diff --git a/plugins/provisioners/ansible/provisioner/guest.rb b/plugins/provisioners/ansible/provisioner/guest.rb
index 3ac35bea1..285df8ac1 100644
--- a/plugins/provisioners/ansible/provisioner/guest.rb
+++ b/plugins/provisioners/ansible/provisioner/guest.rb
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ module VagrantPlugins
 
           # Try to install Ansible (if needed and requested)
           if config.install &&
-             (config.version == :latest ||
+             (config.version.to_s.to_sym == :latest ||
               !@machine.guest.capability(:ansible_installed, config.version))
             @machine.ui.detail(I18n.t("vagrant.provisioners.ansible.installing"))
             @machine.guest.capability(:ansible_install)
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ module VagrantPlugins
 
           # Check if requested ansible version is available
           if (!config.version.empty? &&
-              config.version != :latest &&
+              config.version.to_s.to_sym != :latest &&
               !@machine.guest.capability(:ansible_installed, config.version))
             raise Ansible::Errors::AnsibleVersionNotFoundOnGuest, required_version: config.version.to_s
           end