diff --git a/bin/vagrant-halt b/bin/vagrant-halt
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..a619324d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/vagrant-halt
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env ruby
+begin
+  require File.expand_path('../../.bundle/environment', __FILE__)
+rescue LoadError
+  # Fallback on rubygems
+  require "rubygems"
+end
+
+require 'git-style-binary/command'
+
+# Get library
+libdir = File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'lib')
+$:.unshift(libdir) unless $:.include?(libdir)
+require 'vagrant'
+
+GitStyleBinary.command do
+  short_desc "forcibly halts the vagrant environment"
+  banner <<-EOS
+Usage: #{command.full_name} #{all_options_string}
+
+Forcibly halts the vagrant environment. This is the equivalent
+of pulling the power on your computer.
+
+EOS
+
+  run do |command|
+    Vagrant::Commands.halt
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/stop.rb b/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/halt.rb
similarity index 86%
rename from lib/vagrant/actions/vm/stop.rb
rename to lib/vagrant/actions/vm/halt.rb
index 32e84efaa..4da6ec03a 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/stop.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/halt.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module Vagrant
   module Actions
     module VM
-      class Stop < Base
+      class Halt < Base
         def execute!
           logger.info "Forcing shutdown of VM..."
           @runner.vm.stop(true)
@@ -9,4 +9,4 @@ module Vagrant
       end
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/reload.rb b/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/reload.rb
index 8e6357a0f..12e2d22e5 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/reload.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/actions/vm/reload.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module Vagrant
     module VM
       class Reload < Base
         def prepare
-          steps = [Stop, ForwardPorts, SharedFolders, Start]
+          steps = [Halt, ForwardPorts, SharedFolders, Start]
           steps << Provision if Vagrant.config.chef.enabled
 
           steps.each do |action_klass|
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/commands.rb b/lib/vagrant/commands.rb
index 85f193f2d..d61511a59 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/commands.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/commands.rb
@@ -79,6 +79,18 @@ error
         SSH.connect
       end
 
+      # Halts a running vagrant instance. This forcibly halts the instance;
+      # it is the equivalent of pulling the power on a machine. The instance
+      # can be restarted again with {up}.
+      #
+      # This command requires than an instance already be brought up with
+      # `vagrant up`.
+      def halt
+        Env.load!
+        Env.require_persisted_vm
+        Env.persisted_vm.execute!(Actions::VM::Halt)
+      end
+
       # Suspend a running vagrant instance. This suspends the instance, saving
       # the state of the VM and "pausing" it. The instance can be resumed
       # again with {resume}.
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/vm.rb b/lib/vagrant/vm.rb
index b81382d62..b71c4ecf2 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/vm.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/vm.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ module Vagrant
     end
 
     def destroy
-      execute!(Actions::VM::Stop) if @vm.running?
+      execute!(Actions::VM::Halt) if @vm.running?
 
       logger.info "Destroying VM and associated drives..."
       @vm.destroy(:destroy_image => true)
diff --git a/test/vagrant/actions/vm/halt_test.rb b/test/vagrant/actions/vm/halt_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..39c0abdf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/vagrant/actions/vm/halt_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', '..', '..', 'test_helper')
+
+class HaltActionTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
+  setup do
+    @runner, @vm, @action = mock_action(Vagrant::Actions::VM::Halt)
+    mock_config
+  end
+
+  context "executing" do
+    should "force the VM to stop" do
+      @vm.expects(:stop).with(true).once
+      @action.execute!
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/vagrant/actions/vm/reload_test.rb b/test/vagrant/actions/vm/reload_test.rb
index c7f19b591..568ea7e41 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/actions/vm/reload_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/actions/vm/reload_test.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class ReloadActionTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
   context "sub-actions" do
     setup do
-      @default_order = [Vagrant::Actions::VM::Stop, Vagrant::Actions::VM::ForwardPorts, Vagrant::Actions::VM::SharedFolders, Vagrant::Actions::VM::Start]
+      @default_order = [Vagrant::Actions::VM::Halt, Vagrant::Actions::VM::ForwardPorts, Vagrant::Actions::VM::SharedFolders, Vagrant::Actions::VM::Start]
     end
 
     def setup_action_expectations
diff --git a/test/vagrant/actions/vm/stop_test.rb b/test/vagrant/actions/vm/stop_test.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 6f9b2ac0b..000000000
--- a/test/vagrant/actions/vm/stop_test.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', '..', '..', 'test_helper')
-
-class StopActionTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
-  setup do
-    @mock_vm, @vm, @action = mock_action(Vagrant::Actions::VM::Stop)
-  end
-
-  should "force the VM to stop" do
-    @vm.expects(:stop).with(true).once
-    @action.execute!
-  end
-end
diff --git a/test/vagrant/commands_test.rb b/test/vagrant/commands_test.rb
index 8461d754e..4c6f1c672 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/commands_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/commands_test.rb
@@ -103,6 +103,18 @@ class CommandsTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  context "halt" do
+    should "require a persisted VM" do
+      Vagrant::Env.expects(:require_persisted_vm).once
+      Vagrant::Commands.halt
+    end
+
+    should "call the `halt` action on the VM" do
+      @persisted_vm.expects(:execute!).with(Vagrant::Actions::VM::Halt).once
+      Vagrant::Commands.halt
+    end
+  end
+
   context "suspend" do
     setup do
       @persisted_vm.stubs(:save_state)
diff --git a/test/vagrant/vm_test.rb b/test/vagrant/vm_test.rb
index 7fb6abca5..5cd0e57ff 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/vm_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/vm_test.rb
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class VMTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       should "stop the VM if its running" do
         @mock_vm.expects(:running?).returns(true)
         @mock_vm.expects(:destroy).with(:destroy_image => true).once
-        @vm.expects(:execute!).with(Vagrant::Actions::VM::Stop).once
+        @vm.expects(:execute!).with(Vagrant::Actions::VM::Halt).once
         @vm.destroy
       end
     end