diff --git a/.ci/spec/create-hosts.sh b/.ci/spec/create-hosts.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..56ec7f911
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/spec/create-hosts.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# packet and job configuration
+export SLACK_USERNAME="Vagrant"
+export SLACK_ICON="https://media.giphy.com/media/yIQ5glQeheYE0/200.gif"
+export SLACK_TITLE="Vagrant-Spec Test Runner"
+export PACKET_EXEC_DEVICE_NAME="${PACKET_EXEC_DEVICE_NAME:-spec-ci-boxes}"
+export PACKET_EXEC_DEVICE_SIZE="${PACKET_EXEC_DEVICE_SIZE:-baremetal_0,baremetal_1,baremetal_1e}"
+export PACKET_EXEC_PREFER_FACILITIES="${PACKET_EXEC_PREFER_FACILITIES:-iad1,iad2,ewr1,dfw1,dfw2,sea1,sjc1,lax1}"
+export PACKET_EXEC_OPERATING_SYSTEM="${PACKET_EXEC_OPERATING_SYSTEM:-ubuntu_18_04}"
+export PACKET_EXEC_PRE_BUILTINS="${PACKET_EXEC_PRE_BUILTINS:-InstallVagrant,InstallVirtualBox,InstallVmware,InstallHashiCorpTool,InstallVagrantVmware}"
+export PACKET_EXEC_QUIET="1"
+export PKT_VAGRANT_CLOUD_TOKEN="${VAGRANT_CLOUD_TOKEN}"
+export VAGRANT_PKG_VERSION="2.2.7" # need to figure out how to make this latest instead
+###
+
+
+csource="${BASH_SOURCE[0]}"
+while [ -h "$csource" ] ; do csource="$(readlink "$csource")"; done
+root="$( cd -P "$( dirname "$csource" )/../" && pwd )"
+
+. "${root}/.ci/common.sh"
+
+pushd "${root}" > "${output}"
+
+# Assumes packet is already set up
+
+# job_id is provided by common.sh
+export PACKET_EXEC_REMOTE_DIRECTORY="${job_id}"
+
+# spec test configuration, defined by action runners, used by Vagrant on packet
+export PKT_VAGRANT_HOST_BOXES="${VAGRANT_HOST_BOXES}"
+export PKT_VAGRANT_GUEST_BOXES="${VAGRANT_GUEST_BOXES}"
+# other vagrant-spec options
+export PKT_VAGRANT_HOST_MEMORY=10000
+export PKT_VAGRANT_CWD="/test/vagrant-spec/"
+export PKT_VAGRANT_VAGRANTFILE=Vagrantfile.spec
+###
+
+# Grab vagrant-spec gem
+###
+
+echo "Syncing up remote packet device for current job... "
+# NOTE: We only need to call packet-exec with the -upload option once
+#       since we are persisting the job directory. This command
+#       is used simply to seed the work directory.
+wrap_stream packet-exec run -upload -- /bin/true \
+            "Failed to setup project on remote packet instance"
+
+# Run the job
+
+echo "Running vagrant spec tests..."
+# Need to make memory customizable for windows hosts
+wrap_stream packet-exec run -upload --  "cd vagrant;vagrant up --no-provision --provider vmware_desktop" \
+                                        "Vagrant Blackbox host creation command failed"
+
+
+echo "Finished vagrant spec tests"
diff --git a/.ci/spec/create-packet.sh b/.ci/spec/create-packet.sh
index 3af8ea8d3..3a36bd104 100755
--- a/.ci/spec/create-packet.sh
+++ b/.ci/spec/create-packet.sh
@@ -42,8 +42,4 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
                 "Failed to create packet device"
 fi
 
-# job_id is provided by common.sh
-export PACKET_EXEC_REMOTE_DIRECTORY="${job_id}"
-export PACKET_EXEC_PERSIST="1"
-
 echo "Finished creating spec test packet instance"
diff --git a/.ci/spec/run-test.sh b/.ci/spec/run-test.sh
index 95d2f0a68..ca9da5e69 100755
--- a/.ci/spec/run-test.sh
+++ b/.ci/spec/run-test.sh
@@ -36,26 +36,22 @@ function cleanup() {
 
 # job_id is provided by common.sh
 export PACKET_EXEC_REMOTE_DIRECTORY="${job_id}"
-export PACKET_EXEC_PERSIST="1"
 
 # spec test configuration, defined by action runners, used by Vagrant on packet
 export PKT_VAGRANT_HOST_BOXES="${VAGRANT_HOST_BOXES}"
 export PKT_VAGRANT_GUEST_BOXES="${VAGRANT_GUEST_BOXES}"
+# other vagrant-spec options
+export PKT_VAGRANT_HOST_MEMORY=10000
+export PKT_VAGRANT_CWD="/test/vagrant-spec/"
+export PKT_VAGRANT_VAGRANTFILE=Vagrantfile.spec
 ###
 
-echo "Syncing up remote packet device for current job... "
-# NOTE: We only need to call packet-exec with the -upload option once
-#       since we are persisting the job directory. This command
-#       is used simply to seed the work directory.
-wrap_stream packet-exec run -upload -- /bin/true \
-            "Failed to setup project on remote packet instance"
-
 # Run the job
 
 echo "Running vagrant spec tests..."
 # Need to make memory customizable for windows hosts
-pkt_wrap_stream "cd vagrant;VAGRANT_HOST_MEMORY=5000 VAGRANT_CWD=test/vagrant-spec/ VAGRANT_VAGRANTFILE=Vagrantfile.spec vagrant up --provider vmware_desktop" \
-                "Vagrant command failed"
+pkt_wrap_stream "cd vagrant;vagrant provision --provider vmware_desktop" \
+                "Vagrant Blackbox testing command failed"
 
 
 echo "Finished vagrant spec tests"