diff --git a/lib/vagrant/action/vm/forward_ports.rb b/lib/vagrant/action/vm/forward_ports.rb
index d828cff78..05237df44 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/action/vm/forward_ports.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/action/vm/forward_ports.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ module Vagrant
           @app = app
           @env = env
 
-          external_collision_check
+          threshold_check
+          external_collision_check if !env.error?
         end
 
         #--------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -18,6 +19,14 @@ module Vagrant
         # executing the action
         #--------------------------------------------------------------
 
+        # This method checks for any forwarded ports on the host below
+        # 1024, which causes the forwarded ports to fail.
+        def threshold_check
+          @env.env.config.vm.forwarded_ports.each do |name, options|
+            return @env.error!(:vm_port_below_threshold) if options[:hostport] <= 1024
+          end
+        end
+
         # This method checks for any port collisions with any VMs
         # which are already created (by Vagrant or otherwise).
         # report the collisions detected or will attempt to fix them
diff --git a/templates/strings.yml b/templates/strings.yml
index b538d5a26..aea33e6b0 100644
--- a/templates/strings.yml
+++ b/templates/strings.yml
@@ -272,6 +272,11 @@
 
   VM: <%= vm_name %>
   Forwarded port: <%= name %> (<%= options[:guestport] %> => <%= options[:hostport] %>)
+:vm_port_below_threshold: |-
+  The host port of all forwarded ports must be above 1024. VirtualBox
+  does not allow host ports to be below 1024. (Guest ports below 1024
+  are fine. For example: SSH on port 22 on the guest can be forwarded
+  to port 2222, but not 222).
 :vm_port_collision: |-
   Vagrant cannot forward the specified ports on this VM, since they
   would collide with another VirtualBox virtual machine's forwarded
diff --git a/test/vagrant/action/vm/forward_ports_test.rb b/test/vagrant/action/vm/forward_ports_test.rb
index 429623ac0..f6e499932 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/action/vm/forward_ports_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/action/vm/forward_ports_test.rb
@@ -12,11 +12,29 @@ class ForwardPortsVMActionTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
   context "initializing" do
     should "call proper methods" do
+      @klass.any_instance.expects(:threshold_check)
       @klass.any_instance.expects(:external_collision_check)
       @klass.new(@app, @env)
     end
   end
 
+  context "checking for threshold" do
+    should "error if has a port below threshold" do
+      @env.env.config.vm.forwarded_ports.clear
+      @env.env.config.vm.forward_port("foo", 22, 222)
+      @klass.new(@app, @env)
+      assert @env.error?
+      assert_equal :vm_port_below_threshold, @env.error.first
+    end
+
+    should "not error if ports are fine" do
+      @env.env.config.vm.forwarded_ports.clear
+      @env.env.config.vm.forward_port("foo", 22, 2222)
+      @klass.new(@app, @env)
+      assert !@env.error?
+    end
+  end
+
   context "checking for colliding external ports" do
     setup do
       @env.env.config.vm.forwarded_ports.clear
@@ -43,6 +61,7 @@ class ForwardPortsVMActionTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
   context "with instance" do
     setup do
+      @klass.any_instance.stubs(:threshold_check)
       @klass.any_instance.stubs(:external_collision_check)
       @instance = @klass.new(@app, @env)
     end