diff --git a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
index 7003351b7..f4ee2417c 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
@@ -100,6 +100,13 @@ module Vagrant
       File.join(home_path, "boxes")
     end
 
+    # Returns the name of the resource which this environment represents.
+    # The resource is the VM name if there is a VM it represents, otherwise
+    # it defaults to "vagrant"
+    def resource
+      vm_name || "vagrant"
+    end
+
     # Returns the VMs associated with this environment.
     def vms
       @vms ||= {}
@@ -238,7 +245,6 @@ module Vagrant
     # references to logger won't throw nil exceptions, but by default
     # the logger will just send the log data to a black hole.
     def load_logger!
-      resource = vm_name || "vagrant"
       @logger = Util::ResourceLogger.new(resource, self)
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/ui.rb b/lib/vagrant/ui.rb
index 03e195af1..61ae9360a 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/ui.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/ui.rb
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ module Vagrant
       protected
 
       def format_message(message)
-        name = env.vm_name || "vagrant"
-        "[#{name}] #{message}"
+        "[#{env.resource}] #{message}"
       end
 
       def line_reset
diff --git a/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb b/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
index 65403a4de..2bc381b43 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
@@ -128,6 +128,21 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  context "resource" do
+    setup do
+      @env = mock_environment
+    end
+
+    should "return 'vagrant' as a default" do
+      assert_equal 'vagrant', @env.resource
+    end
+
+    should "return the VM name if it is specified" do
+      @env.stubs(:vm_name).returns("foo")
+      assert_equal "foo", @env.resource
+    end
+  end
+
   context "primary VM helper" do
     setup do
       @env = mock_environment