diff --git a/inventory/host_vars/qa02.qa.fedoraproject.org b/inventory/host_vars/qa02.qa.fedoraproject.org
index 6898bf7142..7a31a23035 100644
--- a/inventory/host_vars/qa02.qa.fedoraproject.org
+++ b/inventory/host_vars/qa02.qa.fedoraproject.org
@@ -10,8 +10,10 @@ clients:
     macaddress: "52:54:00:a2:de:30"
     memsize: 4096
     num_cpus: 2
+    lvm_size: 20
   - hostname: virt02.qa.fedoraproject.org
     macaddress: "52:54:00:fe:22:ff"
     memsize: 4096
     num_cpus: 2
+    lvm_size: 20
 
diff --git a/roles/beaker/virthost/tasks/main.yml b/roles/beaker/virthost/tasks/main.yml
index d8684ed1eb..ad6f826a53 100644
--- a/roles/beaker/virthost/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/beaker/virthost/tasks/main.yml
@@ -17,8 +17,25 @@
     group: root
     mode: 0644
 
+- name: get vm list
+  virt: command=list_vms
+  register: result
+  always_run: yes
+
 - name: generate libvirt xml files for clients
   template:
     src: client-libvirt.xml.j2
-    dest: /root/{{ item }}.libvirt.xml
+    dest: /root/{{ item.hostname }}.libvirt.xml
+  when: item.hostname not in result.list_vms
   with_items: clients
+
+- name: ensure the guest lvs are created
+  lvol: lv={{ item.hostname }} vg={{ volgroup }} size={{ item.lvm_size }} state=present
+  when: item.hostname not in result.list_vms
+  with_items: clients
+
+- name: ensure vms are defined
+  virt: command=define xml=/root/{{ item.hostname }}.libvirt.xml
+  when: item.hostname not in result.list_vms
+  with_items: clients
+