diff --git a/contrib/test/integration/README.md b/contrib/test/integration/README.md
index f13b8b92..c90a5eac 100644
--- a/contrib/test/integration/README.md
+++ b/contrib/test/integration/README.md
@@ -1,21 +1,49 @@
 # Fedora and RHEL Integration and End-to-End Tests
 
 This directory contains playbooks to set up for and run the integration and
-end-to-end tests for CRI-O on RHEL and Fedora hosts. Two entrypoints exist:
+end-to-end tests for CRI-O on RHEL and Fedora hosts.  The expected entry-point
+is the ``main.yml`` Ansible playbook.
 
- - `main.yml`: sets up the machine and runs tests
- - `results.yml`: gathers test output to `/tmp/artifacts`
+The control-host:
 
-When running `main.yml`, three tags are present:
+ - May be the subject.
+ - Is based on either RHEL/CentOS 6 (or later), or Fedora 24 (or later).
+ - Runs ``main.yml`` from within the cri-o repository already in the
+   desired state for testing.
 
- - `setup`: run all tasks to set up the system for testing
- - `e2e`: build CRI-O from source and run Kubernetes node E2Es
- - `integration`: build CRI-O from source and run the local integration suite
+The subject host(s):
 
-The playbooks assume the following things about your system:
+ - May be the control-host.
+ - May be executing the ``main.yml`` playbook against itself.
+ - If RHEL-like, has the ``server``, ``extras``, and ``EPEL`` repositories available
+   and enabled.
+ - Has remote password-less ssh configured for direct or sudo access to the root user.
 
- - on RHEL, the server and extras repos are configured and certs are present
- - `ansible` is installed and the host is boot-strapped to allow `ansible` to run against it
- - the `$GOPATH` is set and present for all shells (*e.g.* written in `/etc/environment`)
- - CRI-O is checked out to the correct state at `${GOPATH}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o`
- - the user running the playbook has access to passwordless `sudo`
\ No newline at end of file
+Execution of the ``main.yml`` playbook:
+
+ - Should occur through the ``cri-o/contrib/test/venv-ansible-playbook.sh`` wrapper.
+ - Execution may target localhost, or one or more subjects via standard Ansible
+   inventory arguments.
+ - Should use a combination (including none) of the following tags:
+
+     - ``setup``: Run all tasks to set up the system for testing. Final state must
+                  be self-contained and independent from other tags (i.e. support
+                  stage-caching).
+     - ``integration``: Assumes 'setup' previously completed successfully.
+                        May be executed from cached-state of ``setup``.
+                        Not required to execute conicident with other tags.
+                        Must build CRI-O from source and run the
+                        integration test suite.
+     - ``e2e``: Assumes 'setup' previously completed successfully.  May be executed
+                from cached-state of ``setup``. Not required to execute conicident with
+                other tags.  Must build CRI-O from source and run Kubernetes node
+                E2E tests.
+
+``cri-o/contrib/test/venv-ansible-playbook.sh`` Wrapper:
+
+ - Must accepts all of the valid Ansible command-line options.
+ - Must use version-locked & hashed dependencies as written in ``requirements.txt``.
+ - Must fully sandbox it's own execution environment except for the following
+   required packages (or equivalent): ``python2-virtualenv gcc openssl-devel
+   redhat-rpm-config libffi-devel python-devel libselinux-python rsync
+   yum-utils python3-pycurl python-simplejson``.
diff --git a/contrib/test/integration/build/cri-o.yml b/contrib/test/integration/build/cri-o.yml
index fa025035..29172866 100644
--- a/contrib/test/integration/build/cri-o.yml
+++ b/contrib/test/integration/build/cri-o.yml
@@ -1,42 +1,42 @@
 ---
 
-- name: stat the expected cri-o directory
+- name: stat the expected cri-o directory and Makefile exists
   stat:
-    path: "{{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o"
+    path: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}/Makefile"
   register: dir_stat
 
-- name: expect cri-o to be cloned already
+- name: Verify cri-o Makefile exists in expected location
   fail:
-    msg: "Expected cri-o to be cloned at {{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o but it wasn't!"
-  when: not dir_stat.stat.exists
+    msg: "Expected cri-o to be cloned at {{ cri_o_dest_path }} but it wasn't!"
+  when: not dir_stat.stat.exists or not dir_stat.stat.isreg
 
 - name: install cri-o tools
   make:
     target: install.tools
-    chdir: "{{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o"
+    chdir: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}"
 
 - name: build cri-o
   make:
-    chdir: "{{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o"
+    chdir: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}"
 
 - name: install cri-o
   make:
     target: install
-    chdir: "{{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o"
+    chdir: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}"
 
 - name: install cri-o systemd files
   make:
     target: install.systemd
-    chdir: "{{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o"
+    chdir: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}"
 
 - name: install cri-o config
   make:
     target: install.config
-    chdir: "{{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o"
+    chdir: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}"
 
 - name: install configs
   copy:
-    src: "{{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o/{{ item.src }}"
+    src: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}/{{ item.src }}"
     dest: "{{ item.dest }}"
     remote_src: yes
   with_items:
diff --git a/contrib/test/integration/github.yml b/contrib/test/integration/github.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..16aef9f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/test/integration/github.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+---
+
+
+- name: Verify expectations
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - 'cri_o_dest_path is defined'
+      - 'cri_o_src_path is defined'
+
+- name: The cri-o repository directory exists
+  file:
+    path: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}"
+    state: directory
+    mode: 0777
+
+- name: Synchronize cri-o from control-host to remote subject
+  synchronize:
+    archive: False
+    checksum: True
+    delete: True
+    dest: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}/"
+    links: True
+    recursive: True
+    src: "{{ cri_o_src_path }}/"
+    times: True
+  # This task is excessively noisy, logging every change to every file :(
+  no_log: True
diff --git a/contrib/test/integration/main.yml b/contrib/test/integration/main.yml
index ce4a206f..6a60e0e6 100644
--- a/contrib/test/integration/main.yml
+++ b/contrib/test/integration/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,27 @@
-- hosts: all
-  remote_user: root
+---
+
+- hosts: '{{ subjects | default("all") }}'
+  gather_facts: False  # Requires low-level ansible-dependencies
+  tasks:
+    - name: Ensure low-level ansible-dependencies are installed
+      raw: $(type -P dnf || type -P yum) install -y python2 python2-dnf libselinux-python git rsync
+
+    - name: Gather only networking facts for speed
+      setup:
+        gather_subset: network
+
+
+- hosts: '{{ subjects | default("none") }}'
+  vars_files:
+    - "{{ playbook_dir }}/vars.yml"
+  tags:
+    - setup
+  tasks:
+    - name: CRI-O source is available on every subject
+      include: github.yml
+
+
+- hosts: '{{ subjects | default("all") }}'
   vars_files:
     - "{{ playbook_dir }}/vars.yml"
   tags:
@@ -26,19 +48,18 @@
     - name: clone build and install networking plugins
       include: "build/plugins.yml"
 
-- hosts: all
-  remote_user: root
+
+- hosts: '{{ subjects | default("all") }}'
   vars_files:
     - "{{ playbook_dir }}/vars.yml"
   tags:
     - integration
     - e2e
   tasks:
-    - name: clone build and install cri-o
+    - name: Build and install cri-o
       include: "build/cri-o.yml"
 
-- hosts: all
-  remote_user: root
+- hosts: '{{ subjects | default("all") }}'
   vars_files:
     - "{{ playbook_dir }}/vars.yml"
   tags:
@@ -47,8 +68,7 @@
     - name: run cri-o integration tests
       include: test.yml
 
-- hosts: all
-  remote_user: root
+- hosts: '{{ subjects | default("all") }}'
   vars_files:
     - "{{ playbook_dir }}/vars.yml"
   tags:
diff --git a/contrib/test/integration/results.yml b/contrib/test/integration/results.yml
index c9a96abb..96b0f0b4 100644
--- a/contrib/test/integration/results.yml
+++ b/contrib/test/integration/results.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 # vim-syntax: ansible
 
-- hosts: '{{ hosts | default("all") }}'
+- hosts: '{{ subjects | default("all") }}'
   vars_files:
     - "{{ playbook_dir }}/vars.yml"
   vars:
diff --git a/contrib/test/integration/system.yml b/contrib/test/integration/system.yml
index ea9280ed..c453c422 100644
--- a/contrib/test/integration/system.yml
+++ b/contrib/test/integration/system.yml
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
     state: present
   with_items:
    - btrfs-progs-devel
+   - python2-virtualenv
   when: ansible_distribution in ['Fedora']
 
 - name: Check / setup swap
@@ -110,3 +111,17 @@
 - name: Update the kernel cmdline to include quota support
   command: grubby --update-kernel=ALL --args="rootflags=pquota"
   when: ansible_distribution in ['RedHat', 'CentOS']
+
+- name: Configure the GOPATH environment variable for all users
+  blockinfile:
+    path: /etc/environment
+    block: "GOPATH={{ go_path }}"
+    create: True
+    follow: True
+
+- name: Reset the ansible connection to incorporate /etc/environment changes
+  meta: reset_connection
+
+- name: Refresh facts to incorporate /etc/environment changes
+  setup:
+    gather_subset: network
diff --git a/contrib/test/integration/test.yml b/contrib/test/integration/test.yml
index e9023e77..dfa2c30f 100644
--- a/contrib/test/integration/test.yml
+++ b/contrib/test/integration/test.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
     extra_storage_opts: " --storage-opt overlay.override_kernel_check=1"
   when: ansible_distribution == 'RedHat' or ansible_distribution == 'CentOS'
 
-- name: ensure directory exists for e2e reports
+- name: ensure directory exists for integration results
   file:
     path: "{{ artifacts }}"
     state: directory
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@
       when: not integration_selinux_enabled
 
     - name: run integration tests
-      shell: "CGROUP_MANAGER=cgroupfs STORAGE_OPTIONS='--storage-driver=overlay{{ extra_storage_opts | default('') }}' make localintegration >& {{ artifacts }}/testout.txt"
+      shell: "CGROUP_MANAGER=cgroupfs STORAGE_OPTS='--storage-driver=overlay{{ extra_storage_opts | default('') }}' make localintegration >& {{ artifacts }}/testout.txt"
       args:
-        chdir: "{{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o"
+        chdir: "{{ cri_o_dest_path }}"
       async: 5400
       poll: 30
 
diff --git a/contrib/test/integration/vars.yml b/contrib/test/integration/vars.yml
index 801eb1bc..3362f2d3 100644
--- a/contrib/test/integration/vars.yml
+++ b/contrib/test/integration/vars.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@ e2e_swap_enabled: True
 integration_selinux_enabled: True
 e2e_selinux_enabled: False
 
+# Path to encode into /etc/environment on all hosts
+go_path: "/go"
+
+# Absolute path on control-host where the cri-o source exists
+cri_o_src_path: "{{ playbook_dir }}/../../../"
+
+# Absolute path on subjects where cri-o source is expected
+cri_o_dest_path: "{{ go_path }}/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o"
+
 # For results.yml Paths use rsync 'source' conventions
 artifacts: "/tmp/artifacts"  # Base-directory for collection
 crio_integration_filepath: "{{ artifacts }}/testout.txt"