diff --git a/lib/vagrant/errors.rb b/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
index e859e715f..765a77da3 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/errors.rb
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ module Vagrant
       error_key(:no_env)
     end
 
+    class SSHUnavailableWindows < VagrantError
+      status_code(10)
+      error_key(:ssh_unavailable_windows)
+    end
+
     class VirtualBoxInvalidOSE < VagrantError
       status_code(9)
       error_key(:virtualbox_invalid_ose)
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/ssh.rb b/lib/vagrant/ssh.rb
index be17126ae..d12565327 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/ssh.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/ssh.rb
@@ -22,9 +22,8 @@ module Vagrant
     # of options which override the configuration values.
     def connect(opts={})
       if Mario::Platform.windows?
-        error_and_exit(:ssh_unavailable_windows,
-                       :key_path => env.config.ssh.private_key_path,
-                       :ssh_port => port(opts))
+        raise Errors::SSHUnavailableWindows.new(:key_path => env.config.ssh.private_key_path,
+                                                :ssh_port => port(opts))
       end
 
       options = {}
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index 35ae3df95..2ed158fc0 100644
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,21 @@ en:
       multi_vm_required: A multi-vm environment is required for name specification to this command.
       multi_vm_target_required: `vagrant %{command}` requires a specific VM name to target in a multi-VM environment.
       no_env: No Vagrant environment detected. Run `vagrant init` to set one up.
+      ssh_unavailable_windows: |-
+        `vagrant ssh` isn't available on the Windows platform. The
+        vagrant.ppk file for use with Putty is available at:
+
+          <%= key_path %>.ppk
+
+        To use this create a new Putty session for `vagrant@localhost`
+        on port `<%= ssh_port %>`, in the Connection>SSH>Auth
+        configuration section navigate to the vagrant.ppk file,
+        select it, save the session for later use, and connect.
+
+        For a more detailed guide please consult:
+
+          http://vagrantup.com/docs/getting-started/windows.
+
       virtualbox_invalid_ose: |-
         Vagrant has detected you're using an OSE ("Open Source Edition") of VirtualBox.
         Vagrant currently doesn't support any of the OSE editions due to slight API
diff --git a/templates/strings.yml b/templates/strings.yml
index e546d338c..b49f8fc6b 100644
--- a/templates/strings.yml
+++ b/templates/strings.yml
@@ -153,20 +153,6 @@
   Vagrant assumes that this means the command failed!
 
   <%= command %>
-:ssh_unavailable_windows: |-
-  `vagrant ssh` isn't available on the Windows platform. The
-  vagrant.ppk file is available at
-
-     <%= key_path %>.ppk
-
-  for use with Putty. To do this create a new Putty session for
-  `vagrant@localhost` on port `<%= ssh_port %>`, in the Connection>SSH>Auth
-  configuration section navigate to the vagrant.ppk file,
-  select it, save the session for later use, and connect.
-
-  For a more detailed guide please consult:
-
-     http://vagrantup.com/docs/getting-started/windows.html
 :system_invalid_class: |-
   The specified system does not inherit from `Vagrant::Systems::Base`. The
   specified system class must inherit from this class.
diff --git a/test/vagrant/ssh_test.rb b/test/vagrant/ssh_test.rb
index 48d4cfbbf..223ce12c9 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/ssh_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/ssh_test.rb
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ class SshTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         Vagrant::Util::Platform.stubs(:leopard?).returns(true)
       end
 
+      teardown do
+        Vagrant::Util::Platform.stubs(:leopard?).returns(false)
+      end
+
       should "fork, exec, and wait" do
         pid = mock("pid")
         @ssh.expects(:fork).once.returns(pid)
@@ -78,18 +82,18 @@ class SshTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
 
     context "checking windows" do
+      teardown do
+        Mario::Platform.forced = Mario::Platform::Linux
+      end
+
       should "error and exit if the platform is windows" do
-        Mario::Platform.expects(:windows?).returns(true)
-        @ssh.expects(:error_and_exit).with do |error_name, opts|
-          opts[:key_path] && opts[:ssh_port]
-        end
-        @ssh.connect
+        Mario::Platform.forced = Mario::Platform::Windows7
+        assert_raises(Vagrant::Errors::SSHUnavailableWindows) { @ssh.connect }
       end
 
       should "not error and exit if the platform is anything other that windows" do
-        Mario::Platform.expects(:windows?).returns(false)
-        @ssh.expects(:error_and_exit).never
-        @ssh.connect
+        Mario::Platform.forced = Mario::Platform::Linux
+        assert_nothing_raised { @ssh.connect }
       end
     end
 
@@ -252,11 +256,15 @@ class SshTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       @stat.stubs(:owned?).returns(true)
       File.stubs(:stat).returns(@stat)
 
-      Mario::Platform.stubs(:windows?).returns(false)
+      Mario::Platform.forced = Mario::Platform::Linux
+    end
+
+    teardown do
+      Mario::Platform.forced = Mario::Platform::Linux
     end
 
     should "do nothing if on windows" do
-      Mario::Platform.stubs(:windows?).returns(true)
+      Mario::Platform.forced = Mario::Platform::Windows7
       File.expects(:stat).never
       @ssh.check_key_permissions(@key_path)
     end