diff --git a/lib/vagrant/shared_helpers.rb b/lib/vagrant/shared_helpers.rb
index 12545ae4f..fe114013e 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/shared_helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/shared_helpers.rb
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ module Vagrant
     ENV["VAGRANT_INSTALLER_EMBEDDED_DIR"]
   end
 
-  # This returns whether or not 3rd party plugins should be loaded.
+  # This returns whether or not 3rd party plugins should and can be loaded.
   #
   # @return [Boolean]
   def self.plugins_enabled?
-    !ENV["VAGRANT_NO_PLUGINS"]
+    !ENV["VAGRANT_NO_PLUGINS"] && $vagrant_bundler_runtime
   end
 
   # Whether or not super quiet mode is enabled. This is ill-advised.
diff --git a/test/unit/support/shared/base_context.rb b/test/unit/support/shared/base_context.rb
index 0f823948d..bd7f3f517 100644
--- a/test/unit/support/shared/base_context.rb
+++ b/test/unit/support/shared/base_context.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ shared_context "unit" do
     # Create a thing to store our temporary files so that they aren't
     # unlinked right away.
     @_temp_files = []
+
+    # Roughly simulate the embedded Bundler availability
+    $vagrant_bundler_runtime = Object.new
   end
 
   after(:each) do