diff --git a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
index f0b8114ff..5cd2dbedd 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/environment.rb
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ module Vagrant
           break
         end
       end
-      return gp if gp
+      return gp.to_sym if gp
       begin
         default_provider
       rescue Errors::NoDefaultProvider
diff --git a/test/unit/vagrant/environment_test.rb b/test/unit/vagrant/environment_test.rb
index 8be6ddeed..ec517aafa 100644
--- a/test/unit/vagrant/environment_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/vagrant/environment_test.rb
@@ -1447,7 +1447,7 @@ VF
         let(:argv) { ["--provider=single_arg"] }
 
         it "should return the provider name" do
-          expect(subject.send(:guess_provider)).to eq("single_arg")
+          expect(subject.send(:guess_provider)).to eq(:single_arg)
         end
       end
 
@@ -1455,7 +1455,7 @@ VF
         let(:argv) { ["--provider", "double_arg"] }
 
         it "should return the provider name" do
-          expect(subject.send(:guess_provider)).to eq("double_arg")
+          expect(subject.send(:guess_provider)).to eq(:double_arg)
         end
       end
     end