diff --git a/backend/local/backend_apply.go b/backend/local/backend_apply.go
index 446343181..9789e0b7c 100644
--- a/backend/local/backend_apply.go
+++ b/backend/local/backend_apply.go
@@ -151,14 +151,6 @@ func (b *Local) opApply(
 		_, applyErr = tfCtx.Apply()
 		// we always want the state, even if apply failed
 		applyState = tfCtx.State()
-
-		/*
-			// Record any shadow errors for later
-			if err := ctx.ShadowError(); err != nil {
-				shadowErr = multierror.Append(shadowErr, multierror.Prefix(
-					err, "apply operation:"))
-			}
-		*/
 	}()
 
 	// Wait for the apply to finish or for us to be interrupted so
diff --git a/backend/local/backend_plan.go b/backend/local/backend_plan.go
index a4e92c1c7..380ce1742 100644
--- a/backend/local/backend_plan.go
+++ b/backend/local/backend_plan.go
@@ -101,14 +101,34 @@ func (b *Local) opPlan(
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Perform the plan
-	log.Printf("[INFO] backend/local: plan calling Plan")
-	plan, err := tfCtx.Plan()
-	if err != nil {
-		runningOp.Err = errwrap.Wrapf("Error running plan: {{err}}", err)
-		return
+	// Perform the plan in a goroutine so we can be interrupted
+	var plan *terraform.Plan
+	var planErr error
+	doneCh := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		defer close(doneCh)
+		log.Printf("[INFO] backend/local: plan calling Plan")
+		plan, planErr = tfCtx.Plan()
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		if b.CLI != nil {
+			b.CLI.Output("stopping plan operation...")
+		}
+
+		// Stop execution
+		go tfCtx.Stop()
+
+		// Wait for completion still
+		<-doneCh
+	case <-doneCh:
 	}
 
+	if planErr != nil {
+		runningOp.Err = errwrap.Wrapf("Error running plan: {{err}}", planErr)
+		return
+	}
 	// Record state
 	runningOp.PlanEmpty = plan.Diff.Empty()
 
diff --git a/backend/local/backend_refresh.go b/backend/local/backend_refresh.go
index 282e63045..0cf50b759 100644
--- a/backend/local/backend_refresh.go
+++ b/backend/local/backend_refresh.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package local
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/command/clistate"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/config/module"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/state"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
 )
 
 func (b *Local) opRefresh(
@@ -78,11 +80,34 @@ func (b *Local) opRefresh(
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Perform operation and write the resulting state to the running op
-	newState, err := tfCtx.Refresh()
+	// Perform the refresh in a goroutine so we can be interrupted
+	var newState *terraform.State
+	var refreshErr error
+	doneCh := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		defer close(doneCh)
+		newState, err = tfCtx.Refresh()
+		log.Printf("[INFO] backend/local: plan calling Plan")
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		if b.CLI != nil {
+			b.CLI.Output("stopping refresh operation...")
+		}
+
+		// Stop execution
+		go tfCtx.Stop()
+
+		// Wait for completion still
+		<-doneCh
+	case <-doneCh:
+	}
+
+	// write the resulting state to the running op
 	runningOp.State = newState
-	if err != nil {
-		runningOp.Err = errwrap.Wrapf("Error refreshing state: {{err}}", err)
+	if refreshErr != nil {
+		runningOp.Err = errwrap.Wrapf("Error refreshing state: {{err}}", refreshErr)
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/command/apply.go b/command/apply.go
index 3c3d2a189..84b16ce17 100644
--- a/command/apply.go
+++ b/command/apply.go
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ func (c *ApplyCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	// Perform the operation
 	ctx, ctxCancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	defer ctxCancel()
+
 	op, err := b.Operation(ctx, opReq)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error starting operation: %s", err))
@@ -183,11 +184,6 @@ func (c *ApplyCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		// Cancel our context so we can start gracefully exiting
 		ctxCancel()
 
-		// notify tests that the command context was canceled
-		if testShutdownHook != nil {
-			testShutdownHook()
-		}
-
 		// Notify the user
 		c.Ui.Output(outputInterrupt)
 
diff --git a/command/apply_test.go b/command/apply_test.go
index 2707f293c..3ae4d7adb 100644
--- a/command/apply_test.go
+++ b/command/apply_test.go
@@ -825,14 +825,7 @@ func TestApply_refresh(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestApply_shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	cancelled := false
-	cancelDone := make(chan struct{})
-	testShutdownHook = func() {
-		cancelled = true
-		close(cancelDone)
-	}
-	defer func() {
-		testShutdownHook = nil
-	}()
+	stopped := make(chan struct{})
 
 	statePath := testTempFile(t)
 	p := testProvider()
@@ -847,6 +840,12 @@ func TestApply_shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
+	p.StopFn = func() error {
+		close(stopped)
+		cancelled = true
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	p.DiffFn = func(
 		*terraform.InstanceInfo,
 		*terraform.InstanceState,
@@ -864,11 +863,11 @@ func TestApply_shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 		*terraform.InstanceState,
 		*terraform.InstanceDiff) (*terraform.InstanceState, error) {
 
+		// only cancel once
 		if !cancelled {
 			shutdownCh <- struct{}{}
-			<-cancelDone
+			<-stopped
 		}
-
 		return &terraform.InstanceState{
 			ID: "foo",
 			Attributes: map[string]string{
@@ -898,10 +897,6 @@ func TestApply_shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	if state == nil {
 		t.Fatal("state should not be nil")
 	}
-
-	if len(state.RootModule().Resources) != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("bad: %d", len(state.RootModule().Resources))
-	}
 }
 
 func TestApply_state(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/command/meta.go b/command/meta.go
index 729020b2b..27f7765f9 100644
--- a/command/meta.go
+++ b/command/meta.go
@@ -641,7 +641,3 @@ func isAutoVarFile(path string) bool {
 	return strings.HasSuffix(path, ".auto.tfvars") ||
 		strings.HasSuffix(path, ".auto.tfvars.json")
 }
-
-// testShutdownHook is used by tests to verify that a command context has been
-// canceled
-var testShutdownHook func()
diff --git a/command/plan.go b/command/plan.go
index f6f4f8f2f..bef831e16 100644
--- a/command/plan.go
+++ b/command/plan.go
@@ -118,11 +118,6 @@ func (c *PlanCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		// Cancel our context so we can start gracefully exiting
 		ctxCancel()
 
-		// notify tests that the command context was canceled
-		if testShutdownHook != nil {
-			testShutdownHook()
-		}
-
 		// Notify the user
 		c.Ui.Output(outputInterrupt)
 
diff --git a/command/plan_test.go b/command/plan_test.go
index 152486c7f..04390ab5b 100644
--- a/command/plan_test.go
+++ b/command/plan_test.go
@@ -833,14 +833,7 @@ func TestPlan_detailedExitcode_emptyDiff(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestPlan_shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	cancelled := false
-	cancelDone := make(chan struct{})
-	testShutdownHook = func() {
-		cancelled = true
-		close(cancelDone)
-	}
-	defer func() {
-		testShutdownHook = nil
-	}()
+	stopped := make(chan struct{})
 
 	shutdownCh := make(chan struct{})
 	p := testProvider()
@@ -853,6 +846,12 @@ func TestPlan_shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
+	p.StopFn = func() error {
+		close(stopped)
+		cancelled = true
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	p.DiffFn = func(
 		*terraform.InstanceInfo,
 		*terraform.InstanceState,
@@ -860,7 +859,7 @@ func TestPlan_shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 
 		if !cancelled {
 			shutdownCh <- struct{}{}
-			<-cancelDone
+			<-stopped
 		}
 
 		return &terraform.InstanceDiff{
diff --git a/terraform/resource_provider_mock.go b/terraform/resource_provider_mock.go
index 73cde0ccb..9131f0f5f 100644
--- a/terraform/resource_provider_mock.go
+++ b/terraform/resource_provider_mock.go
@@ -196,13 +196,14 @@ func (p *MockResourceProvider) Diff(
 	info *InstanceInfo,
 	state *InstanceState,
 	desired *ResourceConfig) (*InstanceDiff, error) {
-	p.Lock()
-	defer p.Unlock()
 
+	p.Lock()
 	p.DiffCalled = true
 	p.DiffInfo = info
 	p.DiffState = state
 	p.DiffDesired = desired
+	p.Unlock()
+
 	if p.DiffFn != nil {
 		return p.DiffFn(info, state, desired)
 	}