diff --git a/drivers/drivers.go b/drivers/drivers.go
index 6b43f501cd..2c86432912 100644
--- a/drivers/drivers.go
+++ b/drivers/drivers.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/codegangsta/cli"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/log"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/provider"
-	"github.com/docker/machine/ssh"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/state"
 )
 
@@ -173,34 +172,6 @@ type DriverOptions interface {
 	Bool(key string) bool
 }
 
-func RunSSHCommandFromDriver(d Driver, args string) (ssh.Output, error) {
-	var output ssh.Output
-
-	host, err := d.GetSSHHostname()
-	if err != nil {
-		return output, err
-	}
-
-	port, err := d.GetSSHPort()
-	if err != nil {
-		return output, err
-	}
-
-	user := d.GetSSHUsername()
-	keyPath := d.GetSSHKeyPath()
-
-	auth := &ssh.Auth{
-		Keys: []string{keyPath},
-	}
-
-	client, err := ssh.NewClient(user, host, port, auth)
-	if err != nil {
-		return output, err
-	}
-
-	return client.Run(args)
-}
-
 func MachineInState(d Driver, desiredState state.State) func() bool {
 	return func() bool {
 		currentState, err := d.GetState()
diff --git a/drivers/utils.go b/drivers/utils.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..793ec3630e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/utils.go
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+package drivers
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/docker/machine/log"
+	"github.com/docker/machine/ssh"
+	"github.com/docker/machine/utils"
+)
+
+func RunSSHCommandFromDriver(d Driver, command string) (ssh.Output, error) {
+	var output ssh.Output
+
+	addr, err := d.GetSSHHostname()
+	if err != nil {
+		return output, err
+	}
+
+	port, err := d.GetSSHPort()
+	if err != nil {
+		return output, err
+	}
+
+	auth := &ssh.Auth{
+		Keys: []string{d.GetSSHKeyPath()},
+	}
+
+	client, err := ssh.NewClient(d.GetSSHUsername(), addr, port, auth)
+	if err != nil {
+		return output, err
+	}
+
+	return client.Run(command)
+}
+
+func sshAvailableFunc(d Driver) func() bool {
+	return func() bool {
+		log.Debug("Getting to WaitForSSH function...")
+		hostname, err := d.GetSSHHostname()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Debugf("Error getting IP address waiting for SSH: %s", err)
+			return false
+		}
+		port, err := d.GetSSHPort()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Debugf("Error getting SSH port: %s", err)
+			return false
+		}
+		if err := ssh.WaitForTCP(fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", hostname, port)); err != nil {
+			log.Debugf("Error waiting for TCP waiting for SSH: %s", err)
+			return false
+		}
+
+		if _, err := RunSSHCommandFromDriver(d, "exit 0"); err != nil {
+			log.Debugf("Error getting ssh command 'exit 0' : %s", err)
+			return false
+		}
+		return true
+	}
+}
+
+func WaitForSSH(d Driver) error {
+	if err := utils.WaitFor(sshAvailableFunc(d)); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Too many retries.  Last error: %s", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/drivers/virtualbox/virtualbox.go b/drivers/virtualbox/virtualbox.go
index c1acf6f018..8a8116b0d5 100644
--- a/drivers/virtualbox/virtualbox.go
+++ b/drivers/virtualbox/virtualbox.go
@@ -393,6 +393,10 @@ func (d *Driver) Start() error {
 		log.Infof("VM not in restartable state")
 	}
 
+	if err := drivers.WaitForSSH(d); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	d.IPAddress, err = d.GetIP()
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/libmachine/host.go b/libmachine/host.go
index 5f28861ff7..7b2a432bf0 100644
--- a/libmachine/host.go
+++ b/libmachine/host.go
@@ -136,25 +136,7 @@ func (h *Host) Create(name string) error {
 }
 
 func (h *Host) RunSSHCommand(command string) (ssh.Output, error) {
-	var output ssh.Output
-
-	addr, err := h.Driver.GetSSHHostname()
-	if err != nil {
-		return output, err
-	}
-
-	port, err := h.Driver.GetSSHPort()
-	if err != nil {
-		return output, err
-	}
-
-	auth := &ssh.Auth{
-		Keys: []string{h.Driver.GetSSHKeyPath()},
-	}
-
-	client, err := ssh.NewClient(h.Driver.GetSSHUsername(), addr, port, auth)
-
-	return client.Run(command)
+	return drivers.RunSSHCommandFromDriver(h.Driver, command)
 }
 
 func (h *Host) CreateSSHShell() error {
@@ -352,37 +334,8 @@ func (h *Host) PrintIP() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func sshAvailableFunc(h *Host) func() bool {
-	return func() bool {
-		log.Debug("Getting to WaitForSSH function...")
-		hostname, err := h.Driver.GetSSHHostname()
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("Error getting IP address waiting for SSH: %s", err)
-			return false
-		}
-		port, err := h.Driver.GetSSHPort()
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("Error getting SSH port: %s", err)
-			return false
-		}
-		if err := ssh.WaitForTCP(fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", hostname, port)); err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("Error waiting for TCP waiting for SSH: %s", err)
-			return false
-		}
-
-		if _, err := h.RunSSHCommand("exit 0"); err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("Error getting ssh command 'exit 0' : %s", err)
-			return false
-		}
-		return true
-	}
-}
-
 func WaitForSSH(h *Host) error {
-	if err := utils.WaitFor(sshAvailableFunc(h)); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Too many retries.  Last error: %s", err)
-	}
-	return nil
+	return drivers.WaitForSSH(h.Driver)
 }
 
 func getHostState(host Host, hostListItemsChan chan<- HostListItem) {
diff --git a/ssh/ssh.go b/ssh/ssh.go
index baaf92443a..3abb264a23 100644
--- a/ssh/ssh.go
+++ b/ssh/ssh.go
@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
 package ssh
 
-import "net"
+import (
+	"net"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/docker/machine/log"
+)
 
 func WaitForTCP(addr string) error {
 	for {
-		conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", addr)
+		log.Debugf("Testing TCP connection to: %s", addr)
+		conn, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", addr, 2*time.Second)
+
 		if err != nil {
 			continue
 		}
+
 		defer conn.Close()
-		if _, err = conn.Read(make([]byte, 1)); err != nil {
-			continue
-		}
-		break
+		return nil
 	}
-	return nil
 }