+          @manifest_file           = File.join(@expanded_manifests_path, @config.manifest_file)
 
           # Setup the module paths
           @module_paths = []
           @expanded_module_paths.each_with_index do |path, i|
-            @module_paths << [path, File.join(config.pp_path, "modules-#{i}")]
+            @module_paths << [path, File.join(config.temp_dir, "modules-#{i}")]
           end
 
           # Share the manifests directory with the guest
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ module VagrantPlugins
         end
 
         def manifests_guest_path
-          File.join(config.pp_path, "manifests")
+          File.join(config.temp_dir, "manifests")
         end
 
         def verify_binary(binary)
@@ -92,10 +92,13 @@ module VagrantPlugins
             facter = "#{facts.join(" ")} "
           end
 
-          command = "cd #{manifests_guest_path} && #{facter}puppet apply #{options} --detailed-exitcodes || [ $? -eq 2 ]"
+          command = "#{facter}puppet apply #{options} --detailed-exitcodes || [ $? -eq 2 ]"
+          if config.working_directory
+            command = "cd #{config.working_directory} && #{command}"
+          end
 
           @machine.env.ui.info I18n.t("vagrant.provisioners.puppet.running_puppet",
-                                      :manifest => @manifest_file)
+                                      :manifest => config.manifest_file)
 
           @machine.communicate.sudo(command) do |type, data|
             data.chomp!