diff --git a/cmd/infra.go b/cmd/infra.go
index 8aa47cf2..b7727286 100644
--- a/cmd/infra.go
+++ b/cmd/infra.go
@@ -7,36 +7,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
-	"io/ioutil"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"fmt"
-	"strings"
-)
-
-func writeS3VarsFile(logger *zap.SugaredLogger, tfDir, bucket string) error {
-  logger.Infof("Writing s3 bucket %s to tfvars\n", bucket)
-	bucketvarspath := filepath.Join(tfDir, "terraform.tfvars")
-	input, err := ioutil.ReadFile(bucketvarspath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "Error reading bucket vars file %s", bucketvarspath)
-	}
 
-	lines := strings.Split(string(input), "\n")
-	for i, line := range lines {
-		if strings.Contains(line, "s3_bucket_name = ") {
-			lines[i] = fmt.Sprintf("s3_bucket_name = \"%s\"", bucket)
-		}
-	}
-	output := strings.Join(lines, "\n")
-
-	err = ioutil.WriteFile(bucketvarspath, []byte(output), 0644)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "Error writing providers file %s", bucketvarspath)
-	}
-
-  logger.Infof("Wrote s3 bucket %s to tfvars\n", bucket)
-	return nil
-}
+)
 
 func newCreateCommand(logger *zap.SugaredLogger) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
@@ -53,17 +25,11 @@ func newCreateCommand(logger *zap.SugaredLogger) *cobra.Command {
 			scenariosDir := viper.GetString("scenarios-dir")
 			attackTag := viper.GetString("attack-container-tag")
 			tfDir := viper.GetString("tf-dir")
-
-			//bucket var
-			logger.Infof("Creating variable %s for terraform s3 bucket\n", bucket)
-			err := writeS3VarsFile(logger, tfDir, bucket)
-			if err != nil {
-				return errors.Wrap(err, "Error saving bucket name")
-			}
+			
 			logger.Infof("Created s3 bucket %s for terraform remote state\n", bucket)
 			//bucket var
 
-			err = simulator.Create(logger, tfDir, bucket, attackTag)
+			err := simulator.Create(logger, tfDir, bucket, attackTag)
 			if err != nil {
 				logger.Errorw("Error creating infrastructure", zap.Error(err))
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/simulator/terraform.go b/pkg/simulator/terraform.go
index a4cfc5c7..973b618c 100644
--- a/pkg/simulator/terraform.go
+++ b/pkg/simulator/terraform.go
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/controlplaneio/simulator-standalone/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
+	"fmt"
 )
 
 // PrepareTfArgs takes a string with the terraform command desired and returns
 // a slice of strings containing the complete list of arguments including the
 // command to use when exec'ing terraform
-func PrepareTfArgs(cmd string) []string {
+func PrepareTfArgs(cmd string, bucket string) []string {
 	arguments := []string{cmd}
 
 	if cmd == "output" {
@@ -20,6 +21,12 @@ func PrepareTfArgs(cmd string) []string {
 	if cmd == "init" || cmd == "plan" || cmd == "apply" || cmd == "destroy" {
 		arguments = append(arguments, "-input=false")
 		arguments = append(arguments, "--var-file=settings/bastion.tfvars")
+
+	}
+
+	if cmd == "init" {
+		providerBucketArg := fmt.Sprintf("-backend-config=bucket=%s", bucket)
+		arguments = append(arguments, providerBucketArg)
 	}
 
 	if cmd == "apply" || cmd == "destroy" {
@@ -30,8 +37,8 @@ func PrepareTfArgs(cmd string) []string {
 }
 
 // Terraform wraps running terraform as a child process
-func Terraform(wd, cmd string) (*string, error) {
-	args := PrepareTfArgs(cmd)
+func Terraform(wd, cmd string, bucket string) (*string, error) {
+	args := PrepareTfArgs(cmd, bucket)
 	env := []string{"TF_IS_IN_AUTOMATION=1", "TF_INPUT=0"}
 	if cmd == "output" {
 		// TODO: (rem) deal with non-empty stderr?
@@ -77,7 +84,7 @@ func InitIfNeeded(logger *zap.SugaredLogger, tfDir, bucket, attackTag string) er
 	}
 
 	logger.Info("Running terraform init")
-	_, err = Terraform(tfDir, "init")
+	_, err = Terraform(tfDir, "init", bucket)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "Error initialising terraform")
 	}
@@ -97,13 +104,13 @@ func Create(logger *zap.SugaredLogger, tfDir, bucket, attackTag string) error {
 	}
 
 	logger.Info("Running terraform plan")
-	_, err = Terraform(tfDir, "plan")
+	_, err = Terraform(tfDir, "plan", bucket)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	logger.Info("Running terraform apply")
-	_, err = Terraform(tfDir, "apply")
+	_, err = Terraform(tfDir, "apply", bucket)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -116,7 +123,7 @@ func Status(logger *zap.SugaredLogger, tfDir, bucket, attackTag string) (*Terraf
 	}
 
 	logger.Info("Running terraform output")
-	out, err := Terraform(tfDir, "output")
+	out, err := Terraform(tfDir, "output", bucket)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Error getting terraform outputs")
 	}
@@ -140,6 +147,6 @@ func Destroy(logger *zap.SugaredLogger, tfDir, bucket, attackTag string) error {
 	}
 
 	logger.Info("Running terrraform destroy")
-	_, err = Terraform(tfDir, "destroy")
+	_, err = Terraform(tfDir, "destroy", bucket)
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/simulator/terraform_test.go b/pkg/simulator/terraform_test.go
index 2064f521..9a41a370 100644
--- a/pkg/simulator/terraform_test.go
+++ b/pkg/simulator/terraform_test.go
@@ -11,20 +11,20 @@ import (
 var noopLogger = zap.NewNop().Sugar()
 
 var tfCommandArgumentsTests = []struct {
-	command   string
+	prepArgs   []string
 	arguments []string
 }{
-	{"output", []string{"output", "-json"}},
-	{"init", []string{"init", "-input=false", "--var-file=settings/bastion.tfvars"}},
-	{"plan", []string{"plan", "-input=false", "--var-file=settings/bastion.tfvars"}},
-	{"apply", []string{"apply", "-input=false", "--var-file=settings/bastion.tfvars", "-auto-approve"}},
-	{"destroy", []string{"destroy", "-input=false", "--var-file=settings/bastion.tfvars", "-auto-approve"}},
+	{[]string{"output", "test-bucket"}, []string{"output", "-json"}},
+	{[]string{"init", "test-bucket"}, []string{"init", "-input=false", "--var-file=settings/bastion.tfvars", "-backend-config=bucket=test-bucket"}},
+	{[]string{"plan", "test-bucket"}, []string{"plan", "-input=false", "--var-file=settings/bastion.tfvars"}},
+	{[]string{"apply", "test-bucket"}, []string{"apply", "-input=false", "--var-file=settings/bastion.tfvars", "-auto-approve"}},
+	{[]string{"destroy", "test-bucket"}, []string{"destroy", "-input=false", "--var-file=settings/bastion.tfvars", "-auto-approve"}},
 }
 
 func Test_PrepareTfArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tt := range tfCommandArgumentsTests {
-		t.Run("Test arguments for "+tt.command, func(t *testing.T) {
-			assert.Equal(t, simulator.PrepareTfArgs(tt.command), tt.arguments)
+		t.Run("Test arguments for "+tt.prepArgs[0], func(t *testing.T) {
+			assert.Equal(t, simulator.PrepareTfArgs(tt.prepArgs[0], tt.prepArgs[1]), tt.arguments)
 		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/simulator/terraform_vars.go b/pkg/simulator/terraform_vars.go
index a7b28495..d389f77a 100644
--- a/pkg/simulator/terraform_vars.go
+++ b/pkg/simulator/terraform_vars.go
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 package simulator
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"github.com/controlplaneio/simulator-standalone/pkg/util"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
-	"io/ioutil"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 // TfVars struct representing the input variables for terraform to create the
@@ -28,31 +23,8 @@ func NewTfVars(publicKey, accessCIDR, bucketName, attackTag string) TfVars {
 	}
 }
 
-func writeProvidersFile(tfDir, bucket string) error {
-	providerspath := filepath.Join(tfDir, "providers.tf")
-	input, err := ioutil.ReadFile(providerspath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "Error reading providers file %s", providerspath)
-	}
-
-	lines := strings.Split(string(input), "\n")
-	for i, line := range lines {
-		if strings.Contains(line, "bucket = ") {
-			lines[i] = fmt.Sprintf("    bucket = \"%s\"", bucket)
-		}
-	}
-	output := strings.Join(lines, "\n")
-
-	err = ioutil.WriteFile(providerspath, []byte(output), 0644)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "Error writing providers file %s", providerspath)
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
 func (tfv *TfVars) String() string {
-	return "access_key = \"" + tfv.PublicKey + "\"\n" + "access_cidr = \"" + tfv.AccessCIDR + "\"\n" + "attack_container_tag = \"" + tfv.AttackTag + "\"\n"
+	return "access_key = \"" + tfv.PublicKey + "\"\n" + "access_cidr = \"" + tfv.AccessCIDR + "\"\n" + "attack_container_tag = \"" + tfv.AttackTag + "\"\n" + "state_bucket_name = \"" + tfv.BucketName + "\"\n"
 
 }
 
@@ -61,11 +33,5 @@ func EnsureLatestTfVarsFile(tfDir, publicKey, accessCIDR, bucket, attackTag stri
 	filename := tfDir + "/settings/bastion.tfvars"
 	tfv := NewTfVars(publicKey, accessCIDR, bucket, attackTag)
 
-	err := writeProvidersFile(tfDir, bucket)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "Error saving bucket name")
-
-	}
-
 	return util.OverwriteFile(filename, tfv.String())
 }
diff --git a/pkg/simulator/terraform_vars_test.go b/pkg/simulator/terraform_vars_test.go
index d8ef6b91..90fe2d21 100644
--- a/pkg/simulator/terraform_vars_test.go
+++ b/pkg/simulator/terraform_vars_test.go
@@ -9,10 +9,11 @@ import (
 
 func Test_TfVars_String(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	tfv := simulator.NewTfVars("ssh-rsa", "10.0.0.1/16", "test", "latest")
+	tfv := simulator.NewTfVars("ssh-rsa", "10.0.0.1/16", "test-bucket", "latest")
 	expected := `access_key = "ssh-rsa"
 access_cidr = "10.0.0.1/16"
 attack_container_tag = "latest"
+state_bucket_name = "test-bucket"
 `
 	assert.Equal(t, tfv.String(), expected)
 }
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ func Test_Ensure_TfVarsFile_with_settings(t *testing.T) {
 	tfDir := fixture("tf-dir-with-settings")
 	varsFile := tfDir + "/settings/bastion.tfVars"
 
-	err := simulator.EnsureLatestTfVarsFile(tfDir, "ssh-rsa", "10.0.0.1/16", "test", "latest")
+	err := simulator.EnsureLatestTfVarsFile(tfDir, "ssh-rsa", "10.0.0.1/16", "test-bucket", "latest")
 	assert.Nil(t, err, "Got an error")
 
 	assert.Equal(t, util.MustSlurp(varsFile), "test = true\n")
diff --git a/terraform/deployments/AWS/main.tf b/terraform/deployments/AWS/main.tf
index fe0344dd..31d9f295 100644
--- a/terraform/deployments/AWS/main.tf
+++ b/terraform/deployments/AWS/main.tf
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
 locals {
-  aws_tags = "${merge(var.default_tags, map("Simulator Bucket", "${var.s3_bucket_name}"))}"
+  aws_tags = "${merge(var.default_tags, map("Simulator Bucket", "${var.state_bucket_name}"))}"
 }
 
 // Setup networking
diff --git a/terraform/deployments/AWS/providers.tf b/terraform/deployments/AWS/providers.tf
index 2c9c8cba..2c27257b 100644
--- a/terraform/deployments/AWS/providers.tf
+++ b/terraform/deployments/AWS/providers.tf
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ provider "aws" {}
 terraform {
   backend "s3" {
     key = "simulator.tfstate"
-    // 'bucket='' must have this exact number of spaces for simulator to replace it properly
-    bucket = "###REPLACED-BY-SIMULATOR###"
     // Optional, S3 Bucket Server Side Encryption
     encrypt = false
   }
diff --git a/terraform/deployments/AWS/terraform.tfvars b/terraform/deployments/AWS/terraform.tfvars
deleted file mode 100644
index 8ff176fa..00000000
--- a/terraform/deployments/AWS/terraform.tfvars
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-s3_bucket_name = "###replaced by infra.go###"
diff --git a/terraform/deployments/AWS/variables.tf b/terraform/deployments/AWS/variables.tf
index 7aa601fa..1a6f189d 100644
--- a/terraform/deployments/AWS/variables.tf
+++ b/terraform/deployments/AWS/variables.tf
@@ -66,8 +66,9 @@ variable "attack_container_tag" {
   default     = "latest"
 }
 
-variable "s3_bucket_name" {
+variable "state_bucket_name" {
   description = "name of the s3 state bucket"
+  default     = "not-defined"
 }