diff --git a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
index 1cba0613d..5729ef727 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,22 @@ module Vagrant
     attr_reader :box
     attr_reader :vm
 
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------
+    # Class Methods
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------
+    class <<self
+      # Loads and returns an environment given a specific working
+      # directory. If a working directory is not given, it will default
+      # to the pwd.
+      def load!(cwd=nil)
+        Environment.new(cwd).load!
+      end
+    end
+
+    def initialize(cwd=nil)
+      @cwd = cwd
+    end
+
     #---------------------------------------------------------------
     # Path Helpers
     #---------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -51,6 +67,7 @@ module Vagrant
       load_box!
       load_config!
       load_vm!
+      self
     end
 
     # Loads the root path of this environment, given the starting
diff --git a/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb b/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
index fe770038f..f25c7395b 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/environment_test.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,43 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     mock_config
   end
 
+  context "class method load!" do
+    setup do
+      @cwd = mock('cwd')
+
+      @env = mock('env')
+      @env.stubs(:load!).returns(@env)
+    end
+
+    should "create the environment with given cwd, load it, and return it" do
+      Vagrant::Environment.expects(:new).with(@cwd).once.returns(@env)
+      @env.expects(:load!).returns(@env)
+      assert_equal @env, Vagrant::Environment.load!(@cwd)
+    end
+
+    should "work without a given cwd" do
+      Vagrant::Environment.expects(:new).with(nil).returns(@env)
+
+      assert_nothing_raised {
+        env = Vagrant::Environment.load!
+        assert_equal env, @env
+      }
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "initialization" do
+    should "set the cwd if given" do
+      cwd = "foobarbaz"
+      env = Vagrant::Environment.new(cwd)
+      assert_equal cwd, env.cwd
+    end
+
+    should "default to pwd if cwd is nil" do
+      env = Vagrant::Environment.new
+      assert_equal Dir.pwd, env.cwd
+    end
+  end
+
   context "paths" do
     setup do
       @env = mock_environment
@@ -49,7 +86,7 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
 
     context "overall load method" do
-      should "load! should load the config and set the persisted_uid" do
+      should "load! should call proper sequence and return itself" do
         call_seq = sequence("call_sequence")
         @env.expects(:load_root_path!).once.in_sequence(call_seq)
         @env.expects(:load_config!).once.in_sequence(call_seq)
@@ -57,7 +94,7 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         @env.expects(:load_box!).once.in_sequence(call_seq)
         @env.expects(:load_config!).once.in_sequence(call_seq)
         @env.expects(:load_vm!).once.in_sequence(call_seq)
-        @env.load!
+        assert_equal @env, @env.load!
       end
     end