diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0413a14a9..92118f11b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
   - Add an `fsid` option to Linux NFS exports. [GH-736]
   - Fix edge case where an exception could be raised in networking code. [GH-742]
   - Add missing translation for the "guru meditation" state. [GH-745]
+  - Check that VirtualBox exists before certain commands. [GH-746]
 
 ## 0.9.7 (February 9, 2012)
 
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/action.rb b/lib/vagrant/action.rb
index 2d920fc9a..86ff9ce25 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/action.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/action.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ module Vagrant
     end
 
     module General
+      autoload :CheckVirtualbox, 'vagrant/action/general/check_virtualbox'
       autoload :Package,  'vagrant/action/general/package'
       autoload :Validate, 'vagrant/action/general/validate'
     end
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/action/builtin.rb b/lib/vagrant/action/builtin.rb
index eb10ab42e..5f7a26614 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/action/builtin.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/action/builtin.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # provision - Provisions a running VM
         register(:provision) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use General::Validate
             use VM::CheckAccessible
             use VM::Provision
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # environment.
         register(:start) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use General::Validate
             use VM::CheckAccessible
             use VM::CleanMachineFolder
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # a restart if fails.
         register(:halt) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use General::Validate
             use VM::CheckAccessible
             use VM::DiscardState
@@ -63,6 +66,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # suspend - Suspends the VM
         register(:suspend) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use General::Validate
             use VM::CheckAccessible
             use VM::Suspend
@@ -72,6 +76,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # resume - Resume a VM
         register(:resume) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use General::Validate
             use VM::CheckAccessible
             use VM::CheckPortCollisions
@@ -82,6 +87,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # reload - Halts then restarts the VM
         register(:reload) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use General::Validate
             use VM::CheckAccessible
             use registry.get(:halt)
@@ -92,6 +98,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # up - Imports, prepares, then starts a fresh VM.
         register(:up) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use General::Validate
             use VM::CheckAccessible
             use VM::CheckBox
@@ -106,6 +113,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # destroy - Halts, cleans up, and destroys an existing VM
         register(:destroy) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use General::Validate
             use VM::CheckAccessible
             use registry.get(:halt), :force => true
@@ -120,6 +128,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # package - Export and package the VM
         register(:package) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use General::Validate
             use VM::SetupPackageFiles
             use VM::CheckAccessible
@@ -135,6 +144,7 @@ module Vagrant
         # box_add - Download and add a box.
         register(:box_add) do
           Builder.new do
+            use General::CheckVirtualbox
             use Box::Download
             use Box::Unpackage
             use Box::Verify
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/action/general/check_virtualbox.rb b/lib/vagrant/action/general/check_virtualbox.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fe4c55378
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/vagrant/action/general/check_virtualbox.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+module Vagrant
+  module Action
+    module General
+      # Checks that virtualbox is installed and ready to be used.
+      class CheckVirtualbox
+        def initialize(app, env)
+          @app = app
+        end
+
+        def call(env)
+          env[:vm].driver.verify!
+          @app.call(env)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/action/general/validate.rb b/lib/vagrant/action/general/validate.rb
index ab2b53aea..5045918dd 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/action/general/validate.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/action/general/validate.rb
@@ -6,12 +6,11 @@ module Vagrant
       class Validate
         def initialize(app, env)
           @app = app
-          @env = env
         end
 
         def call(env)
-          @env[:vm].config.validate!(@env[:vm].env) if !@env.has_key?("validate") || @env["validate"]
-          @app.call(@env)
+          env[:vm].config.validate!(env[:vm].env) if !env.has_key?("validate") || env["validate"]
+          @app.call(env)
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox.rb b/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox.rb
index e689de0ee..ae7ec9f94 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox.rb
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ module Vagrant
                                :ssh_port,
                                :start,
                                :suspend,
+                               :verify!,
                                :verify_image,
                                :vm_exists?
 
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_4_0.rb b/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_4_0.rb
index 27377e86e..b4e6b7eb1 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_4_0.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_4_0.rb
@@ -440,6 +440,12 @@ module Vagrant
         execute("controlvm", @uuid, "savestate")
       end
 
+      def verify!
+        # This command sometimes fails if kernel drivers aren't properly loaded
+        # so we just run the command and verify that it succeeded.
+        execute("list", "hostonlyifs")
+      end
+
       def verify_image(path)
         r = raw("import", path.to_s, "--dry-run")
         return r.exit_code == 0
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_4_1.rb b/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_4_1.rb
index 9a43119cb..45e2d5aeb 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_4_1.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_4_1.rb
@@ -440,6 +440,12 @@ module Vagrant
         execute("controlvm", @uuid, "savestate")
       end
 
+      def verify!
+        # This command sometimes fails if kernel drivers aren't properly loaded
+        # so we just run the command and verify that it succeeded.
+        execute("list", "hostonlyifs")
+      end
+
       def verify_image(path)
         r = raw("import", path.to_s, "--dry-run")
         return r.exit_code == 0
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_base.rb b/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_base.rb
index 96feb91c8..7edddbb45 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_base.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/driver/virtualbox_base.rb
@@ -234,6 +234,12 @@ module Vagrant
       def suspend
       end
 
+      # Verifies that the driver is ready to accept work.
+      #
+      # This should raise a VagrantError if things are not ready.
+      def verify!
+      end
+
       # Verifies that an image can be imported properly.
       #
       # @param [String] path Path to an OVF file.