diff --git a/tempest/api/orchestration/base.py b/tempest/api/orchestration/base.py
index 544558e..6fd2ea8 100644
--- a/tempest/api/orchestration/base.py
+++ b/tempest/api/orchestration/base.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 
         cls.os = os
         cls.orchestration_client = os.orchestration_client
+        cls.servers_client = os.servers_client
         cls.keypairs_client = os.keypairs_client
         cls.stacks = []
 
@@ -108,3 +109,9 @@
                 condition()
                 return
             time.sleep(self.build_interval)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def stack_output(stack, output_key):
+        """Return a stack output value for a give key."""
+        return next((o['output_value'] for o in stack['outputs']
+                    if o['output_key'] == output_key), None)
diff --git a/tempest/api/orchestration/stacks/test_instance_cfn_init.py b/tempest/api/orchestration/stacks/test_instance_cfn_init.py
index 2349830..e3b8162 100644
--- a/tempest/api/orchestration/stacks/test_instance_cfn_init.py
+++ b/tempest/api/orchestration/stacks/test_instance_cfn_init.py
@@ -14,9 +14,12 @@
 
 import json
 import logging
+import testtools
 
 from tempest.api.orchestration import base
 from tempest.common.utils.data_utils import rand_name
+from tempest.common.utils.linux.remote_client import RemoteClient
+import tempest.config
 from tempest.test import attr
 
 
@@ -25,6 +28,8 @@
 
 class InstanceCfnInitTestJSON(base.BaseOrchestrationTest):
     _interface = 'json'
+    existing_keypair = (tempest.config.TempestConfig().
+                        orchestration.keypair_name is not None)
 
     template = """
 HeatTemplateFormatVersion: '2012-12-12'
@@ -101,6 +106,10 @@
     Description: Contents of /tmp/smoke-status on SmokeServer
     Value:
       Fn::GetAtt: [WaitCondition, Data]
+  SmokeServerIp:
+    Description: IP address of server
+    Value:
+      Fn::GetAtt: [SmokeServer, PublicIp]
 """
 
     @classmethod
@@ -113,8 +122,11 @@
     def setUp(self):
         super(InstanceCfnInitTestJSON, self).setUp()
         stack_name = rand_name('heat')
-        keypair_name = (self.orchestration_cfg.keypair_name or
-                        self._create_keypair()['name'])
+        if self.orchestration_cfg.keypair_name:
+            keypair_name = self.orchestration_cfg.keypair_name
+        else:
+            self.keypair = self._create_keypair()
+            keypair_name = self.keypair['name']
 
         # create the stack
         self.stack_identifier = self.create_stack(
@@ -127,6 +139,29 @@
             })
 
     @attr(type='gate')
+    @testtools.skipIf(existing_keypair, 'Server ssh tests are disabled.')
+    def test_can_log_into_created_server(self):
+
+        sid = self.stack_identifier
+        rid = 'SmokeServer'
+
+        # wait for server resource create to complete.
+        self.client.wait_for_resource_status(sid, rid, 'CREATE_COMPLETE')
+
+        resp, body = self.client.get_resource(sid, rid)
+        self.assertEqual('CREATE_COMPLETE', body['resource_status'])
+
+        # fetch the ip address from servers client, since we can't get it
+        # from the stack until stack create is complete
+        resp, server = self.servers_client.get_server(
+            body['physical_resource_id'])
+
+        # Check that the user can authenticate with the generated password
+        linux_client = RemoteClient(
+            server, 'ec2-user', pkey=self.keypair['private_key'])
+        self.assertTrue(linux_client.can_authenticate())
+
+    @attr(type='gate')
     def test_stack_wait_condition_data(self):
 
         sid = self.stack_identifier
@@ -148,5 +183,6 @@
         # - a user was created and credentials written to the instance
         # - a cfn-signal was built which was signed with provided credentials
         # - the wait condition was fulfilled and the stack has changed state
-        wait_status = json.loads(body['outputs'][0]['output_value'])
+        wait_status = json.loads(
+            self.stack_output(body, 'WaitConditionStatus'))
         self.assertEqual('smoke test complete', wait_status['00000'])
diff --git a/tempest/services/orchestration/json/orchestration_client.py b/tempest/services/orchestration/json/orchestration_client.py
index 81162df..6b0e7e3 100644
--- a/tempest/services/orchestration/json/orchestration_client.py
+++ b/tempest/services/orchestration/json/orchestration_client.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #    under the License.
 
 import json
+import re
 import time
 import urllib
 
@@ -68,24 +69,69 @@
         body = json.loads(body)
         return resp, body['stack']
 
+    def list_resources(self, stack_identifier):
+        """Returns the details of a single resource."""
+        url = "stacks/%s/resources" % stack_identifier
+        resp, body = self.get(url)
+        body = json.loads(body)
+        return resp, body['resources']
+
+    def get_resource(self, stack_identifier, resource_name):
+        """Returns the details of a single resource."""
+        url = "stacks/%s/resources/%s" % (stack_identifier, resource_name)
+        resp, body = self.get(url)
+        body = json.loads(body)
+        return resp, body['resource']
+
     def delete_stack(self, stack_identifier):
         """Deletes the specified Stack."""
         return self.delete("stacks/%s" % str(stack_identifier))
 
-    def wait_for_stack_status(self, stack_identifier, status, failure_status=(
-            'CREATE_FAILED',
-            'DELETE_FAILED',
-            'UPDATE_FAILED',
-            'ROLLBACK_FAILED')):
-        """Waits for a Volume to reach a given status."""
-        stack_status = None
+    def wait_for_resource_status(self, stack_identifier, resource_name,
+                                 status, failure_pattern='^.*_FAILED$'):
+        """Waits for a Resource to reach a given status."""
         start = int(time.time())
+        fail_regexp = re.compile(failure_pattern)
 
-        while stack_status != status:
+        while True:
+            try:
+                resp, body = self.get_resource(
+                    stack_identifier, resource_name)
+            except exceptions.NotFound:
+                # ignore this, as the resource may not have
+                # been created yet
+                pass
+            else:
+                resource_name = body['logical_resource_id']
+                resource_status = body['resource_status']
+                if resource_status == status:
+                    return
+                if fail_regexp.search(resource_status):
+                    raise exceptions.StackBuildErrorException(
+                        stack_identifier=stack_identifier,
+                        resource_status=resource_status,
+                        resource_status_reason=body['resource_status_reason'])
+
+            if int(time.time()) - start >= self.build_timeout:
+                message = ('Resource %s failed to reach %s status within '
+                           'the required time (%s s).' %
+                           (resource_name, status, self.build_timeout))
+                raise exceptions.TimeoutException(message)
+            time.sleep(self.build_interval)
+
+    def wait_for_stack_status(self, stack_identifier, status,
+                              failure_pattern='^.*_FAILED$'):
+        """Waits for a Stack to reach a given status."""
+        start = int(time.time())
+        fail_regexp = re.compile(failure_pattern)
+
+        while True:
             resp, body = self.get_stack(stack_identifier)
             stack_name = body['stack_name']
             stack_status = body['stack_status']
-            if stack_status in failure_status:
+            if stack_status == status:
+                return
+            if fail_regexp.search(stack_status):
                 raise exceptions.StackBuildErrorException(
                     stack_identifier=stack_identifier,
                     stack_status=stack_status,