diff --git a/lib/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add.rb b/lib/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add.rb
index 00c88f8c8..805b9ee66 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add.rb
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ module Vagrant
         # @param [Array<String>] urls
         # @param [Hash] env
         def add_direct(urls, env)
+          env[:ui].output(I18n.t("vagrant.box_adding_direct"))
+
           name = env[:box_name]
           if !name || name == ""
             raise Errors::BoxAddNameRequired
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index f9020851e..a6abe138c 100644
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ en:
       Adding box '%{name}' (v%{version}) for provider: %{providers}
     box_added: |-
       Successfully added box '%{name}' (v%{version}) for '%{provider}'!
+    box_adding_direct: |-
+      Box file was not detected as metadata. Adding it directly...
     box_downloading: |-
       Downloading: %{url}
     box_download_error: |-