diff --git a/lib/vagrant/config/vagrant.rb b/lib/vagrant/config/vagrant.rb
index c518fd811..e06ef85dc 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/config/vagrant.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/config/vagrant.rb
@@ -5,17 +5,13 @@ module Vagrant
 
       attr_accessor :dotfile_name
       attr_accessor :log_output
-      attr_writer :home
+      attr_accessor :home
       attr_accessor :host
 
       def initialize
         @home = nil
       end
 
-      def home
-        File.expand_path(@home)
-      end
-
       def validate(errors)
         [:dotfile_name, :home, :host].each do |field|
           errors.add("vagrant.config.common.error_empty", :field => field) if !instance_variable_get("@#{field}".to_sym)
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
index 0aa32a1cf..0c2c05a77 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
@@ -58,19 +58,20 @@ module Vagrant
       root_path.join(config.vagrant.dotfile_name) rescue nil
     end
 
-    # The path to the home directory, which is usually in `~/.vagrant/~
+    # The path to the home directory, expanded relative to the root path,
+    # and converted into a Pathname object.
     def home_path
-      config ? config.vagrant.home : nil
+      @_home_path ||= Pathname.new(File.expand_path(config.vagrant.home, root_path))
     end
 
     # The path to the Vagrant tmp directory
     def tmp_path
-      File.join(home_path, "tmp")
+      home_path.join("tmp")
     end
 
     # The path to the Vagrant boxes directory
     def boxes_path
-      File.join(home_path, "boxes")
+      home_path.join("boxes")
     end
 
     # Returns the name of the resource which this environment represents.
@@ -260,8 +261,8 @@ module Vagrant
     # within the home directory if they're not already created.
     def load_home_directory!
       # Setup the array of necessary home directories
-      dirs = HOME_SUBDIRS.collect { |subdir| File.join(home_path, subdir) }
-      dirs.unshift(home_path)
+      dirs = [home_path]
+      dirs += HOME_SUBDIRS.collect { |subdir| home_path.join(subdir) }
 
       # Go through each required directory, creating it if it doesn't exist
       dirs.each do |dir|
diff --git a/test/vagrant/config/vagrant_test.rb b/test/vagrant/config/vagrant_test.rb
index c9feafe0e..761c3a4fb 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/config/vagrant_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/config/vagrant_test.rb
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@ class ConfigVagrantTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     @config = Vagrant::Config::VagrantConfig.new
   end
 
-  should "expand the path if home is not nil" do
-    @config.home = "foo"
-    File.expects(:expand_path).with("foo").once.returns("result")
-    assert_equal "result", @config.home
+  context "validation" do
+    # TODO
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb b/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
index 81892640f..ddd75573a 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
@@ -59,25 +59,21 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
 
     context "home path" do
-      should "return nil if config is not yet loaded" do
-        @env.stubs(:config).returns(nil)
-        assert_nil @env.home_path
-      end
-
       should "return the home path if it loaded" do
-        assert_equal @env.config.vagrant.home, @env.home_path
+        expected = Pathname.new(File.expand_path(@env.config.vagrant.home, @env.root_path))
+        assert_equal expected, @env.home_path
       end
     end
 
     context "temp path" do
       should "return the home path joined with 'tmp'" do
-        assert_equal File.join(@env.home_path, "tmp"), @env.tmp_path
+        assert_equal @env.home_path.join("tmp"), @env.tmp_path
       end
     end
 
     context "boxes path" do
       should "return the home path joined with 'tmp'" do
-        assert_equal File.join(@env.home_path, "boxes"), @env.boxes_path
+        assert_equal @env.home_path.join("boxes"), @env.boxes_path
       end
     end
   end
@@ -387,7 +383,6 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     context "loading home directory" do
       setup do
         @env = vagrant_env
-        @home_dir = File.expand_path(@env.config.vagrant.home)
 
         File.stubs(:directory?).returns(true)
         FileUtils.stubs(:mkdir_p)
@@ -397,7 +392,7 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         create_seq = sequence("create_seq")
         File.stubs(:directory?).returns(false)
         @klass::HOME_SUBDIRS.each do |subdir|
-          FileUtils.expects(:mkdir_p).with(File.join(@home_dir, subdir)).in_sequence(create_seq)
+          FileUtils.expects(:mkdir_p).with(@env.home_path.join(subdir)).in_sequence(create_seq)
         end
 
         @env.load_home_directory!