diff --git a/command/apply.go b/command/apply.go
index 7553da047..a1453bf99 100644
--- a/command/apply.go
+++ b/command/apply.go
@@ -78,11 +78,11 @@ func (c *ApplyCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	}
 
 	// Create a backup of the state before updating
-	if backupPath != "-" && c.State != nil {
+	if backupPath != "-" && c.state != nil {
 		log.Printf("[INFO] Writing backup state to: %s", backupPath)
 		f, err := os.Create(backupPath)
 		if err == nil {
-			err = terraform.WriteState(c.State, f)
+			err = terraform.WriteState(c.state, f)
 			f.Close()
 		}
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/command/meta.go b/command/meta.go
index 2dda7a974..0867ffdda 100644
--- a/command/meta.go
+++ b/command/meta.go
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ type Meta struct {
 	Color       bool
 	ContextOpts *terraform.ContextOpts
 	Ui          cli.Ui
-	State       *terraform.State
+
+	// State read when calling `Context`. This is available after calling
+	// `Context`.
+	state *terraform.State
 
 	// This can be set by the command itself to provide extra hooks.
 	extraHooks []terraform.Hook
@@ -79,7 +82,7 @@ func (m *Meta) Context(path, statePath string) (*terraform.Context, bool, error)
 	}
 
 	// Store the loaded state
-	m.State = state
+	m.state = state
 
 	config, err := config.LoadDir(path)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -93,7 +96,6 @@ func (m *Meta) Context(path, statePath string) (*terraform.Context, bool, error)
 	opts.State = state
 	ctx := terraform.NewContext(opts)
 	return ctx, false, nil
-
 }
 
 // contextOpts returns the options to use to initialize a Terraform
diff --git a/command/plan.go b/command/plan.go
index 67edae234..322bc6fa4 100644
--- a/command/plan.go
+++ b/command/plan.go
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@ func (c *PlanCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 
 	if refresh {
 		// Create a backup of the state before updating
-		if backupPath != "-" && c.State != nil {
+		if backupPath != "-" && c.state != nil {
 			log.Printf("[INFO] Writing backup state to: %s", backupPath)
 			f, err := os.Create(backupPath)
 			if err == nil {
-				err = terraform.WriteState(c.State, f)
+				err = terraform.WriteState(c.state, f)
 				f.Close()
 			}
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/command/refresh.go b/command/refresh.go
index 69ff45601..1603a75c8 100644
--- a/command/refresh.go
+++ b/command/refresh.go
@@ -94,11 +94,11 @@ func (c *RefreshCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	}
 
 	// Create a backup of the state before updating
-	if backupPath != "-" && c.State != nil {
+	if backupPath != "-" && c.state != nil {
 		log.Printf("[INFO] Writing backup state to: %s", backupPath)
 		f, err := os.Create(backupPath)
 		if err == nil {
-			err = terraform.WriteState(c.State, f)
+			err = terraform.WriteState(c.state, f)
 			f.Close()
 		}
 		if err != nil {