diff --git a/command/state_meta.go b/command/state_meta.go
index 2ac16385b..dc17fa073 100644
--- a/command/state_meta.go
+++ b/command/state_meta.go
@@ -18,46 +18,63 @@ type StateMeta struct{}
 // backups to be timestamped rather than just the original state path plus a
 // backup path.
 func (c *StateMeta) State(m *Meta) (state.State, error) {
-	// Load the backend
-	b, err := m.Backend(nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	var realState state.State
+	backupPath := m.backupPath
+	stateOutPath := m.statePath
+
+	// use the specified state
+	if m.statePath != "" {
+		realState = &state.LocalState{
+			Path: m.statePath,
+		}
+	} else {
+		// Load the backend
+		b, err := m.Backend(nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		env := m.Workspace()
+		// Get the state
+		s, err := b.State(env)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		// Get a local backend
+		localRaw, err := m.Backend(&BackendOpts{ForceLocal: true})
+		if err != nil {
+			// This should never fail
+			panic(err)
+		}
+		localB := localRaw.(*backendlocal.Local)
+		_, stateOutPath, _ = localB.StatePaths(env)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		realState = s
 	}
 
-	env := m.Workspace()
-	// Get the state
-	s, err := b.State(env)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	// We always backup state commands, so set the back if none was specified
+	// (the default is "-", but some tests bypass the flag parsing).
+	if backupPath == "-" || backupPath == "" {
+		// Determine the backup path. stateOutPath is set to the resulting
+		// file where state is written (cached in the case of remote state)
+		backupPath = fmt.Sprintf(
+			"%s.%d%s",
+			stateOutPath,
+			time.Now().UTC().Unix(),
+			DefaultBackupExtension)
 	}
 
-	// Get a local backend
-	localRaw, err := m.Backend(&BackendOpts{ForceLocal: true})
-	if err != nil {
-		// This should never fail
-		panic(err)
-	}
-	localB := localRaw.(*backendlocal.Local)
-	_, stateOutPath, _ := localB.StatePaths(env)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	// Determine the backup path. stateOutPath is set to the resulting
-	// file where state is written (cached in the case of remote state)
-	backupPath := fmt.Sprintf(
-		"%s.%d%s",
-		stateOutPath,
-		time.Now().UTC().Unix(),
-		DefaultBackupExtension)
-
 	// Wrap it for backups
-	s = &state.BackupState{
-		Real: s,
+	realState = &state.BackupState{
+		Real: realState,
 		Path: backupPath,
 	}
 
-	return s, nil
+	return realState, nil
 }
 
 // filterInstance filters a single instance out of filter results.
diff --git a/command/state_mv_test.go b/command/state_mv_test.go
index fe8102880..d3f05b31b 100644
--- a/command/state_mv_test.go
+++ b/command/state_mv_test.go
@@ -213,12 +213,7 @@ func TestStateMv_backupExplicit(t *testing.T) {
 	// Test it is correct
 	testStateOutput(t, statePath, testStateMvOutput)
 
-	// Test we have backups
-	backups := testStateBackups(t, filepath.Dir(statePath))
-	if len(backups) != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", backups)
-	}
-	testStateOutput(t, backups[0], testStateMvOutputOriginal)
+	// Test backup
 	testStateOutput(t, backupPath, testStateMvOutputOriginal)
 }
 
diff --git a/command/state_rm_test.go b/command/state_rm_test.go
index 22256366c..559ed09a9 100644
--- a/command/state_rm_test.go
+++ b/command/state_rm_test.go
@@ -130,12 +130,7 @@ func TestStateRm_backupExplicit(t *testing.T) {
 	// Test it is correct
 	testStateOutput(t, statePath, testStateRmOutput)
 
-	// Test we have backups
-	backups := testStateBackups(t, filepath.Dir(statePath))
-	if len(backups) != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", backups)
-	}
-	testStateOutput(t, backups[0], testStateRmOutputOriginal)
+	// Test backup
 	testStateOutput(t, backupPath, testStateRmOutputOriginal)
 }