diff --git a/plugins/providers/virtualbox/synced_folder.rb b/plugins/providers/virtualbox/synced_folder.rb
index 695b41ee5..5b8a9799b 100644
--- a/plugins/providers/virtualbox/synced_folder.rb
+++ b/plugins/providers/virtualbox/synced_folder.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+require "fileutils"
 require "vagrant/util/platform"
 
 module VagrantPlugins
@@ -97,35 +98,51 @@ module VagrantPlugins
       # transient.
       def share_folders(machine, folders, transient)
         defs = []
+        warn_user_symlink = false
+
         folders.each do |id, data|
           hostpath = data[:hostpath]
           if !data[:hostpath_exact]
             hostpath = Vagrant::Util::Platform.cygwin_windows_path(hostpath)
           end
 
-          sharefoldersenablesymlinkscreate = true
+          enable_symlink_create = true
 
           if ENV['VAGRANT_DISABLE_VBOXSYMLINKCREATE']
-            sharefoldersenablesymlinkscreate = false
+            enable_symlink_create = false
           end
 
           unless data[:SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate].nil?
-            sharefoldersenablesymlinkscreate = data[:SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate]
+            enable_symlink_create = data[:SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate]
           end
 
+          warn_user_symlink ||= enable_symlink_create
+
           # Only setup the shared folders that match our transient level
           if (!!data[:transient]) == transient
             defs << {
               name: os_friendly_id(id),
               hostpath: hostpath.to_s,
               transient: transient,
-              SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate: sharefoldersenablesymlinkscreate
+              SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate: enable_symlink_create
             }
           end
         end
 
+        if warn_user_symlink
+          display_symlink_create_warning(machine.env)
+        end
+
         driver(machine).share_folders(defs)
       end
+
+      def display_symlink_create_warning(env)
+        d_file = env.data_dir.join("vbox_symlink_create_warning")
+        if !d_file.exist?
+          FileUtils.touch(d_file.to_path)
+          env.ui.warn(I18n.t("vagrant.virtualbox.warning.shared_folder_symlink_create"))
+        end
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index 0f591b94c..f205fd819 100644
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -329,7 +329,22 @@ en:
         invalid_event: |-
           %{event} is not a valid event for customization. Valid events
           are: %{valid_events}
+      warning:
+        shared_folder_symlink_create: |-
+          Vagrant is currently configured to create VirtualBox synced folders with
+          the `SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate` option enabled. If the Vagrant
+          guest is not trusted, you may want to disable this option. For more
+          information on this option, please refer to the VirtualBox manual:
 
+            https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch04.html#sharedfolders
+
+          This option can be disabled globally with an environment variable:
+
+            VAGRANT_DISABLE_VBOXSYMLINKCREATE=1
+
+          or on a per folder basis within the Vagrantfile:
+
+            config.vm.synced_folder '/host/path', '/guest/path', SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate: false
     general:
       batch_notify_error: |-
         An error occurred. The error will be shown after all tasks complete.
diff --git a/test/unit/plugins/providers/virtualbox/synced_folder_test.rb b/test/unit/plugins/providers/virtualbox/synced_folder_test.rb
index 683fd9dee..1eb3d77c3 100644
--- a/test/unit/plugins/providers/virtualbox/synced_folder_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/plugins/providers/virtualbox/synced_folder_test.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::ProviderVirtualBox::SyncedFolder do
     machine.provider_config.finalize!
   end
 
-  describe "usable" do
+  describe "#usable?" do
     it "should be with virtualbox provider" do
       allow(machine).to receive(:provider_name).and_return(:virtualbox)
       expect(subject).to be_usable(machine)
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::ProviderVirtualBox::SyncedFolder do
     end
   end
 
-  describe "prepare" do
+  describe "#prepare" do
     let(:driver) { double("driver") }
     let(:provider) { double("driver", driver: driver) }
     let(:folders) { {"/folder"=>
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::ProviderVirtualBox::SyncedFolder do
 
     before do
       allow(machine).to receive(:provider).and_return(provider)
+      allow(machine).to receive(:env)
+      allow(subject).to receive(:display_symlink_create_warning)
     end
 
     it "should prepare and share the folders" do
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::ProviderVirtualBox::SyncedFolder do
     end
   end
 
-  describe "os_friendly_id" do
+  describe "#os_friendly_id" do
     it "should not replace normal chars" do
       expect(subject.send(:os_friendly_id, 'perfectly_valid0_name')).to eq('perfectly_valid0_name')
     end
@@ -113,4 +115,89 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::ProviderVirtualBox::SyncedFolder do
       expect(subject.send(:os_friendly_id, 'foo\\bar')).to eq('foo_bar')
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#share_folders" do
+    let(:folders){ {'folder1' => {hostpath: '/vagrant', transient: true},
+      'folder2' => {hostpath: '/vagrant2', transient: false}} }
+    let(:symlink_create_disable){ nil }
+    let(:driver){ double("driver") }
+
+    before do
+      allow(subject).to receive(:display_symlink_create_warning)
+      allow(machine).to receive(:env)
+      allow(subject).to receive(:driver).and_return(driver)
+      allow(driver).to receive(:share_folders)
+      allow(ENV).to receive(:[]).with("VAGRANT_DISABLE_VBOXSYMLINKCREATE").and_return(symlink_create_disable)
+    end
+
+    it "should only add transient folder" do
+      expect(driver).to receive(:share_folders).with(any_args) do |defs|
+        expect(defs.size).to eq(1)
+      end
+      subject.send(:share_folders, machine, folders, true)
+    end
+
+    it "should display symlink create warning" do
+      expect(subject).to receive(:display_symlink_create_warning)
+      subject.send(:share_folders, machine, folders, true)
+    end
+
+    context "with create symlink globally disabled" do
+      let(:symlink_create_disable){ "1" }
+
+      it "should not enable option within definitions" do
+        expect(driver).to receive(:share_folders).with(any_args) do |defs|
+          expect(defs.first[:SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate]).to be(false)
+        end
+        subject.send(:share_folders, machine, folders, true)
+      end
+
+      it "should not display symlink warning" do
+        expect(subject).not_to receive(:display_symlink_create_warning)
+        subject.send(:share_folders, machine, folders, true)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#display_symlink_create_warning" do
+    let(:env){ double("env", ui: double("ui"), data_dir: double("data_dir")) }
+    let(:gate_file){ double("gate") }
+
+    before{ allow(gate_file).to receive(:to_path).and_return("PATH") }
+    after{ subject.send(:display_symlink_create_warning, env) }
+
+    context "gate file does not exist" do
+      before do
+        allow(env.data_dir).to receive(:join).and_return(gate_file)
+        allow(gate_file).to receive(:exist?).and_return(false)
+        allow(FileUtils).to receive(:touch)
+        allow(env.ui).to receive(:warn)
+      end
+
+      it "should create file" do
+        expect(FileUtils).to receive(:touch).with("PATH")
+      end
+
+      it "should output warning to user" do
+        expect(env.ui).to receive(:warn)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "gate file does exist" do
+      before do
+        allow(env.data_dir).to receive(:join).and_return(gate_file)
+        allow(gate_file).to receive(:exist?).and_return(true)
+        allow(FileUtils).to receive(:touch)
+        allow(env.ui).to receive(:warn)
+      end
+
+      it "should not create/update file" do
+        expect(FileUtils).not_to receive(:touch).with("PATH")
+      end
+
+      it "should not output warning to user" do
+        expect(env.ui).not_to receive(:warn)
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end