diff --git a/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/base.rb b/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/base.rb
index 1ae4a0808..3f5ec7106 100644
--- a/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/base.rb
+++ b/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/base.rb
@@ -24,18 +24,27 @@ module VagrantPlugins
           @logger = Log4r::Logger.new("vagrant::provisioners::chef")
 
           if !present?(@config.node_name)
-            cache = @machine.data_dir.join("chef_node_name")
-
-            if !cache.exist?
-              @machine.ui.info I18n.t("vagrant.provisioners.chef.generating_node_name")
-              cache.open("w+") do |f|
-                f.write("vagrant-#{SecureRandom.hex(4)}")
+            # First attempt to get the node name from the hostname, and if that
+            # is not present, generate/retrieve a random hostname.
+            hostname = @machine.config.vm.hostname
+            if present?(hostname)
+              @machine.ui.info I18n.t("vagrant.provisioners.chef.using_hostname_node_name",
+                hostname: hostname,
+              )
+              @config.node_name = hostname
+            else
+              cache = @machine.data_dir.join("chef_node_name")
+              if !cache.exist?
+                @machine.ui.info I18n.t("vagrant.provisioners.chef.generating_node_name")
+                cache.open("w+") do |f|
+                  f.write("vagrant-#{SecureRandom.hex(4)}")
+                end
               end
-            end
 
-            if cache.file?
-              @logger.info("Loading cached node_name...")
-              @config.node_name = cache.read.strip
+              if cache.file?
+                @logger.info("Loading cached node_name...")
+                @config.node_name = cache.read.strip
+              end
             end
           end
         end
diff --git a/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/chef_client.rb b/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/chef_client.rb
index 5a9ec918e..1d7dc5420 100644
--- a/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/chef_client.rb
+++ b/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/chef_client.rb
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ module VagrantPlugins
         end
 
         def delete_from_chef_server(deletable)
-          node_name = @config.node_name || @machine.config.vm.hostname
+          node_name = @config.node_name
 
           if !present?(node_name)
             @machine.ui.warn(I18n.t("vagrant.provisioners.chef.missing_node_name",
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index 3ca78008d..4929d9a38 100755
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -1950,6 +1950,8 @@ en:
         client_key_folder: "Creating folder to hold client key..."
         generating_node_name: |-
           Auto-generating node name for Chef...
+        using_hostname_node_name: |-
+          Using hostname "%{hostname}" as node name for Chef...
         install_failed: |-
           Vagrant could not detect Chef on the guest! Even after Vagrant
           attempted to install Chef, it could still not find Chef on the system.
diff --git a/test/unit/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/base_test.rb b/test/unit/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/base_test.rb
index 033051b1b..10536f035 100644
--- a/test/unit/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/base_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/plugins/provisioners/chef/provisioner/base_test.rb
@@ -22,6 +22,35 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::Chef::Provisioner::Base do
     allow(config).to receive(:node_name=)
   end
 
+  describe "#node_name" do
+    let(:env) { double("env") }
+    let(:root_path) { "/my/root" }
+
+    before do
+      allow(machine).to receive(:env).and_return(env)
+      allow(env).to receive(:root_path).and_return(root_path)
+    end
+
+    it "defaults to node_name if given" do
+      config = OpenStruct.new(node_name: "name")
+      instance = described_class.new(machine, config)
+      expect(instance.config.node_name).to eq("name")
+    end
+
+    it "defaults to hostname if given" do
+      machine.config.vm.hostname = "by.hostname"
+      instance = described_class.new(machine, OpenStruct.new)
+      expect(instance.config.node_name).to eq("by.hostname")
+    end
+
+    it "generates a random name if no hostname or node_name is given" do
+      config = OpenStruct.new(node_name: nil)
+      machine.config.vm.hostname = nil
+      instance = described_class.new(machine, OpenStruct.new)
+      expect(instance.config.node_name).to match(/vagrant\-.+/)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#encrypted_data_bag_secret_key_path" do
     let(:env) { double("env") }
     let(:root_path) { "/my/root" }