diff --git a/lib/vagrant-libvirt/action/handle_box_image.rb b/lib/vagrant-libvirt/action/handle_box_image.rb
index 25b4cab..3c706c1 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant-libvirt/action/handle_box_image.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant-libvirt/action/handle_box_image.rb
@@ -34,10 +34,11 @@ module VagrantPlugins
             box_format = env[:machine].box.metadata['format']
             HandleBoxImage.verify_box_format(box_format)
 
+            image_path = HandleBoxImage.get_box_image_path(env[:machine].box, 'box.img')
             env[:box_volume_number] = 1
             env[:box_volumes] = [{
-              :path => HandleBoxImage.get_box_image_path(env[:machine].box, 'box.img'),
-              :name => HandleBoxImage.get_volume_name(env[:machine].box, 'box'),
+              :path => image_path,
+              :name => HandleBoxImage.get_volume_name(env[:machine].box, 'box', image_path, env[:ui]),
               :virtual_size => HandleBoxImage.get_virtual_size(env),
               :format => box_format,
             }]
@@ -58,6 +59,8 @@ module VagrantPlugins
               volume_name = HandleBoxImage.get_volume_name(
                 env[:machine].box,
                 disks[i].fetch('name', disks[i]['path'].sub(/#{File.extname(disks[i]['path'])}$/, '')),
+                image_path,
+                env[:ui],
               )
 
               # allowing name means needing to check that it doesn't cause a clash
@@ -122,15 +125,21 @@ module VagrantPlugins
 
         protected
 
-        def self.get_volume_name(box, name)
+        def self.get_volume_name(box, name, path, ui)
+          version = begin
+                      box.version.to_s
+                    rescue
+                      ''
+                    end
+
+          if version.empty?
+            ui.warn(I18n.t('vagrant_libvirt.box_version_missing', name: box.name.to_s))
+
+            version = "0_#{File.mtime(path).to_i}"
+          end
+
           vol_name = box.name.to_s.dup.gsub('/', '-VAGRANTSLASH-')
-          vol_name << "_vagrant_box_image_#{
-            begin
-              box.version.to_s
-            rescue
-              ''
-            end
-          }_#{name.dup.gsub('/', '-SLASH-')}.img"
+          vol_name << "_vagrant_box_image_#{version}_#{name.dup.gsub('/', '-SLASH-')}.img"
         end
 
         def self.get_virtual_size(env)
diff --git a/locales/en.yml b/locales/en.yml
index 0b1786e..d9f345c 100644
--- a/locales/en.yml
+++ b/locales/en.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ en:
     manual_resize_required: |-
       Created volume larger than box defaults, will require manual resizing of
       filesystems to utilize.
+    box_version_missing: |-
+      No verison detected for %{name}, using timestamp to watch for modifications. Consider
+      generating a local metadata for the box with a version to allow better handling.
+      See https://www.vagrantup.com/docs/boxes/format#box-metadata for further details.
     uploading_volume: |-
       Uploading base box image as volume into Libvirt storage...
     creating_domain_volume: |-
diff --git a/spec/unit/action/handle_box_image_spec.rb b/spec/unit/action/handle_box_image_spec.rb
index 0a320bd..8c0b9a2 100644
--- a/spec/unit/action/handle_box_image_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/action/handle_box_image_spec.rb
@@ -98,6 +98,36 @@ describe VagrantPlugins::ProviderLibvirt::Action::HandleBoxImage do
         )
       end
 
+      context 'when no box version set' do
+        let(:box_mtime) { Time.now }
+
+        before do
+          expect(env[:machine]).to receive_message_chain("box.version") { nil }
+          expect(File).to receive(:mtime).and_return(box_mtime)
+        end
+
+        it 'should use the box file timestamp' do
+          expect(ui).to receive(:warn).with(
+            "No verison detected for test, using timestamp to watch for modifications. Consider\n" +
+            "generating a local metadata for the box with a version to allow better handling.\n" +
+            'See https://www.vagrantup.com/docs/boxes/format#box-metadata for further details.'
+          )
+
+          expect(subject.call(env)).to be_nil
+          expect(env[:box_volume_number]).to eq(1)
+          expect(env[:box_volumes]).to eq(
+            [
+              {
+                :path=>"/test/box.img",
+                :name=>"test_vagrant_box_image_0_#{box_mtime.to_i}_box.img",
+                :virtual_size=>byte_number_5G,
+                :format=>"qcow2"
+              }
+            ]
+          )
+        end
+      end
+
       context 'When config.machine_virtual_size is set and smaller than box_virtual_size' do
         before do
           allow(env[:machine]).to receive_message_chain("provider_config.machine_virtual_size").and_return(1)