diff --git a/command/init.go b/command/init.go
index 7ed54d4e0..4e99a884b 100644
--- a/command/init.go
+++ b/command/init.go
@@ -19,12 +19,14 @@ type InitCommand struct {
 }
 
 func (c *InitCommand) Run(args []string) int {
-	var remoteConf terraform.RemoteState
+	var remoteBackend, remoteAddress, remoteAccessToken, remoteName, remotePath string
 	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.StringVar(&remoteBackend, "backend", "atlas", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&remoteAddress, "address", "", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&remoteAccessToken, "access-token", "", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&remoteName, "name", "", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&remotePath, "path", "", "")
 	cmdFlags.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Error(c.Help()) }
 	if err := cmdFlags.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return 1
@@ -90,7 +92,16 @@ func (c *InitCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	}
 
 	// Handle remote state if configured
-	if !remoteConf.Empty() {
+	if remoteAddress != "" || remoteAccessToken != "" || remoteName != "" || remotePath != "" {
+		var remoteConf terraform.RemoteState
+		remoteConf.Type = remoteBackend
+		remoteConf.Config = map[string]string{
+			"address":      remoteAddress,
+			"access_token": remoteAccessToken,
+			"name":         remoteName,
+			"path":         remotePath,
+		}
+
 		// Ensure remote state is not already enabled
 		haveLocal, err := remote.HaveLocalState()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -138,13 +149,20 @@ Usage: terraform init [options] SOURCE [PATH]
 
 Options:
 
-  -remote=name           Name of the state file in the state storage server.
-                         Optional, default does not use remote storage.
+  -address=url           URL of the remote storage server.
+                         Required for HTTP backend, optional for Atlas and Consul.
 
-  -remote-auth=token     Authentication token for state storage server.
-                         Optional, defaults to blank.
+  -access-token=token    Authentication token for state storage server.
+                         Required for Atlas backend, optional for Consul.
 
-  -remote-server=url     URL of the remote storage server.
+  -backend=atlas         Specifies the type of remote backend. Must be one
+                         of Atlas, Consul, or HTTP. Defaults to atlas.
+
+  -name=name             Name of the state file in the state storage server.
+                         Required for Atlas backend.
+
+  -path=path             Path of the remote state in Consul. Required for the
+                         Consul backend.
 
 `
 	return strings.TrimSpace(helpText)
diff --git a/command/init_test.go b/command/init_test.go
index 3c6011233..a528da99a 100644
--- a/command/init_test.go
+++ b/command/init_test.go
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@ func TestInit_remoteState(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	args := []string{
-		"-remote", conf.Name,
-		"-remote-server", conf.Server,
+		"-backend", "http",
+		"-address", conf.Config["address"],
 		testFixturePath("init"),
 		tmp,
 	}
diff --git a/command/pull_test.go b/command/pull_test.go
index 21e56f13c..28201b27c 100644
--- a/command/pull_test.go
+++ b/command/pull_test.go
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ func testRemoteState(t *testing.T, s *terraform.State, c int) (*terraform.Remote
 	}
 	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(cb))
 	remote := &terraform.RemoteState{
-		Name:   "foo",
-		Server: srv.URL,
+		Type:   "http",
+		Config: map[string]string{"address": srv.URL},
 	}
 	return remote, srv
 }
diff --git a/command/remote.go b/command/remote.go
index 7342294d1..52523a606 100644
--- a/command/remote.go
+++ b/command/remote.go
@@ -32,19 +32,30 @@ type RemoteCommand struct {
 
 func (c *RemoteCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	args = c.Meta.process(args, false)
+	var address, accessToken, name, path string
 	cmdFlags := flag.NewFlagSet("remote", flag.ContinueOnError)
 	cmdFlags.BoolVar(&c.conf.disableRemote, "disable", false, "")
 	cmdFlags.BoolVar(&c.conf.pullOnDisable, "pull", true, "")
 	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.conf.statePath, "state", DefaultStateFilename, "path")
 	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.conf.backupPath, "backup", "", "path")
-	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.remoteConf.AuthToken, "auth", "", "")
-	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.remoteConf.Name, "name", "", "")
-	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.remoteConf.Server, "server", "", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.remoteConf.Type, "backend", "atlas", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&address, "address", "", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&accessToken, "access-token", "", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&name, "name", "", "")
+	cmdFlags.StringVar(&path, "path", "", "")
 	cmdFlags.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Error(c.Help()) }
 	if err := cmdFlags.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return 1
 	}
 
+	// Populate the various configurations
+	c.remoteConf.Config = map[string]string{
+		"address":      address,
+		"access_token": accessToken,
+		"name":         name,
+		"path":         path,
+	}
+
 	// Check if have an existing local state file
 	haveLocal, err := remote.HaveLocalState()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -305,8 +316,14 @@ Usage: terraform remote [options]
 
 Options:
 
-  -auth=token            Authentication token for state storage server.
-                         Optional, defaults to blank.
+  -address=url           URL of the remote storage server.
+                         Required for HTTP backend, optional for Atlas and Consul.
+
+  -access-token=token    Authentication token for state storage server.
+                         Required for Atlas backend, optional for Consul.
+
+  -backend=Atlas         Specifies the type of remote backend. Must be one
+                         of Atlas, Consul, or HTTP. Defaults to Atlas.
 
   -backup=path           Path to backup the existing state file before
                          modifying. Defaults to the "-state" path with
@@ -315,15 +332,16 @@ Options:
   -disable               Disables remote state management and migrates the state
                          to the -state path.
 
+  -name=name             Name of the state file in the state storage server.
+                         Required for Atlas backend.
+
+  -path=path             Path of the remote state in Consul. Required for the
+                         Consul backend.
+
   -pull=true             Controls if the remote state is pulled before disabling.
                          This defaults to true to ensure the latest state is cached
 						 before disabling.
 
-  -name=name             Name of the state file in the state storage server.
-                         Optional, default does not use remote storage.
-
-  -server=url            URL of the remote storage server.
-
   -state=path            Path to read state. Defaults to "terraform.tfstate"
                          unless remote state is enabled.