diff --git a/playbooks/install.yaml b/playbooks/install.yaml
index 39b0427e0..83f140dd7 100644
--- a/playbooks/install.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/install.yaml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     - { role: bifrost-prep-for-install, when: skip_install is not defined }
     - bifrost-ironic-install
     - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagename: "{{ http_boot_folder }}/ipa", build_ramdisk: false, dib_os_element: "{{ ipa_dib_os_element|default('debian') }}", dib_elements: "ironic-agent {{ ipa_extra_dib_elements | default('') }}", when: create_ipa_image | bool == true }
-    - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagename: "{{ deploy_image }}", dib_imagetype: "qcow2", dib_os_element: "{{ dib_os_element|default('debian') }}", dib_elements: "vm serial-console simple-init {{ extra_dib_elements|default('') }}", dib_packages: "{{ dib_packages|default('') }}", when: create_image_via_dib == true and transform_boot_image == false }
+    - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagename: "{{ deploy_image }}", dib_imagetype: "qcow2", dib_elements: "vm serial-console simple-init {{ extra_dib_elements|default('') }}", when: create_image_via_dib == true and transform_boot_image == false }
   environment:
     http_proxy: "{{ lookup('env','http_proxy') }}"
     https_proxy: "{{ lookup('env','https_proxy') }}"
diff --git a/playbooks/inventory/group_vars/localhost b/playbooks/inventory/group_vars/localhost
index bba1b59af..01eec7dea 100644
--- a/playbooks/inventory/group_vars/localhost
+++ b/playbooks/inventory/group_vars/localhost
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
 
 # ironic_db_password ironic user password for rabbit
 ironic_db_password: aSecretPassword473z
-# mysql_password: mysql root user password
+# mysql_username: Default mysql admin username
+mysql_username: root
+# mysql_password: Default mysql admin user password
 mysql_password:
 
 # The path to the SSH key to be utilized for testing and burn-in
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-dib-image/defaults/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-dib-image/defaults/main.yml
index 9e3e8239f..e932c07ec 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-dib-image/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-dib-image/defaults/main.yml
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@ dib_clearenv: false
 dib_notmpfs: false
 dib_offline: false
 dib_skipbase: false
+dib_packages: ""
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/main.yml
index 33b3aa724..5a186c080 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/main.yml
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@
     ansible_pkg_mgr: "dnf"
   when: ansible_distribution == 'Fedora' and "{{ test_dnf.stat.exists|bool }}"
 - name: "Install required packages"
-  action: "{{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} name={{item}} state=present"
+  action: "{{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} name={{ item }} state=present"
   with_items: required_packages
 - name: "Restart libvirt service"
-  service: name={{libvirt_service_name}} state=restarted
+  service: name="{{libvirt_service_name}}" state=restarted
 - name: "Create virtual machines"
   script: create_vm_nodes-for-role.sh
   environment:
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-ironic-install/tasks/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-ironic-install/tasks/main.yml
index f21450761..535c5107d 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-ironic-install/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-ironic-install/tasks/main.yml
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@
   apt: update_cache=yes
   when: ansible_os_family == 'Debian'
 - name: "Install packages"
-  action: "{{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} name={{ item }}"
+  action: "{{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} name={{ item }} state=present"
   with_items: required_packages
 # Step required for Ubuntu 14.10
 - name: "Install Ubuntu 14.10 (and later) packages"
-  action: "{{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} name={{ item }}"
+  action: "{{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} name={{ item }} state=present"
   with_items:
     - pxelinux
   when: ansible_distribution_version|version_compare('14.10', '>=') and ansible_distribution == 'Ubuntu'
@@ -88,12 +88,12 @@
 - name: "Create ironic user in RabbitMQ"
   rabbitmq_user: user=ironic password={{ ironic_db_password }} force=yes state=present configure_priv=.* write_priv=.* read_priv=.*
   no_log: true
-- name: "MySQL - Create database"
-  mysql_db: login_user={{ mysql_username }} login_password={{ mysql_password }} name=ironic state=present encoding=utf8
+- name: "MySQL - Creating DB"
+  mysql_db: name=ironic state=present encoding=utf8 login_user="{{ mysql_username | default(None) }}" login_password="{{ mysql_password | default(None) }}"
   register: test_created_db
-- name: "MySQL - Create user for ironic"
-  mysql_user: login_user={{ mysql_username }} login_password={{ mysql_password }} name=ironic password={{ ironic_db_password }} priv=ironic.*:ALL state=present
-- name: "Install ironic using pip"
+- name: "MySQL - Creating user for Ironic"
+  mysql_user: name=ironic password='{{ ironic_db_password }}' priv=ironic.*:ALL state=present login_user="{{ mysql_username | default(None) }}" login_password="{{ mysql_password | default(None) }}"
+- name: "Install Ironic using pip"
   pip: name={{ ironic_git_folder }} state=latest
   when: skip_install is not defined
 - name: "Create an ironic service group"
diff --git a/playbooks/test-bifrost-create-vm.yaml b/playbooks/test-bifrost-create-vm.yaml
index 5be758ac1..637ed41df 100644
--- a/playbooks/test-bifrost-create-vm.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/test-bifrost-create-vm.yaml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     - name: "Set ci_testing flag if a list of changes are found in the environment variables"
       set_fact:
          ci_testing: true
-      when: lookup('env', 'ZUUL_CHANGES') != ""
+      when: lookup('env', 'ZUUL_CHANGES') | length > 0
     - name: "Set ci_testing_zuul if it appears we are running in upstream OpenStack CI"
       set_fact:
          ci_testing_zuul: true
diff --git a/playbooks/test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml b/playbooks/test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml
index bbce43ec0..071bbd67e 100644
--- a/playbooks/test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@
       # TODO(TheJulia) Fix the above paths to be consistent, because the NV job gets the dib
       # folder cloned, while the gate job does not.  Likely need to work out a semi-hybrid
       # solution.
-      when: lookup('env', 'ZUUL_BRANCH') != ""
+      when: lookup('env', 'ZUUL_BRANCH') | length > 0
     - name: "Set ci_testing_zuul_changes if ZUUL_CHANGES is set"
       set_fact:
          ci_testing_zuul_changes: true
-      when: lookup('env', 'ZUUL_CHANGES') != ""
+      when: lookup('env', 'ZUUL_CHANGES') | length > 0
     - name: "Override the ipv4_gateway setting"
       set_fact:
          ipv4_gateway: "192.168.122.1"
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
     # do not support ramdisk-image-create as they invoke steps to cleanup
     # the ramdisk which causes ramdisk-image-create to believe it failed.
     - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagename: "{{ http_boot_folder }}/ipa", build_ramdisk: false, dib_os_element: "{{ ipa_dib_os_element|default('debian') }}", dib_elements: "ironic-agent {{ ipa_extra_dib_elements | default('') }}", when: create_ipa_image | bool == true }
-    - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagetype: "qcow2", dib_imagename: "{{deploy_image}}", dib_os_element: "{{ dib_os_element|default('debian') }}", dib_elements: "vm serial-console simple-init {{ extra_dib_elements|default('') }}", dib_packages: "{{ dib_packages|default('') }}", when: create_image_via_dib == true and transform_boot_image == false }
+    - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagetype: "qcow2", dib_imagename: "{{deploy_image}}", dib_os_element: "debian", dib_elements: "vm serial-console simple-init {{ extra_dib_elements|default('') }}", when: create_image_via_dib == true and transform_boot_image == false }
   environment:
     http_proxy: "{{ lookup('env','http_proxy') }}"
     https_proxy: "{{ lookup('env','https_proxy') }}"
diff --git a/scripts/env-setup.sh b/scripts/env-setup.sh
index 7ef9a9840..0b7309ddc 100755
--- a/scripts/env-setup.sh
+++ b/scripts/env-setup.sh
@@ -2,10 +2,8 @@
 set -e
 
 ANSIBLE_GIT_URL=${ANSIBLE_GIT_URL:-https://github.com/ansible/ansible.git}
-# NOTE(TheJulia): Switching to Ansible stable-1.9 branch as the development
-# branch is undergoing some massive changes and we are seeing odd failures
-# that we should not be seeing.  Until devel has stabilized, we should stay
-# on the stable branch.
+# Note(TheJulia): Presently defaulting to stable-1.9, although the syntax
+# is compatible with the Ansible devel branch as of 20150923.
 ANSIBLE_GIT_BRANCH=${ANSIBLE_GIT_BRANCH:-stable-1.9}
 
 if [ -x '/usr/bin/apt-get' ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/test-bifrost.sh b/scripts/test-bifrost.sh
index 25f8124a4..bf2458d2e 100755
--- a/scripts/test-bifrost.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-bifrost.sh
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ cd $BIFROST_HOME/playbooks
 
 # Syntax check of dynamic inventory test path
 ansible-playbook -vvvv -i inventory/localhost test-bifrost-create-vm.yaml --syntax-check --list-tasks
-ansible-playbook -vvvv -i inventory/localhost test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml --syntax-check --list-tasks
+ansible-playbook -vvvv -i inventory/localhost test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml --syntax-check --list-tasks -e testing_user=cirros
 
 # Create the test VM
 ansible-playbook -vvvv -i inventory/localhost test-bifrost-create-vm.yaml