diff --git a/providers/ec2/__init__.py b/providers/ec2/__init__.py
index 67dd990..6f14570 100644
--- a/providers/ec2/__init__.py
+++ b/providers/ec2/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from tasks import packages
 from tasks import connection
 from tasks import host
 from tasks import ebs
+from tasks import filesystem
 
 
 def tasks(tasklist, manifest):
@@ -10,6 +11,12 @@ def tasks(tasklist, manifest):
 	             connection.GetCredentials(), host.GetInfo(), connection.Connect())
 	if manifest.volume['backing'].lower() == 'ebs':
 		tasklist.add(ebs.CreateVolume(), ebs.AttachVolume())
+	tasklist.add(filesystem.FormatVolume())
+	if manifest.volume['filesystem'].lower() == 'xfs':
+		tasklist.add(filesystem.AddXFSProgs())
+	import re
+	if re.search('ext.', manifest.volume['filesystem'].lower()):
+		tasklist.add(filesystem.TuneVolumeFS())
 
 	from common.tasks import TriggerRollback
 	tasklist.add(TriggerRollback())
diff --git a/providers/ec2/manifest-schema.json b/providers/ec2/manifest-schema.json
index d222b62..9169060 100644
--- a/providers/ec2/manifest-schema.json
+++ b/providers/ec2/manifest-schema.json
@@ -12,9 +12,13 @@
 				"backing": {
 					"type": "string",
 					"enum": ["ebs", "s3"]
+				},
+				"filesystem": {
+					"type": "string",
+					"enum": ["ext2", "ext3", "ext4", "xfs"]
 				}
 			},
-			"required": ["backing"]
+			"required": ["backing", "filesystem"]
 		}
 	},
 	"required": ["bootstrapdir", "volume"]
diff --git a/providers/ec2/tasks/filesystem.py b/providers/ec2/tasks/filesystem.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f65d73d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/providers/ec2/tasks/filesystem.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+from base import Task
+from common import phases
+from common.exceptions import TaskError
+
+
+class FormatVolume(Task):
+	description = 'Formatting the volume'
+	phase = phases.volume_preparation
+	after = []
+
+	def run(self, info):
+		import subprocess
+		from os import devnull
+		dev_path = info.bootstrap_device['path']
+		mkfs = '/sbin/mkfs.{fs}'.format(fs=info.manifest.volume['filesystem'])
+		try:
+			with open(devnull, 'w') as dev_null:
+				subprocess.check_call([mkfs, dev_path], stdout=dev_null, stderr=dev_null)
+		except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+			raise TaskError('Unable to format the bootstrap device')
+
+
+class TuneVolumeFS(Task):
+	description = 'Tuning the bootstrap volume filesystem'
+	phase = phases.volume_preparation
+	after = [FormatVolume]
+
+	def run(self, info):
+		import subprocess
+		from os import devnull
+		dev_path = info.bootstrap_device['path']
+		try:
+			with open(devnull, 'w') as dev_null:
+				subprocess.check_call(['/sbin/tune2fs', '-i', '0', dev_path], stdout=dev_null, stderr=dev_null)
+		except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+			raise TaskError('Unable to disable the time based check interval for the bootstrap volume')
+
+
+class AddXFSProgs(Task):
+	description = 'Adding `xfsprogs\' to the image packages'
+	phase = phases.preparation
+	after = []
+
+	def run(self, info):
+		include, exclude = info.img_packages
+		include.add('xfsprogs')