diff --git a/lib/vagrant/alias.rb b/lib/vagrant/alias.rb
index 660ec001f..29b924976 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/alias.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/alias.rb
@@ -9,13 +9,12 @@ module Vagrant
       aliases_file = env.home_path.join("aliases")
       if aliases_file.file?
         aliases_file.readlines.each do |line|
-          # skip comments
-          next if line.strip.start_with?("#")
-
           # separate keyword-command pairs
-          keyword, command = line.split("=").collect(&:strip)
+          keyword, command = interpret(line)
 
-          register(keyword, command)
+          if keyword && command
+            register(keyword, command)
+          end
         end
       end
     end
@@ -25,6 +24,16 @@ module Vagrant
       @aliases
     end
 
+    # This interprets a raw line from the aliases file.
+    def interpret(line)
+      # is it a comment?
+      return nil if line.strip.start_with?("#")
+
+      keyword, command = line.split("=", 2).collect(&:strip)
+
+      [keyword, command]
+    end
+
     # This registers an alias.
     def register(keyword, command)
       @aliases.register(keyword.to_sym) do
diff --git a/test/unit/vagrant/alias_test.rb b/test/unit/vagrant/alias_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b15eac33d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/vagrant/alias_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+require_relative "../base"
+
+require "vagrant/alias"
+
+describe Vagrant::Alias do
+  include_context "unit"
+  include_context "command plugin helpers"
+
+  let(:iso_env) { isolated_environment }
+  let(:env)     { iso_env.create_vagrant_env }
+
+  describe "#interpret" do
+    let(:interpreter) { described_class.new(env) }
+
+    it "returns nil for comments" do
+      comments = [
+        "# this is a comment",
+        "# so is this       ",
+        "       # and this",
+        "       # this too       "
+      ]
+
+      comments.each do |comment|
+        expect(interpreter.interpret(comment)).to be_nil
+      end
+    end
+
+    it "properly interprets a simple alias" do
+      keyword, command = interpreter.interpret("keyword=command")
+
+      expect(keyword).to eq("keyword")
+      expect(command).to eq("command")
+    end
+
+    it "properly interprets an alias with excess whitespace" do
+      keyword, command = interpreter.interpret("     keyword      =     command    ")
+
+      expect(keyword).to eq("keyword")
+      expect(command).to eq("command")
+    end
+
+    it "properly interprets an alias with an equals sign in the command" do
+      keyword, command = interpreter.interpret("     keyword      =     command = command    ")
+
+      expect(keyword).to eq("keyword")
+      expect(command).to eq("command = command")
+    end
+  end
+end