diff --git a/builder/vagrant/driver_2_2.go b/builder/vagrant/driver_2_2.go
index f6f72e05a..0e1110517 100644
--- a/builder/vagrant/driver_2_2.go
+++ b/builder/vagrant/driver_2_2.go
@@ -199,7 +199,11 @@ func (d *Vagrant_2_2_Driver) vagrantCmd(args ...string) (string, string, error)
 	cmd.Stdout = &stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = &stderr
 
-	cmd.Start()
+	err := cmd.Start()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("Error starting vagrant command with args: %s",
+			strings.Join(args, " "))
+	}
 
 	stdoutString := ""
 	stderrString := ""
@@ -238,7 +242,7 @@ func (d *Vagrant_2_2_Driver) vagrantCmd(args ...string) (string, string, error)
 		}
 	}()
 
-	err := cmd.Wait()
+	err = cmd.Wait()
 
 	donech <- true
 
diff --git a/builder/vagrant/step_ssh_config.go b/builder/vagrant/step_ssh_config.go
index d28f10fe4..588e20b43 100644
--- a/builder/vagrant/step_ssh_config.go
+++ b/builder/vagrant/step_ssh_config.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package vagrant
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"log"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/packer/helper/multistep"
 )
@@ -53,6 +55,15 @@ func (s *StepSSHConfig) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multi
 		// auth provided there.
 		return multistep.ActionContinue
 	}
+	log.Printf("identity file is %s", sshConfig.IdentityFile)
+	log.Printf("Removing quotes from identity file")
+	if strings.HasPrefix(sshConfig.IdentityFile, "\"") {
+		sshConfig.IdentityFile = sshConfig.IdentityFile[1:]
+		if strings.HasSuffix(sshConfig.IdentityFile, "\"") {
+			sshConfig.IdentityFile = sshConfig.IdentityFile[:len(sshConfig.IdentityFile)-1]
+		}
+		log.Printf("identity file is now %s", sshConfig.IdentityFile)
+	}
 	config.Comm.SSHPrivateKeyFile = sshConfig.IdentityFile
 	config.Comm.SSHUsername = sshConfig.User