diff --git a/helper/tests/core.go b/helper/tests/core.go
index 91ccef4de..f48d92a75 100644
--- a/helper/tests/core.go
+++ b/helper/tests/core.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package testshelper
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -65,3 +66,22 @@ func FatalCommand(t *testing.T, m command.Meta) {
 		out.String(),
 		err.String())
 }
+
+const TestEnvVar = "PACKER_ACC"
+
+func AccTestPreValidate(t *testing.T) {
+	// We only run acceptance tests if an env var is set because they're
+	// slow and generally require some outside configuration.
+	if os.Getenv(TestEnvVar) == "" {
+		t.Skip(fmt.Sprintf(
+			"Acceptance tests skipped unless env '%s' set",
+			TestEnvVar))
+		return
+	}
+
+	// We require verbose mode so that the user knows what is going on.
+	if !testing.Verbose() {
+		t.Fatal("Acceptance tests must be run with the -v flag on tests")
+		return
+	}
+}
diff --git a/provisioner/shell/provisioner_acc_test.go b/provisioner/shell/provisioner_acc_test.go
index ee25a7a67..889eaa56f 100644
--- a/provisioner/shell/provisioner_acc_test.go
+++ b/provisioner/shell/provisioner_acc_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestBuildShellProvisionerWithBuildVariablesSharing(t *testing.T) {
+	testshelper.AccTestPreValidate(t)
+
 	UUID, _ := uuid.GenerateUUID()
 	os.Setenv("PACKER_RUN_UUID", UUID)
 	c := &command.BuildCommand{
diff --git a/provisioner/shell/test-fixtures/shell-provisioner.json b/provisioner/shell/test-fixtures/shell-provisioner.json
index df3604670..63ef3b0bb 100644
--- a/provisioner/shell/test-fixtures/shell-provisioner.json
+++ b/provisioner/shell/test-fixtures/shell-provisioner.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
       "region": "us-east-1",
       "ssh_username": "ubuntu",
       "source_ami": "ami-0568456c",
+      "force_deregister" : true,
       "tags": {
         "packer-test": "true"
       }