diff --git a/command/apply.go b/command/apply.go
index cd6f7af9f..3cbe61358 100644
--- a/command/apply.go
+++ b/command/apply.go
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ func (c *ApplyCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	// TODO: if state, but not exist, -init required
-
 	if statePath == "" {
 		c.Ui.Error("-state cannot be blank")
 		return 1
@@ -49,6 +47,21 @@ func (c *ApplyCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	if stateOutPath == "" {
 		stateOutPath = statePath
 	}
+	if !init {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(statePath); err != nil {
+			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf(
+				"There was an error reading the state file. The path\n"+
+					"and error are shown below. If you're trying to build a\n"+
+					"brand new infrastructure, explicitly pass the '-init'\n"+
+					"flag to Terraform to tell it it is okay to build new\n"+
+					"state.\n\n"+
+					"Path: %s\n"+
+					"Error: %s",
+				statePath,
+				err))
+			return 1
+		}
+	}
 
 	// Load up the state
 	var state *terraform.State
diff --git a/command/apply_test.go b/command/apply_test.go
index 236d52ed9..35d5e34d3 100644
--- a/command/apply_test.go
+++ b/command/apply_test.go
@@ -153,8 +153,6 @@ func TestApply_stateNoExist(t *testing.T) {
 		"-state=idontexist.tfstate",
 		testFixturePath("apply"),
 	}
-	// TODO
-	return
 	if code := c.Run(args); code != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: \n%s", ui.OutputWriter.String())
 	}