diff --git a/lib/vagrant-lxc/action/forward_ports.rb b/lib/vagrant-lxc/action/forward_ports.rb
index df150c3..1e408df 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant-lxc/action/forward_ports.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant-lxc/action/forward_ports.rb
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@ module Vagrant
         def call(env)
           @env = env
 
-          # Continue, we need the VM to be booted in order to grab its IP
-          @app.call env
-
           # Get the ports we're forwarding
           env[:forwarded_ports] = compile_forwarded_ports(env[:machine].config)
 
+          if @env[:forwarded_ports].any? and not redir_installed?
+            raise Errors::RedirNotInstalled
+          end
+
           # Warn if we're port forwarding to any privileged ports
           env[:forwarded_ports].each do |fp|
             if fp[:host] <= 1024
@@ -24,6 +25,9 @@ module Vagrant
             end
           end
 
+          # Continue, we need the VM to be booted in order to grab its IP
+          @app.call env
+
           if @env[:forwarded_ports].any?
             env[:ui].info I18n.t("vagrant.actions.vm.forward_ports.forwarding")
             forward_ports
@@ -79,6 +83,10 @@ module Vagrant
             pid_file.write(redir_pid)
           end
         end
+
+        def redir_installed?
+          system "sudo which redir > /dev/null"
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/vagrant-lxc/errors.rb b/lib/vagrant-lxc/errors.rb
index 169e567..3ec0531 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant-lxc/errors.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant-lxc/errors.rb
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ module Vagrant
       class IncompatibleBox < Vagrant::Errors::VagrantError
         error_key(:lxc_incompatible_box)
       end
+      class RedirNotInstalled < Vagrant::Errors::VagrantError
+        error_key(:lxc_redir_not_installed)
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/locales/en.yml b/locales/en.yml
index fcb8819..ee5b7b6 100644
--- a/locales/en.yml
+++ b/locales/en.yml
@@ -44,3 +44,6 @@ en:
       lxc_template_file_missing: |-
         The template file used for creating the container was not found for %{name}
         box.
+
+      lxc_redir_not_installed: |-
+        `redir` is not installed or is not accessible on the PATH.
diff --git a/spec/unit/action/forward_ports_spec.rb b/spec/unit/action/forward_ports_spec.rb
index c9c6c70..987c221 100644
--- a/spec/unit/action/forward_ports_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/action/forward_ports_spec.rb
@@ -23,19 +23,27 @@ describe Vagrant::LXC::Action::ForwardPorts do
 
     subject.stub(exec: true)
     subject.stub(spawn: pid)
-    subject.call(env)
   end
 
   after { FileUtils.rm_rf data_dir.to_s }
 
   it 'forwards ports using redir' do
+    subject.stub(system: true)
+    subject.call(env)
     subject.should have_received(:spawn).with(
       "sudo redir --laddr=127.0.0.1 --lport=#{host_port} --cport=#{guest_port} --caddr=#{container_ip} 2>/dev/null"
     )
   end
 
   it "stores redir pids on machine's data dir" do
+    subject.stub(system: true)
+    subject.call(env)
     pid_file = data_dir.join('pids', "redir_#{host_port}.pid").read
     pid_file.should == pid
   end
+
+  it 'raises RedirNotInstalled error if `redir` is not installed' do
+    subject.stub(system: false)
+    lambda { subject.call(env) }.should raise_error(Vagrant::LXC::Errors::RedirNotInstalled)
+  end
 end