diff --git a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/config/VirtualBoxComputeServiceContextModule.java b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/config/VirtualBoxComputeServiceContextModule.java
index 7ca72d7108..fcaac83da1 100644
--- a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/config/VirtualBoxComputeServiceContextModule.java
+++ b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/config/VirtualBoxComputeServiceContextModule.java
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ public class VirtualBoxComputeServiceContextModule extends
       bind(new TypeLiteral<Function<IMachine, SshClient>>() {
       }).to(IMachineToSshClient.class);
 
-      bind(ExecutionType.class).toInstance(ExecutionType.GUI);
+      bind(ExecutionType.class).toInstance(ExecutionType.HEADLESS);
       bind(LockType.class).toInstance(LockType.Write);
    }
 
diff --git a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/CreateAndInstallVm.java b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/CreateAndInstallVm.java
index 92be138447..bf75aa686d 100644
--- a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/CreateAndInstallVm.java
+++ b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/CreateAndInstallVm.java
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public class CreateAndInstallVm implements Function<MasterSpec, IMachine> {
 				.split(installationKeySequence), new StringToKeyCode());
 
 		for (List<Integer> scancodes : scancodelist) {
-			machineUtils.readLockMachineAndApplyToSession(vmName,new SendScancodes(scancodes));
+			machineUtils.sharedLockMachineAndApplyToSession(vmName,new SendScancodes(scancodes));
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/NodeCreator.java b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/NodeCreator.java
index e2b7e7e040..bef7f792c7 100644
--- a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/NodeCreator.java
+++ b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/NodeCreator.java
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import org.jclouds.virtualbox.domain.NodeSpec;
 import org.jclouds.virtualbox.domain.VmSpec;
 import org.jclouds.virtualbox.statements.DeleteGShadowLock;
 import org.jclouds.virtualbox.statements.SetIpAddress;
+import org.jclouds.virtualbox.util.MachineController;
 import org.jclouds.virtualbox.util.MachineUtils;
 import org.virtualbox_4_1.CleanupMode;
 import org.virtualbox_4_1.IMachine;
@@ -83,23 +84,22 @@ public class NodeCreator implements Function<NodeSpec, NodeAndInitialCredentials
    // TODO parameterize
    public static final boolean USE_LINKED = true;
 
-   // TODO parameterize
-   public static final ExecutionType EXECUTION_TYPE = ExecutionType.HEADLESS;
-
    private final Supplier<VirtualBoxManager> manager;
    private final Function<CloneSpec, IMachine> cloner;
    private final AtomicInteger nodePorts;
    private final AtomicInteger nodeIps;
-   private MachineUtils machineUtils;
+   private final MachineUtils machineUtils;
+   private final MachineController machineController;
 
    @Inject
    public NodeCreator(Supplier<VirtualBoxManager> manager, Function<CloneSpec, IMachine> cloner,
-            MachineUtils machineUtils, RunScriptOnNode.Factory scriptRunnerFactory) {
+            MachineUtils machineUtils, RunScriptOnNode.Factory scriptRunnerFactory, MachineController machineController) {
       this.manager = manager;
       this.cloner = cloner;
       this.nodePorts = new AtomicInteger(NODE_PORT_INIT);
       this.nodeIps = new AtomicInteger(2);
       this.machineUtils = machineUtils;
+      this.machineController = machineController;
    }
 
    @Override
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public class NodeCreator implements Function<NodeSpec, NodeAndInitialCredentials
 
       IMachine cloned = cloner.apply(cloneSpec);
 
-      new LaunchMachineIfNotAlreadyRunning(manager.get(), EXECUTION_TYPE, "").apply(cloned);
+      machineController.ensureMachineIsLaunched(cloneVmSpec.getVmName());
 
       // IMachineToNodeMetadata produces the final ip's but these need to be set before so we build a
       // NodeMetadata just for the sake of running the gshadow and setip scripts 
diff --git a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/util/MachineController.java b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/util/MachineController.java
index 5b958b3575..548534d7b0 100644
--- a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/util/MachineController.java
+++ b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/util/MachineController.java
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public class MachineController {
    public void ensureMachineHasPowerDown(String vmName) {
 	      while (!manager.get().getVBox().findMachine(vmName).getState().equals(MachineState.POWERED_OFF)) {
 	         try {
-	            machineUtils.writeLockMachineAndApplyToSession(vmName, new Function<ISession, Void>() {
+	            machineUtils.sharedLockMachineAndApplyToSession(vmName, new Function<ISession, Void>() {
 	               @Override
 	               public Void apply(ISession session) {
 	                  IProgress powerDownProgress = session.getConsole().powerDown();
diff --git a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/util/MachineUtils.java b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/util/MachineUtils.java
index 8c527d85ba..29745fd14b 100644
--- a/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/util/MachineUtils.java
+++ b/labs/virtualbox/src/main/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/util/MachineUtils.java
@@ -57,15 +57,12 @@ public class MachineUtils {
 
    private final Supplier<VirtualBoxManager> manager;
    private final Factory scriptRunner;
-   private final Supplier<NodeMetadata> host;
 
    @Inject
-   public MachineUtils(Supplier<VirtualBoxManager> manager, RunScriptOnNode.Factory scriptRunner,
-            Supplier<NodeMetadata> host) {
+   public MachineUtils(Supplier<VirtualBoxManager> manager, RunScriptOnNode.Factory scriptRunner) {
       super();
       this.manager = manager;
       this.scriptRunner = scriptRunner;
-      this.host = host;
    }
 
    public ListenableFuture<ExecResponse> runScriptOnNode(NodeMetadata metadata, Statement statement,
@@ -100,10 +97,11 @@ public class MachineUtils {
 
       });
    }
-   
+
    /**
-    * Locks the machine and executes the given function using the machine matching the given id.
-    * The machine is write locked and modifications to the session that reflect on the machine can be done safely.
+    * Locks the machine and executes the given function using the machine matching the given id. The
+    * machine is write locked and modifications to the session that reflect on the machine can be
+    * done safely.
     * <p/>
     * Unlocks the machine before returning.
     * 
@@ -116,10 +114,11 @@ public class MachineUtils {
    public <T> T writeLockMachineAndApplyToSession(final String machineId, final Function<ISession, T> function) {
       return lockSessionOnMachineAndApply(machineId, LockType.Write, function);
    }
-   
+
    /**
-    * Locks the machine and executes the given function using the machine matching the given id.
-    * The machine is read locked, which means that settings can be read safely (but not changed) by function.
+    * Locks the machine and executes the given function using the machine matching the given id. The
+    * machine is read locked, which means that settings can be read safely (but not changed) by
+    * function.
     * <p/>
     * Unlocks the machine before returning.
     * 
@@ -129,7 +128,7 @@ public class MachineUtils {
     *           the function to execute
     * @return the result from applying the function to the machine.
     */
-   public <T> T readLockMachineAndApply(final String machineId, final Function<IMachine, T> function) {
+   public <T> T sharedLockMachineAndApply(final String machineId, final Function<IMachine, T> function) {
       return lockSessionOnMachineAndApply(machineId, LockType.Shared, new Function<ISession, T>() {
 
          @Override
@@ -144,10 +143,11 @@ public class MachineUtils {
 
       });
    }
-   
+
    /**
-    * Locks the machine and executes the given function to the session using the machine matching the given id.
-    * The machine is read locked, which means that settings can be read safely (but not changed) by function.
+    * Locks the machine and executes the given function to the session using the machine matching
+    * the given id. The machine is read locked, which means that settings can be read safely (but
+    * not changed) by function.
     * <p/>
     * Unlocks the machine before returning.
     * 
@@ -157,10 +157,9 @@ public class MachineUtils {
     *           the function to execute
     * @return the result from applying the function to the machine.
     */
-   public <T> T readLockMachineAndApplyToSession(final String machineId, final Function<ISession, T> function) {
+   public <T> T sharedLockMachineAndApplyToSession(final String machineId, final Function<ISession, T> function) {
       return lockSessionOnMachineAndApply(machineId, LockType.Shared, function);
    }
-   
 
    /**
     * Locks the machine and executes the given function using the current session. Since the machine
@@ -183,11 +182,14 @@ public class MachineUtils {
       int retries = 5;
       int count = 0;
       ISession session;
+      long time = System.currentTimeMillis();
       while (true) {
          try {
-            session = manager.get().getSessionObject();
             IMachine immutableMachine = manager.get().getVBox().findMachine(machineId);
+            session = manager.get().getSessionObject();
             immutableMachine.lockMachine(session, type);
+            System.err.println("ACQUIRED LOCK ["+time+"]");
+            print();
             break;
          } catch (VBoxException e) {
             VBoxException vbex = Throwables2.getFirstThrowableOfType(e, VBoxException.class);
@@ -195,7 +197,7 @@ public class MachineUtils {
                return null;
             }
             count++;
-            logger.warn("Could not lock machine (try %i of %i). Error: %s", retries, count, e.getMessage());
+            logger.warn(e, "Could not lock machine (try %d of %d). Error: %s", count, retries, e.getMessage());
             if (count == retries) {
                throw new RuntimeException(String.format("error locking %s with %s lock: %s", machineId, type,
                         e.getMessage()), e);
@@ -213,6 +215,14 @@ public class MachineUtils {
                   type, e.getMessage()), e);
       } finally {
          session.unlockMachine();
+         System.err.println("RELEASED LOCK ["+time+"]");
+         print();
+      }
+   }
+   
+   void print() {
+      for (StackTraceElement element : Thread.currentThread().getStackTrace()){
+         System.err.println(element.toString());
       }
    }
 
diff --git a/labs/virtualbox/src/test/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/CreateAndInstallVmLiveTest.java b/labs/virtualbox/src/test/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/CreateAndInstallVmLiveTest.java
index 4c3485ed09..114e23d83e 100644
--- a/labs/virtualbox/src/test/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/CreateAndInstallVmLiveTest.java
+++ b/labs/virtualbox/src/test/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/functions/CreateAndInstallVmLiveTest.java
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ public class CreateAndInstallVmLiveTest extends BaseVirtualBoxClientLiveTest {
 
          String vboxVersion = Iterables.get(
                   Splitter.on('r').split(context.getProviderSpecificContext().getBuildVersion()), 0);
-         assertEquals(vboxVersion, machineUtils.readLockMachineAndApplyToSession(machine.getName(), 
+         assertEquals(vboxVersion, machineUtils.sharedLockMachineAndApplyToSession(machine.getName(), 
                   new Function<ISession, String>() {
                      @Override
                      public String apply(ISession session) {
diff --git a/labs/virtualbox/src/test/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/predicates/GuestAdditionsInstallerLiveTest.java b/labs/virtualbox/src/test/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/predicates/GuestAdditionsInstallerLiveTest.java
index efd1bdae47..c726cf2639 100644
--- a/labs/virtualbox/src/test/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/predicates/GuestAdditionsInstallerLiveTest.java
+++ b/labs/virtualbox/src/test/java/org/jclouds/virtualbox/predicates/GuestAdditionsInstallerLiveTest.java
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ public class GuestAdditionsInstallerLiveTest extends
 			machineUtils.applyForMachine(machine.getName(),
 					new LaunchMachineIfNotAlreadyRunning(manager.get(),
 							ExecutionType.GUI, ""));
-			assertTrue(machineUtils.readLockMachineAndApplyToSession(
+			assertTrue(machineUtils.sharedLockMachineAndApplyToSession(
 					machine.getName(),
 					new Function<ISession, Boolean>() {
 						@Override