diff --git a/backend/local/backend.go b/backend/local/backend.go
index e45eaec251..62cd71e068 100644
--- a/backend/local/backend.go
+++ b/backend/local/backend.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 
-	"github.com/hashicorp/errwrap"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/backend"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/state"
@@ -113,11 +112,6 @@ func (b *Local) State() (state.State, error) {
 		PathOut: b.StateOutPath,
 	}
 
-	// Load the state as a sanity check
-	if err := s.RefreshState(); err != nil {
-		return nil, errwrap.Wrapf("Error reading local state: {{err}}", err)
-	}
-
 	// If we are backing up the state, wrap it
 	if path := b.StateBackupPath; path != "" {
 		s = &state.BackupState{
diff --git a/command/meta_backend_test.go b/command/meta_backend_test.go
index de0078164d..fc9cfb5b90 100644
--- a/command/meta_backend_test.go
+++ b/command/meta_backend_test.go
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ func TestMetaBackend_emptyWithDefaultState(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", err)
 	}
+	if err := s.RefreshState(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
 	if actual := s.State().String(); actual != testState().String() {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", actual)
 	}
@@ -173,6 +176,9 @@ func TestMetaBackend_emptyWithExplicitState(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", err)
 	}
+	if err := s.RefreshState(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
 	if actual := s.State().String(); actual != testState().String() {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", actual)
 	}
diff --git a/command/state_mv.go b/command/state_mv.go
index 32d023232f..aea1078283 100644
--- a/command/state_mv.go
+++ b/command/state_mv.go
@@ -45,14 +45,14 @@ func (c *StateMvCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return cli.RunResultHelp
 	}
 
-	stateFromReal := stateFrom.State()
-	if stateFromReal == nil {
-		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf(errStateNotFound))
+	if err := stateFrom.RefreshState(); err != nil {
+		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to load state: %s", err))
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	if err := stateFrom.RefreshState(); err != nil {
-		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to load state: %s", err))
+	stateFromReal := stateFrom.State()
+	if stateFromReal == nil {
+		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf(errStateNotFound))
 		return 1
 	}