diff --git a/lib/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add.rb b/lib/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add.rb
index 316420490..5f2aa907c 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ module Vagrant
         def call(env)
           @download_interrupted = false
 
+          unless env[:box_name].nil?
+            if URI.parse(env[:box_name]).kind_of?(URI::HTTP)
+              env[:ui].warn(I18n.t("vagrant.box_add_url_warn"))
+            end
+          end
+
           url = Array(env[:box_url]).map do |u|
             u = u.gsub("\\", "/")
             if Util::Platform.windows? && u =~ /^[a-z]:/i
diff --git a/templates/locales/en.yml b/templates/locales/en.yml
index 505a8f48a..0dd9472b7 100644
--- a/templates/locales/en.yml
+++ b/templates/locales/en.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ en:
       Successfully added box '%{name}' (v%{version}) for '%{provider}'!
     box_adding_direct: |-
       Box file was not detected as metadata. Adding it directly...
+    box_add_url_warn: |-
+      It looks like you attempted to add a box with a URL for the name...
+      Instead, use box_url instead of box for box URLs.
     box_downloading: |-
       Downloading: %{url}
     box_download_error: |-
diff --git a/test/unit/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add_test.rb b/test/unit/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add_test.rb
index a1f966d4b..d7c6efa97 100644
--- a/test/unit/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/vagrant/action/builtin/box_add_test.rb
@@ -280,6 +280,31 @@ describe Vagrant::Action::Builtin::BoxAdd, :skip_windows do
       subject.call(env)
     end
 
+    context "with a box name accidentally set as a URL" do
+      it "displays a warning to the user" do
+        box_path = iso_env.box2_file(:virtualbox)
+        with_web_server(box_path) do |port|
+
+          box_url_name = "http://127.0.0.1:#{port}/#{box_path.basename}"
+          env[:box_name] = box_url_name
+
+          expect(box_collection).to receive(:add).with { |path, name, version, **opts|
+            expect(name).to eq(box_url_name)
+            expect(version).to eq("0")
+            expect(opts[:metadata_url]).to be_nil
+            true
+          }.and_return(box)
+
+          expect(app).to receive(:call).with(env)
+
+          expect(env[:ui]).to receive(:warn)
+            .with(/It looks like you attempted to add a box with a URL for the name/)
+
+          subject.call(env)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
     context "with URL containing credentials" do
       let(:username){ "box-username" }
       let(:password){ "box-password" }