diff --git a/plugins/synced_folders/rsync/command/rsync_auto.rb b/plugins/synced_folders/rsync/command/rsync_auto.rb
index f6a939c6d..e495ce41e 100644
--- a/plugins/synced_folders/rsync/command/rsync_auto.rb
+++ b/plugins/synced_folders/rsync/command/rsync_auto.rb
@@ -70,6 +70,13 @@ module VagrantPlugins
             end
           end
 
+          # Exit immediately if there is nothing to watch
+          if paths.empty?
+            @logger.warn("No paths to listen for so exiting")
+            @env.ui.info(I18n.t("vagrant.rsync_auto_no_paths"))
+            return 1
+          end
+
           # Output to the user what paths we'll be watching
           paths.keys.sort.each do |path|
             paths[path].each do |path_opts|
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index d8727cd5e..a39901ea4 100644
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -156,6 +156,8 @@ en:
       Running cleanup tasks for '%{name}' provisioner...
     rsync_auto_initial: |-
       Doing an initial rsync...
+    rsync_auto_no_paths: |-
+      No paths to watch
     rsync_auto_path: |-
       Watching: %{path}
     rsync_communicator_not_ready: |-