diff --git a/remote/client.go b/remote/client.go
index bf9986500..c57e40c78 100644
--- a/remote/client.go
+++ b/remote/client.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package remote
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -40,6 +42,12 @@ type RemoteStatePayload struct {
 	State []byte
 }
 
+// NewClientByState is used to construct a client from
+// our remote state.
+func NewClientByState(remote *terraform.RemoteState) (RemoteClient, error) {
+	return NewClientByType(remote.Type, remote.Config)
+}
+
 // NewClientByType is used to construct a RemoteClient
 // based on the configured type.
 func NewClientByType(ctype string, conf map[string]string) (RemoteClient, error) {
diff --git a/remote/remote.go b/remote/remote.go
index 1651f6263..11a47c2da 100644
--- a/remote/remote.go
+++ b/remote/remote.go
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func ValidConfig(conf *terraform.RemoteState) error {
 	if conf.Type == "" {
 		conf.Type = "atlas"
 	}
-	_, err := NewClientByType(conf.Type, conf.Config)
+	_, err := NewClientByState(conf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ func RefreshState(conf *terraform.RemoteState) (StateChangeResult, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Read the state from the server
-	client, err := NewClientByType(conf.Type, conf.Config)
+	client, err := NewClientByState(conf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return StateChangeNoop,
 			fmt.Errorf("Failed to create remote client: %v", err)
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ func PushState(conf *terraform.RemoteState, force bool) (StateChangeResult, erro
 	}
 
 	// Push the state to the server
-	client, err := NewClientByType(conf.Type, conf.Config)
+	client, err := NewClientByState(conf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return StateChangeNoop,
 			fmt.Errorf("Failed to create remote client: %v", err)