diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index 6cad0b76062..bb5fef27358 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ environment:
 
 # Install scripts. (runs after repo cloning)
 install:
+  - git rev-parse HEAD
   # Get the latest stable version of Node 0.STABLE.latest
   - ps: Install-Product node $env:nodejs_version
   # Install PhantomJS
diff --git a/dev/windows/Vagrantfile b/dev/windows/Vagrantfile
index 6f08724dd45..c79f5d7a912 100644
--- a/dev/windows/Vagrantfile
+++ b/dev/windows/Vagrantfile
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
 
   config.vm.provider "virtualbox" do |vb|
     vb.gui = true
-    vb.cpus = 1
+    vb.cpus = 2
+    vb.memory = 2048
+    vb.customize ["modifyvm", :id, "--vram", "256"]
+
   end
 
   config.vm.provision "shell", path: "install.ps1"
diff --git a/lib/commands/init.js b/lib/commands/init.js
index 5df458cd40c..9c2368b9bf9 100644
--- a/lib/commands/init.js
+++ b/lib/commands/init.js
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ module.exports = Command.extend({
       return Promise.reject(new SilentError(message));
     }
 
-    var blueprintOpts    = {
+    var blueprintOpts = {
       dryRun: commandOptions.dryRun,
       blueprint: commandOptions.blueprint || this._defaultBlueprint(),
       rawName: packageName,
diff --git a/lib/models/command.js b/lib/models/command.js
index ba9bc9a1971..3d2fefb9f20 100644
--- a/lib/models/command.js
+++ b/lib/models/command.js
@@ -123,15 +123,17 @@ Command.prototype.validateAndRun = function(args) {
   }
 
   if (this.works === 'insideProject' && !this.isWithinProject) {
-    this.ui.writeLine('You have to be inside an ember-cli project in order to use ' +
-                        'the ' + chalk.green(this.name) + ' command.');
-    return Promise.resolve();
+    return Promise.reject(new SilentError(
+    'You have to be inside an ember-cli project in order to use ' +
+                        'the ' + chalk.green(this.name) + ' command.'
+    ));
   }
 
   if (this.works === 'outsideProject' && this.isWithinProject) {
-    this.ui.writeLine('You cannot use the '+  chalk.green(this.name) +
-                        ' command inside an ember-cli project.');
-    return Promise.resolve();
+    return Promise.reject(new SilentError(
+    'You cannot use the '+  chalk.green(this.name) +
+                        ' command inside an ember-cli project.'
+    ));
   }
 
   if (this.works === 'insideProject') {
diff --git a/lib/tasks/npm-task.js b/lib/tasks/npm-task.js
index 0603ce0ccbf..e4ac6cefd81 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/npm-task.js
+++ b/lib/tasks/npm-task.js
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 // Runs `npm install` in cwd
 
-var Promise = require('../ext/promise');
-var chalk   = require('chalk');
-var Task    = require('../models/task');
+var chalk = require('chalk');
+var Task  = require('../models/task');
+var npm   = require('../utilities/npm');
 
 module.exports = Task.extend({
   // The command to run: can be 'install' or 'uninstall'
@@ -25,28 +25,22 @@ module.exports = Task.extend({
       loglevel: options.verbose ? 'verbose' : 'error',
       logstream: this.ui.outputStream,
       color: 'always',
+      // by default, do install peoples optional deps
+      'optional': 'optional' in options ? options.optional : true,
       'save-dev': !!options['save-dev'],
       'save-exact': !!options['save-exact'],
       'optional': 'optional' in options ? options.optional : true
     };
+
     var packages = options.packages || [];
 
     // npm otherwise is otherwise noisy, already submitted PR for npm to fix
     // misplaced console.log
     this.disableLogger();
 
-    var load = Promise.denodeify(this.npm.load);
-
-    return load(npmOptions)
-      .then(function() {
-        // if install is denodeified outside load.then(),
-        // it throws "Call npm.load(config, cb) before using this command."
-        var install = Promise.denodeify(this.npm.commands[this.command]);
-
-        return install(packages);
-      }.bind(this))
-      .finally(this.finally.bind(this))
-      .then(this.announceCompletion.bind(this));
+    return npm(this.command, packages, npmOptions, this.npm).
+      finally(this.finally.bind(this)).
+      then(this.announceCompletion.bind(this));
   },
 
   announceCompletion: function() {
diff --git a/lib/utilities/npm.js b/lib/utilities/npm.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f2b97e49af5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/utilities/npm.js
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+'use strict';
+
+var Promise = require('../ext/promise');
+
+module.exports = function npm(command, packages, options/*, npm*/) {
+  var lib;
+  if (arguments.length === 4) {
+    lib = arguments[3];
+  } else {
+    lib = require('npm');
+  }
+
+  var load = Promise.denodeify(lib.load);
+
+  return load(options)
+    .then(function() {
+      // if install is denodeified outside load.then(),
+      // it throws "Call npm.load(config, cb) before using this command."
+      var operation = Promise.denodeify(lib.commands[command]);
+
+      return operation(packages || []);
+    });
+};
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 75d0410fe6d..0e013437adc 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
     "broccoli-kitchen-sink-helpers": "0.2.7",
     "broccoli-merge-trees": "0.2.1",
     "broccoli-sane-watcher": "^1.1.1",
-    "broccoli-sourcemap-concat": "1.0.0",
+    "broccoli-sourcemap-concat": "^1.0.0",
     "broccoli-unwatched-tree": "0.1.1",
     "broccoli-writer": "0.1.1",
     "chalk": "1.1.0",
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/addon-destroy-test.js b/tests/acceptance/addon-destroy-test.js
index 5cbc3eb483c..51a6f2e1077 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/addon-destroy-test.js
+++ b/tests/acceptance/addon-destroy-test.js
@@ -54,9 +54,7 @@ describe('Acceptance: ember destroy in-addon', function() {
   function generateInAddon(args) {
     var generateArgs = ['generate'].concat(args);
 
-    return initAddon().then(function() {
-      return ember(generateArgs);
-    });
+    return ember(generateArgs);
   }
 
   function destroy(args) {
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/addon-dummy-destroy-test.js b/tests/acceptance/addon-dummy-destroy-test.js
index 1327d39ce54..6cc7a449383 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/addon-dummy-destroy-test.js
+++ b/tests/acceptance/addon-dummy-destroy-test.js
@@ -54,9 +54,7 @@ describe('Acceptance: ember destroy in-addon-dummy', function() {
   function generateInAddon(args) {
     var generateArgs = ['generate'].concat(args);
 
-    return initAddon().then(function() {
-      return ember(generateArgs);
-    });
+    return ember(generateArgs);
   }
 
   function destroy(args) {
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/blueprint-test-slow.js b/tests/acceptance/blueprint-test-slow.js
index 115fb3e98ea..bc1de5bacf0 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/blueprint-test-slow.js
+++ b/tests/acceptance/blueprint-test-slow.js
@@ -15,31 +15,27 @@ var cleanupRun          = acceptance.cleanupRun;
 var appName  = 'some-cool-app';
 
 describe('Acceptance: blueprint smoke tests', function() {
+  this.timeout(400000);
+
   before(function() {
-    this.timeout(360000);
     return createTestTargets(appName);
   });
 
   after(function() {
-    this.timeout(15000);
     return teardownTestTargets();
   });
 
   beforeEach(function() {
-    this.timeout(10000);
     return linkDependencies(appName);
   });
 
   afterEach(function() {
-    this.timeout(10000);
     return cleanupRun().then(function() {
       assertDirEmpty('tmp');
     });
   });
 
   it('generating an http-proxy installs packages to package.json', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'generate',
                       'http-proxy',
                       'api',
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/brocfile-smoke-test-slow.js b/tests/acceptance/brocfile-smoke-test-slow.js
index 1ed9e747d87..8c1040b86ba 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/brocfile-smoke-test-slow.js
+++ b/tests/acceptance/brocfile-smoke-test-slow.js
@@ -22,32 +22,27 @@ var existsSync          = require('exists-sync');
 var appName  = 'some-cool-app';
 
 describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
+  this.timeout(400000);
+
   before(function() {
-    this.timeout(360000);
     return createTestTargets(appName);
   });
 
   after(function() {
-    this.timeout(15000);
     return teardownTestTargets();
   });
 
   beforeEach(function() {
-    this.timeout(360000);
     return linkDependencies(appName);
   });
 
   afterEach(function() {
-    this.timeout(15000);
     return cleanupRun().then(function() {
       assertDirEmpty('tmp');
     });
   });
 
   it('a custom EmberENV in config/environment.js is used for window.EmberENV', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/custom-ember-env')
       .then(function() {
         return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent');
@@ -63,8 +58,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('a custom environment config can be used in Brocfile.js', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/custom-environment-config')
       .then(function() {
         return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--silent');
@@ -72,8 +65,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('using wrapInEval: true', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/wrap-in-eval')
       .then(function() {
         return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--silent');
@@ -81,8 +72,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('without app/templates', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/pods-templates')
       .then(function(){
         // remove ./app/templates
@@ -93,8 +82,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('strips app/styles or app/templates from JS', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/styles-and-templates-stripped')
       .then(function() {
         return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build');
@@ -110,7 +97,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('should fall back to the Brocfile', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/no-ember-cli-build').then(function() {
       fs.removeSync('./ember-cli-build.js');
       return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent');
@@ -121,7 +107,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('should use the Brocfile if both a Brocfile and ember-cli-build exist', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/both-build-files').then(function() {
       return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent');
     }).then(function(result) {
@@ -137,8 +122,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('should throw if no build file is found', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     fs.removeSync('./ember-cli-build.js');
     return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent').catch(function(err) {
       expect(err.code).to.eql(1);
@@ -146,8 +129,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('using autoRun: true', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/auto-run-true')
       .then(function() {
         return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent');
@@ -162,7 +143,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('using autoRun: false', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
 
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/auto-run-false')
       .then(function() {
@@ -178,17 +158,13 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('default development build does not fail', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/query')
       .then(function() {
-        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent');
+        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build');
       });
   });
 
   it('default development build tests', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/default-development')
     .then(function() {
       return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--silent');
@@ -196,8 +172,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('app.import works properly with non-js/css files', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/app-import')
       .then(function() {
         var packageJsonPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'tmp', appName, 'package.json');
@@ -219,8 +193,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('app.import fails when options.type is not `vendor` or `test`', function(){
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/app-import')
       .then(function() {
         var packageJsonPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'tmp', appName, 'package.json');
@@ -240,8 +212,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('addons can have a public tree that is merged and returned namespaced by default', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/public-tree')
       .then(function() {
         var packageJsonPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'tmp', appName, 'package.json');
@@ -263,8 +233,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('using pods based templates', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/pods-templates')
       .then(function() {
         return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--silent');
@@ -272,8 +240,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('using pods based templates with a podModulePrefix', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/pods-with-prefix-templates')
       .then(function() {
         return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--silent');
@@ -281,8 +247,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('addon trees are not jshinted', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/jshint-addon')
       .then(function() {
         var packageJsonPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'tmp', appName, 'package.json');
@@ -308,8 +272,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('specifying custom output paths works properly', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/custom-output-paths')
       .then(function () {
         var themeCSSPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'tmp', appName, 'app', 'styles', 'theme.css');
@@ -338,8 +300,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('multiple css files in app/styles/ are output when a preprocessor is not used', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/multiple-css-files')
       .then(function() {
         return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent');
@@ -358,9 +318,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('specifying partial `outputPaths` hash deep merges options correctly', function() {
-
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/custom-output-paths')
       .then(function () {
 
@@ -400,8 +357,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('multiple paths can be CSS preprocessed', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/multiple-sass-files')
       .then(function() {
         var packageJsonPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'tmp', appName, 'package.json');
@@ -427,8 +382,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('app.css is output to <app name>.css by default', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent')
       .then(function() {
         var exists = existsSync(path.join('.', 'dist', 'assets', appName + '.css'));
@@ -439,8 +392,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: brocfile-smoke-test', function() {
 
   // for backwards compat.
   it('app.scss is output to <app name>.css by default', function() {
-    this.timeout(100000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('brocfile-tests/multiple-sass-files')
       .then(function() {
         var brocfilePath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'tmp', appName, 'ember-cli-build.js');
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/smoke-test-slow.js b/tests/acceptance/smoke-test-slow.js
index 62ae976a321..545f53353b5 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/smoke-test-slow.js
+++ b/tests/acceptance/smoke-test-slow.js
@@ -19,41 +19,33 @@ var linkDependencies    = acceptance.linkDependencies;
 var cleanupRun          = acceptance.cleanupRun;
 
 describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
+  this.timeout(400000);
   before(function() {
-    this.timeout(360000);
     return createTestTargets(appName);
   });
 
   after(function() {
-    this.timeout(20000);
     return teardownTestTargets();
   });
 
   beforeEach(function() {
-    this.timeout(20000);
     return linkDependencies(appName);
   });
 
   afterEach(function() {
-    this.timeout(20000);
-
     return cleanupRun().then(function() {
       assertDirEmpty('tmp');
     });
   });
 
   it('ember new foo, clean from scratch', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
-    return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--silent');
+    return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test');
   });
 
   it('ember test exits with non-zero when tests fail', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('smoke-tests/failing-test')
       .then(function() {
-        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--silent')
+        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test')
           .then(function() {
             expect(false, 'should have rejected with a failing test');
           })
@@ -64,11 +56,9 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember test exits with non-zero when build fails', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('smoke-tests/test-with-syntax-error')
       .then(function() {
-        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--silent')
+        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test')
           .then(function() {
             expect(false, 'should have rejected with a failing test');
           })
@@ -79,11 +69,9 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember test exits with non-zero when no tests are run', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('smoke-tests/no-testem-launchers')
       .then(function() {
-        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--silent')
+        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test')
           .then(function() {
             expect(false, 'should have rejected with a failing test');
           })
@@ -94,9 +82,7 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember new foo, build production and verify fingerprint', function() {
-    this.timeout(360000);
-
-    return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--environment=production', '--silent')
+    return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--environment=production')
       .then(function() {
         var dirPath = path.join('.', 'dist', 'assets');
         var dir = fs.readdirSync(dirPath);
@@ -127,11 +113,9 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember test --environment=production', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
-
     return copyFixtureFiles('smoke-tests/passing-test')
       .then(function() {
-        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--environment=production', '--silent');
+        return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'test', '--environment=production');
       })
       .then(function(result) {
         var exitCode = result.code;
@@ -145,9 +129,7 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember new foo, build development, and verify generated files', function() {
-    this.timeout(360000);
-
-    return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent')
+    return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build')
       .then(function() {
         var dirPath = path.join('.', 'dist');
         var paths = walkSync(dirPath);
@@ -157,12 +139,10 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember build exits with non-zero code when build fails', function () {
-    this.timeout(360000);
-
     var appJsPath   = path.join('.', 'app', 'app.js');
     var ouputContainsBuildFailed = false;
 
-    return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--silent')
+    return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build')
       .then(function (result) {
         expect(result.code).to.equal(0, 'expected exit code to be zero, but got ' + result.code);
 
@@ -188,8 +168,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember new foo, build --watch development, and verify rebuilt after change', function() {
-    this.timeout(360000);
-
     var touched     = false;
     var appJsPath   = path.join('.', 'app', 'app.js');
     var builtJsPath = path.join('.', 'dist', 'assets', 'some-cool-app.js');
@@ -220,8 +198,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember new foo, build --watch development, and verify rebuilt after multiple changes', function() {
-    this.timeout(360000);
-
     var buildCount  = 0;
     var touched     = false;
     var appJsPath   = path.join('.', 'app', 'app.js');
@@ -263,8 +239,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember new foo, server, SIGINT clears tmp/', function() {
-    this.timeout(360000);
-
     return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'server', '--port=54323','--live-reload=false', {
         onOutput: function(string, child) {
           if (string.match(/Build successful/)) {
@@ -278,7 +252,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember new foo, build production and verify css files are concatenated', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
     return copyFixtureFiles('with-styles')
       .then(function() {
       return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'build', '--environment=production')
@@ -298,7 +271,6 @@ describe('Acceptance: smoke-test', function() {
   });
 
   it('ember can override and reuse the built-in blueprints', function() {
-    this.timeout(450000);
     return copyFixtureFiles('addon/with-blueprint-override')
       .then(function() {
         return runCommand(path.join('.', 'node_modules', 'ember-cli', 'bin', 'ember'), 'generate', 'component', 'foo-bar', '-p');
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/brocfile-tests/query/package.json b/tests/fixtures/brocfile-tests/query/package.json
index b96736ba89e..fdca49b9240 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/brocfile-tests/query/package.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/brocfile-tests/query/package.json
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 {
-  "name": "query"
+  "name": "query",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "ember-cli": "*",
+    "ember-cli-htmlbars": "0.7.9"
+  }
 }
diff --git a/tests/helpers/acceptance.js b/tests/helpers/acceptance.js
index c3bf0d935f6..412621b8020 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/acceptance.js
+++ b/tests/helpers/acceptance.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ var conf              = require('./conf');
 var existsSync        = require('exists-sync');
 var copy              = Promise.denodeify(require('cpr'));
 var root              = process.cwd();
+var npm               = require('../../lib/utilities/npm');
 
 var onOutput = {
   onOutput: function() {
@@ -85,13 +86,14 @@ function createTestTargets(projectName, options) {
   options = options || {};
   options.command = options.command || 'new';
 
+  var noNodeModules = !downloaded('node_modules');
   // Fresh install
-  if (!downloaded('node_modules') && !downloaded('bower_components')) {
+  if (noNodeModules && !downloaded('bower_components')) {
     command = function() {
       return applyCommand(options.command, projectName);
     };
     // bower_components but no node_modules
-  } else if (!downloaded('node_modules') && downloaded('bower_components')) {
+  } else if (noNodeModules && downloaded('bower_components')) {
     command = function() {
       return applyCommand(options.command, projectName, '--skip-bower');
     };
@@ -108,8 +110,18 @@ function createTestTargets(projectName, options) {
   }
 
   return createTmp(function() {
-    return command();
-  }).catch(handleResult).finally(function () {
+    return command().
+      catch(handleResult).
+      then(function(value) {
+        if (noNodeModules) {
+          return npm('install', ['ember-disable-prototype-extensions'], { '--no-optional': true }).
+            then(function(){
+            return value;
+          });
+        }
+
+        return value;
+    });
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/helpers/run-command.js b/tests/helpers/run-command.js
index e2de42ab150..c9e51e16969 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/run-command.js
+++ b/tests/helpers/run-command.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ module.exports = function run(/* command, args, options */) {
   });
 
   return new RSVP.Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
-    console.log('      Running: ' + command + ' ' + args.join(' '));
+    console.log('      Running: ' + command + ' ' + args.join(' ') + ' in: ' + process.cwd());
 
     var opts = {};
     if (process.platform === 'win32') {
diff --git a/tests/runner.js b/tests/runner.js
index e7375272db1..57f924a674d 100644
--- a/tests/runner.js
+++ b/tests/runner.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ var root = 'tests/{unit,acceptance}';
 var _checkOnlyInTests = RSVP.denodeify(mochaOnlyDetector.checkFolder.bind(null, root + '/**/*{-test,-slow}.js'));
 var optionOrFile = process.argv[2];
 var mocha = new Mocha({
-  timeout: 5000,
+  timeout: Infinity,
   reporter: 'spec'
 });
 var testFiles = glob.sync(root + '/**/*-test.js');
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ testFiles = jshint.concat(testFiles);
 if (optionOrFile === 'all') {
   addFiles(mocha, testFiles);
   addFiles(mocha, '/**/*-slow.js');
-} else if (optionOrFile)  {
-  mocha.addFile(optionOrFile);
+} else if (process.argv.length > 1)  {
+  addFiles(mocha, process.argv.slice(2));
 } else {
   addFiles(mocha, testFiles);
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/models/command-test.js b/tests/unit/models/command-test.js
index 25facd5106f..91fbd880795 100644
--- a/tests/unit/models/command-test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/models/command-test.js
@@ -191,8 +191,8 @@ describe('models/command.js', function() {
       analytics: analytics,
       project: { isEmberCLIProject: function(){ return false; }},
       settings: {}
-    }).validateAndRun([]).then(function() {
-      expect(ui.output).to.match(/You have to be inside an ember-cli project/);
+    }).validateAndRun([]).catch(function(reason) {
+      expect(reason.message).to.match(/You have to be inside an ember-cli project/);
     });
   });
 
@@ -202,8 +202,8 @@ describe('models/command.js', function() {
       analytics: analytics,
       project: { isEmberCLIProject: function(){ return true; }},
       settings: {}
-    }).validateAndRun([]).then(function() {
-      expect(ui.output).to.match(/You cannot use.*inside an ember-cli project/);
+    }).validateAndRun([]).catch(function(reason) {
+      expect(reason.message).to.match(/You cannot use.*inside an ember-cli project/);
     });
   });