diff --git a/command/state_meta.go b/command/state_meta.go
index dc17fa073..aa79e9d47 100644
--- a/command/state_meta.go
+++ b/command/state_meta.go
@@ -11,30 +11,32 @@ import (
 )
 
 // StateMeta is the meta struct that should be embedded in state subcommands.
-type StateMeta struct{}
+type StateMeta struct {
+	Meta
+}
 
 // State returns the state for this meta. This gets the appropriate state from
 // the backend, but changes the way that backups are done. This configures
 // backups to be timestamped rather than just the original state path plus a
 // backup path.
-func (c *StateMeta) State(m *Meta) (state.State, error) {
+func (c *StateMeta) State() (state.State, error) {
 	var realState state.State
-	backupPath := m.backupPath
-	stateOutPath := m.statePath
+	backupPath := c.backupPath
+	stateOutPath := c.statePath
 
 	// use the specified state
-	if m.statePath != "" {
+	if c.statePath != "" {
 		realState = &state.LocalState{
-			Path: m.statePath,
+			Path: c.statePath,
 		}
 	} else {
 		// Load the backend
-		b, err := m.Backend(nil)
+		b, err := c.Backend(nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		env := m.Workspace()
+		env := c.Workspace()
 		// Get the state
 		s, err := b.State(env)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ func (c *StateMeta) State(m *Meta) (state.State, error) {
 		}
 
 		// Get a local backend
-		localRaw, err := m.Backend(&BackendOpts{ForceLocal: true})
+		localRaw, err := c.Backend(&BackendOpts{ForceLocal: true})
 		if err != nil {
 			// This should never fail
 			panic(err)
diff --git a/command/state_mv.go b/command/state_mv.go
index 9b43411c2..ed4622f52 100644
--- a/command/state_mv.go
+++ b/command/state_mv.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 
 // StateMvCommand is a Command implementation that shows a single resource.
 type StateMvCommand struct {
-	Meta
 	StateMeta
 }
 
@@ -21,12 +20,13 @@ func (c *StateMvCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	}
 
 	// We create two metas to track the two states
-	var meta1, meta2 Meta
+	var backupPathOut, statePathOut string
+
 	cmdFlags := c.Meta.flagSet("state mv")
-	cmdFlags.StringVar(&meta1.backupPath, "backup", "-", "backup")
-	cmdFlags.StringVar(&meta1.statePath, "state", "", "path")
-	cmdFlags.StringVar(&meta2.backupPath, "backup-out", "-", "backup")
-	cmdFlags.StringVar(&meta2.statePath, "state-out", "", "path")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.backupPath, "backup", "-", "backup")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.statePath, "state", "", "path")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&backupPathOut, "backup-out", "-", "backup")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&statePathOut, "state-out", "", "path")
 	if err := cmdFlags.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return cli.RunResultHelp
 	}
@@ -36,13 +36,8 @@ func (c *StateMvCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return cli.RunResultHelp
 	}
 
-	// Copy the `-state` flag for output if we weren't given a custom one
-	if meta2.statePath == "" {
-		meta2.statePath = meta1.statePath
-	}
-
 	// Read the from state
-	stateFrom, err := c.StateMeta.State(&meta1)
+	stateFrom, err := c.State()
 	if err != nil {
 		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf(errStateLoadingState, err))
 		return cli.RunResultHelp
@@ -62,8 +57,11 @@ func (c *StateMvCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	// Read the destination state
 	stateTo := stateFrom
 	stateToReal := stateFromReal
-	if meta2.statePath != meta1.statePath {
-		stateTo, err = c.StateMeta.State(&meta2)
+
+	if statePathOut != "" {
+		c.statePath = statePathOut
+		c.backupPath = backupPathOut
+		stateTo, err = c.State()
 		if err != nil {
 			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf(errStateLoadingState, err))
 			return cli.RunResultHelp
diff --git a/command/state_mv_test.go b/command/state_mv_test.go
index d3f05b31b..e93d4d190 100644
--- a/command/state_mv_test.go
+++ b/command/state_mv_test.go
@@ -47,9 +47,11 @@ func TestStateMv(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateMvCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -133,9 +135,11 @@ func TestStateMv_explicitWithBackend(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui = new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateMvCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -194,9 +198,11 @@ func TestStateMv_backupExplicit(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateMvCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -244,9 +250,11 @@ func TestStateMv_stateOutNew(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateMvCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -316,9 +324,11 @@ func TestStateMv_stateOutExisting(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateMvCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -357,9 +367,11 @@ func TestStateMv_noState(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateMvCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -418,9 +430,11 @@ func TestStateMv_stateOutNew_count(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateMvCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -596,9 +610,11 @@ func TestStateMv_stateOutNew_largeCount(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateMvCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -677,9 +693,11 @@ func TestStateMv_stateOutNew_nestedModule(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateMvCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/command/state_rm.go b/command/state_rm.go
index a8bed437b..9d7f2742c 100644
--- a/command/state_rm.go
+++ b/command/state_rm.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 // StateRmCommand is a Command implementation that shows a single resource.
 type StateRmCommand struct {
-	Meta
 	StateMeta
 }
 
@@ -20,8 +19,8 @@ func (c *StateRmCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	}
 
 	cmdFlags := c.Meta.flagSet("state show")
-	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.Meta.backupPath, "backup", "-", "backup")
-	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.Meta.statePath, "state", "", "path")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.backupPath, "backup", "-", "backup")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.statePath, "state", "", "path")
 	if err := cmdFlags.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return cli.RunResultHelp
 	}
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ func (c *StateRmCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	state, err := c.StateMeta.State(&c.Meta)
+	state, err := c.State()
 	if err != nil {
 		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf(errStateLoadingState, err))
 		return cli.RunResultHelp
diff --git a/command/state_rm_test.go b/command/state_rm_test.go
index 4a9a41c22..278867ed4 100644
--- a/command/state_rm_test.go
+++ b/command/state_rm_test.go
@@ -47,9 +47,11 @@ func TestStateRm(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateRmCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -109,9 +111,11 @@ func TestStateRmNoArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateRmCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -169,9 +173,11 @@ func TestStateRm_backupExplicit(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateRmCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -198,9 +204,11 @@ func TestStateRm_noState(t *testing.T) {
 	p := testProvider()
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	c := &StateRmCommand{
-		Meta: Meta{
-			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
-			Ui:               ui,
+		StateMeta{
+			Meta: Meta{
+				testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+				Ui:               ui,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/command/state_test.go b/command/state_test.go
index 28d64e359..433c6336b 100644
--- a/command/state_test.go
+++ b/command/state_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func TestStateDefaultBackupExtension(t *testing.T) {
 	tmp, cwd := testCwd(t)
 	defer testFixCwd(t, tmp, cwd)
 
-	s, err := (&StateMeta{}).State(&Meta{})
+	s, err := (&StateMeta{}).State()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}