diff --git a/etc/tempest.conf.sample b/etc/tempest.conf.sample
index cc84994..be05015 100644
--- a/etc/tempest.conf.sample
+++ b/etc/tempest.conf.sample
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@
 # Cluster: the 'nova' user must have scp access between cluster nodes
 resize_available = true
 
+# Level to log Compute API request/response details.
+log_level = ERROR
+
 [image]
 # This section contains configuration options used when executing tests
 # against the OpenStack Images API
diff --git a/stress/README.rst b/stress/README.rst
index bf44f13..1667e31 100644
--- a/stress/README.rst
+++ b/stress/README.rst
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
   host_admin_user=<name of user for ssh command>
   nova_logdir=<value of --logdir in nova.conf>
   controller=<hostname for calling nova-manage>
+  max_instances=<limit on instances that will be created>
 
 The stress test needs the top-level tempest directory to be on PYTHONPATH
 if you are not using nosetests to run.
diff --git a/stress/config.py b/stress/config.py
index 0dce816..16972d8 100755
--- a/stress/config.py
+++ b/stress/config.py
@@ -46,3 +46,8 @@
     def controller(self):
         """Controller host"""
         return self.get("controller", None)
+
+    @property
+    def max_instances(self):
+        """Maximum number of instances to create during test"""
+        return self.get("max_instances", 16)
diff --git a/stress/driver.py b/stress/driver.py
index b68825e..e8c8f12 100644
--- a/stress/driver.py
+++ b/stress/driver.py
@@ -114,14 +114,14 @@
                                    (default: 32)
                     `seed`       = random seed (default: None)
     """
+    stress_config = StressConfig(manager.config._conf)
     # get keyword arguments
     duration = kwargs.get('duration', datetime.timedelta(seconds=10))
     seed = kwargs.get('seed', None)
     sleep_time = float(kwargs.get('sleep_time', 3000)) / 1000
-    max_vms = int(kwargs.get('max_vms', 32))
+    max_vms = int(kwargs.get('max_vms', stress_config.max_instances))
     test_name = kwargs.get('test_name', 'unamed test')
 
-    stress_config = StressConfig(manager.config._conf)
     keypath = stress_config.host_private_key_path
     user = stress_config.host_admin_user
     logdir = stress_config.nova_logdir
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@
                 break
             i += 1
             if i > 60:
-                raise
+                _error_in_logs(keypath, logdir, user, computes)
+                raise Exception("Cleanup timed out")
             time.sleep(1)
         logging.info('killed %s' % kill_id)
         state.delete_instance_state(kill_id)
diff --git a/stress/test_server_actions.py b/stress/test_server_actions.py
index 3cf3698..7080630 100644
--- a/stress/test_server_actions.py
+++ b/stress/test_server_actions.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 # local imports
 import test_case
 import pending_action
-from tempest.exceptions import TimeoutException
+from tempest.exceptions import TimeoutException, Duplicate
 from utils.util import *
 
 
@@ -52,51 +52,35 @@
             self._logger.info('no ACTIVE instances to reboot')
             return
 
-        _reboot_type = kwargs.get('type', 'SOFT')
+        _reboot_arg = kwargs.get('type', 'SOFT')
 
         # select active vm to reboot and then send request to nova controller
         target = random.choice(active_vms)
         reboot_target = target[0]
+        # It seems that doing a reboot when in reboot is an error.
+        try:
+            response, body = manager.servers_client.reboot(
+                                                           reboot_target['id'],
+                                                           _reboot_arg)
+        except Duplicate:
+            return
 
-        response, body = manager.servers_client.reboot(
-                                                          reboot_target['id'],
-                                                          _reboot_type)
         if (response.status != 202):
             self._logger.error("response: %s" % response)
             raise Exception
 
-        if _reboot_type == 'SOFT':
-            state_name = 'REBOOT'
+        if _reboot_arg == 'SOFT':
+            reboot_state = 'REBOOT'
         else:
-            state_name = 'REBOOT'  # this is a bug, should be HARD_REBOOT
+            reboot_state = 'HARD_REBOOT'
 
         self._logger.info('waiting for machine %s to change to %s' %
-                          (reboot_target['id'], state_name))
-
-        # check for state transition
-        _resp, body = manager.servers_client.get_server(reboot_target['id'])
-        if body['status'] == state_name:
-            state_string = state_name
-        else:
-            # grab the actual state as we think it is
-            temp_obj = state.get_instances()[self._target['id']]
-            self._logger.debug(
-                "machine %s in state %s" %
-                (reboot_target['id'], temp_obj[1])
-                )
-            state_string = temp_obj[1]
-
-        if state_string == state_name:
-            self._logger.info('machine %s ACTIVE -> %s' %
-                              (reboot_target['id'], state_name))
-            state.set_instance_state(reboot_target['id'],
-                                    (reboot_target, state_name))
+                          (reboot_target['id'], reboot_state))
 
         return VerifyRebootVM(manager,
                               state,
                               reboot_target,
-                              reboot_type=_reboot_type,
-                              state_name=state_string)
+                              reboot_state=reboot_state)
 
 
 class VerifyRebootVM(pending_action.PendingAction):
@@ -104,22 +88,13 @@
     States = enum('REBOOT_CHECK', 'ACTIVE_CHECK')
 
     def __init__(self, manager, state, target_server,
-                 reboot_type=None,
-                 state_name=None,
+                 reboot_state=None,
                  ip_addr=None):
         super(VerifyRebootVM, self).__init__(manager,
                                              state,
                                              target_server)
-        # FIX ME: this is a nova bug
-        if reboot_type == 'SOFT':
-            self._reboot_state = 'REBOOT'
-        else:
-            self._reboot_state = 'REBOOT'  # should be HARD REBOOT
-
-        if state_name == 'ACTIVE':  # was still active, check to see if REBOOT
-            self._retry_state = self.States.REBOOT_CHECK
-        else:  # was REBOOT, so now check for ACTIVE
-            self._retry_state = self.States.ACTIVE_CHECK
+        self._reboot_state = reboot_state
+        self._retry_state = self.States.REBOOT_CHECK
 
     def retry(self):
         """
@@ -155,8 +130,9 @@
             if not self._check_for_status('ACTIVE'):
                 return False
         target = self._target
-        self._logger.info('machine %s REBOOT -> ACTIVE [%.1f secs elapsed]' %
-                              (target['id'], time.time() - self._start_time))
+        self._logger.info('machine %s %s -> ACTIVE [%.1f secs elapsed]' %
+                              (target['id'], reboot_state,
+                                time.time() - self._start_time))
         self._state.set_instance_state(target['id'],
                                       (target, 'ACTIVE'))
 
diff --git a/stress/test_servers.py b/stress/test_servers.py
index 47d30b5..a71bea2 100644
--- a/stress/test_servers.py
+++ b/stress/test_servers.py
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@
             target = self._target
             self._logger.info('machine %s: DELETED [%.1f secs elapsed]' %
                               (target['id'], time.time() - self._start_time))
-            self._state.delete_machine_state(target['id'])
+            self._state.delete_instance_state(target['id'])
             return True
 
         return False
diff --git a/stress/tests/create_kill.py b/stress/tests/create_kill.py
index 752f72d..8169fc4 100644
--- a/stress/tests/create_kill.py
+++ b/stress/tests/create_kill.py
@@ -32,4 +32,4 @@
                sleep_time=100,  # in milliseconds
                seed=int(time.time()),
                test_name="create and delete",
-               max_vms=32)
+               )
diff --git a/stress/tests/hard_reboots.py b/stress/tests/hard_reboots.py
index f38ef6f..1b5928e 100644
--- a/stress/tests/hard_reboots.py
+++ b/stress/tests/hard_reboots.py
@@ -34,4 +34,4 @@
                sleep_time=500,  # in milliseconds
                seed=int(time.time()),
                test_name="hard reboots",
-               max_vms=32)
+               )
diff --git a/stress/tests/user_script_sample.py b/stress/tests/user_script_sample.py
index e4f53c4..3a6972c 100644
--- a/stress/tests/user_script_sample.py
+++ b/stress/tests/user_script_sample.py
@@ -35,4 +35,4 @@
                sleep_time=1000,  # in milliseconds
                seed=None,
                test_name="simple create and delete",
-               max_vms=10)
+               max_vms=4)
diff --git a/stress/tools/nova_destroy_all.py b/stress/tools/nova_destroy_all.py
index 1fa0487..3816557 100755
--- a/stress/tools/nova_destroy_all.py
+++ b/stress/tools/nova_destroy_all.py
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@
 
 # get the environment variables for credentials
 identity = tempest.config.TempestConfig().identity
+compute = tempest.config.TempestConfig().compute
 
-nt = client.Client(identity.username, identity.password,
-                   identity.tenant_name, identity.auth_url)
+nt = client.Client(compute.username, compute.password,
+                   compute.tenant_name, identity.auth_url)
 
 flavor_list = nt.flavors.list()
 server_list = nt.servers.list()
diff --git a/stress/tools/nova_status.py b/stress/tools/nova_status.py
index 65dfc82..c0b7893 100755
--- a/stress/tools/nova_status.py
+++ b/stress/tools/nova_status.py
@@ -21,11 +21,12 @@
 
 # get the environment variables for credentials
 identity = tempest.config.TempestConfig().identity
-print identity.username, identity.password,\
-    identity.tenant_name, identity.auth_url
+compute = tempest.config.TempestConfig().compute
+print compute.username, compute.password,\
+    compute.tenant_name, identity.auth_url
 
-nt = client.Client(identity.username, identity.password,
-                   identity.tenant_name, identity.auth_url)
+nt = client.Client(compute.username, compute.password,
+                   compute.tenant_name, identity.auth_url)
 
 flavor_list = nt.flavors.list()
 server_list = nt.servers.list()
diff --git a/tempest/common/rest_client.py b/tempest/common/rest_client.py
index 7b5d87a..c8af2ca 100644
--- a/tempest/common/rest_client.py
+++ b/tempest/common/rest_client.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
     def __init__(self, config, user, password, auth_url, service,
                  tenant_name=None):
         self.log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-        self.log.setLevel(logging.ERROR)
+        self.log.setLevel(getattr(logging, config.compute.log_level))
         self.config = config
         if self.config.identity.strategy == 'keystone':
             self.token, self.base_url = self.keystone_auth(user,
diff --git a/tempest/config.py b/tempest/config.py
index f675ea6..74c2b9e 100644
--- a/tempest/config.py
+++ b/tempest/config.py
@@ -164,6 +164,11 @@
         """Catalog type of the Compute service."""
         return self.get("catalog_type", 'compute')
 
+    @property
+    def log_level(self):
+        """Level for logging compute API calls."""
+        return self.get("log_level", 'ERROR')
+
 
 class ImagesConfig(BaseConfig):