diff --git a/tests/integration/tools/__init__.py b/tests/integration/tools/__init__.py
index 32f1d50..c858563 100644
--- a/tests/integration/tools/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/integration/tools/__init__.py
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@ def merge_dicts(*args):
 	return reduce(merge, args, {})
 
 
+def waituntil(predicate, timeout=5, interval=0.05):
+	import time
+	threshhold = time.time() + timeout
+	while time.time() < threshhold:
+		if predicate():
+			return True
+		time.sleep(interval)
+	return False
+
+
 def bootstrap(manifest, build_server):
 	from bootstrapvz.remote.build_servers import LocalBuildServer
 	if isinstance(build_server, LocalBuildServer):
diff --git a/tests/integration/tools/instances.py b/tests/integration/tools/instances.py
index d9dc228..87591e5 100644
--- a/tests/integration/tools/instances.py
+++ b/tests/integration/tools/instances.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-from bootstrapvz.common.tools import log_check_call
 import virtualbox
 
 
@@ -36,9 +35,9 @@ class VirtualBoxInstance(Instance):
 			os_type = 'Debian_64'
 		self.machine = self.vbox.create_machine(settings_file='', name=self.name,
 		                                        groups=[], os_type_id=os_type, flags='')
-		self.machine.save_settings()
 		self.machine.cpu_count = self.cpus
 		self.machine.memory_size = self.memory
+		self.machine.save_settings()  # save settings, so that we can register it
 		self.vbox.register_machine(self.machine)
 		self.machine.lock_machine(self.session, virtualbox.library.LockType.write)
 		strg_ctrl = self.session.machine.add_storage_controller('SATA Controller',
@@ -47,22 +46,26 @@ class VirtualBoxInstance(Instance):
 		self.session.machine.attach_device(name='SATA Controller', controller_port=0, device=0,
 		                                   type_p=virtualbox.library.DeviceType.hard_disk,
 		                                   medium=self.image.medium)
-		self.session.machine.save_settings()
-		self.session.unlock_machine()
+		self.session.machine.save_settings()  # save changes to the controller
+		self._unlock_machine()
 
 	def boot(self):
-		self.machine.launch_vm_process(self.session, 'headless')
+		self.machine.launch_vm_process(self.session, 'headless').wait_for_completion(-1)
 
 	def shutdown(self):
-		self.session.console.power_down()
-		log_check_call(['VBoxManage', 'stopvm', self.uuid,
-		                '--type', 'headless'])
+		self.session.console.power_down().wait_for_completion(-1)
+		self._unlock_machine()
 
 	def destroy(self):
 		if hasattr(self, 'machine'):
-			self.machine.lock_machine(self.session, virtualbox.library.LockType.write)
+			self.machine.lock_machine(self.session, virtualbox.library.LockType.shared)
 			self.session.machine.detach_device(name='SATA Controller', controller_port=0, device=0)
 			self.session.machine.save_settings()
-			self.session.unlock_machine()
+			self._unlock_machine()
 			self.machine.unregister(virtualbox.library.CleanupMode.unregister_only)
 			self.machine.remove(delete=True)
+
+	def _unlock_machine(self):
+		from . import waituntil
+		self.session.unlock_machine()
+		waituntil(lambda: self.machine.session_state != virtualbox.library.SessionState.locked)
diff --git a/tests/integration/virtualbox_tests.py b/tests/integration/virtualbox_tests.py
index 2f00928..08b5a24 100644
--- a/tests/integration/virtualbox_tests.py
+++ b/tests/integration/virtualbox_tests.py
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ volume:
 		try:
 			instance = tools.instances.VirtualBoxInstance('unpartitioned_extlinux', image)
 			instance.create()
-			# instance.boot()
+			try:
+				instance.boot()
+			finally:
+				instance.shutdown()
 
 			# tools.test(instance)