diff --git a/command/init.go b/command/init.go
index 2a9c6f45d..b10d9b42d 100644
--- a/command/init.go
+++ b/command/init.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/config"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/config/module"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/remote"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
 )
 
 // InitCommand is a Command implementation that takes a Terraform
@@ -17,9 +19,12 @@ type InitCommand struct {
 }
 
 func (c *InitCommand) Run(args []string) int {
+	var remoteConf terraform.RemoteState
 	args = c.Meta.process(args, false)
-
 	cmdFlags := flag.NewFlagSet("init", flag.ContinueOnError)
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&remoteConf.Name, "remote", "", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&remoteConf.Server, "remote-server", "", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&remoteConf.AuthToken, "remote-auth", "", "")
 	cmdFlags.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Error(c.Help()) }
 	if err := cmdFlags.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return 1
@@ -47,6 +52,14 @@ func (c *InitCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Validate the remote configuration
+	if !remoteConf.Empty() {
+		if err := remote.ValidateConfig(&remoteConf); err != nil {
+			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("%s", err))
+			return 1
+		}
+	}
+
 	source := args[0]
 
 	// Get our pwd since we need it
@@ -84,6 +97,23 @@ func (c *InitCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
+	// Handle remote state if configured
+	if !remoteConf.Empty() {
+		// Read the updated state file
+		remoteR, err := remote.ReadState(&remoteConf)
+		if err != nil {
+			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf(
+				"Failed to read remote state: %v", err))
+			return 1
+		}
+
+		// Persist the remote state
+		if err := remote.Persist(remoteR); err != nil {
+			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf(
+				"Failed to persist state: %v", err))
+			return 1
+		}
+	}
 	return 0
 }
 
@@ -99,6 +129,16 @@ Usage: terraform init [options] SOURCE [PATH]
   Git, it will not preserve the Git history, it will only copy the
   latest files.
 
+Options:
+
+  -remote=name           Name of the state file in the state storage server.
+                         Optional, default does not use remote storage.
+
+  -remote-auth=token     Authentication token for state storage server.
+                         Optional, defaults to blank.
+
+  -remote-server=url     URL of the remote storage server.
+
 `
 	return strings.TrimSpace(helpText)
 }