diff --git a/.ci/spec/create-hosts.sh b/.ci/spec/create-hosts.sh
index 2174206fc..82c48b3c0 100755
--- a/.ci/spec/create-hosts.sh
+++ b/.ci/spec/create-hosts.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ 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="${VAGRANT_GUEST_BOXES}"
diff --git a/.ci/spec/run-test.sh b/.ci/spec/run-test.sh
index dffe63970..70c631872 100755
--- a/.ci/spec/run-test.sh
+++ b/.ci/spec/run-test.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export PACKET_EXEC_REMOTE_DIRECTORY="${job_id}"
 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_HOST_MEMORY="${VAGRANT_HOST_MEMORY:-10000}"
 export PKT_VAGRANT_CWD="test/vagrant-spec/"
 export PKT_VAGRANT_VAGRANTFILE=Vagrantfile.spec
 ###
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@ export PKT_VAGRANT_VAGRANTFILE=Vagrantfile.spec
 
 echo "Running vagrant spec tests..."
 # Need to make memory customizable for windows hosts
-pkt_wrap_stream "vagrant provision" \
+pkt_wrap_stream "vagrant reload --provision" \
                 "Vagrant Blackbox testing command failed"
 
-
 echo "Finished vagrant spec tests"