diff --git a/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/defaults/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3c6b1670f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/defaults/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+# defaults file for atmo-check-vnc
+
+SSH_PORT_TIMEOUT: 30 
diff --git a/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..706e90cca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+---
+
+- name: set environment variables for legacy systems
+  set_fact: ansible_python_interpreter=/usr/bin/python
+  when: ansible_distribution == "CentOS" and ansible_distribution_major_version < '6'
+  tags:
+    - vnc
+    - x
+
+- name: gather os specific variables
+  include_vars: "{{ item }}"
+  with_first_found:
+    - "{{ ansible_distribution }}-{{ ansible_distribution_major_version}}.yml"
+    - "{{ ansible_distribution }}.yml"
+  tags:
+    - vnc
+    - x
+
+# Only install RealVNC Server if VM is NOT headless
+- name: verify that X server exists
+  stat: path={{ XGUI.xsession_path }}
+  register: xsession
+  tags:
+    - vnc
+    - x
+
+- name: verify that xterm session exists
+  stat: path={{ XGUI.xterm_path }}
+  register: xterm 
+  tags:
+    - vnc
+    - x
+
+- name: check to see if VNC server is running
+  shell: /bin/ps aux | /bin/grep "/usr/bin/Xvnc-core :1 -auth /home/{{ ATMOUSERNAME }}/" | /bin/grep -v grep
+  ignore_errors: yes
+  failed_when: False
+  register: vnc_state
+  tags:
+    - vnc
+
+- name: check to see if novnc is installed
+  shell: "{{ CHECK_IF_PACKAGE_INSTALLED }}"
+  ignore_errors: yes
+  failed_when: False
+  register: novnc_state
+  tags:
+    - novnc
+
+- name: check to see if websockify is running
+  shell: /bin/ps aux | grep "websockify" | grep -v grep
+  ignore_errors: yes
+  failed_when: False
+  register: websockify_state
+  tags:
+    - novnc
+
+- name: Fail if novnc is not installed
+  action: >
+    {{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} name={{ NOVNC_PACKAGE }} state=present
+  tags:
+     - novnc  
+
+- name: fail if OS does not contain a GUI
+  fail: msg="OS does NOT have a GUI for VNC to run on."
+  when: not (xsession.stat.exists and xterm.stat.exists)
+  tags:
+    - no-gui
+    - vnc
+
+- name: fail when VNC is not running
+  fail: msg="VNC is NOT running for user '{{ ATMOUSERNAME }}'"
+  when: vnc_state.stdout == ""
+  tags:
+    - vnc
+    - check-vnc
+
+- name: fail when novnc is not installed
+  fail: msg="novnc is not installed for user '{{ ATMOUSERNAME }}'"
+  when: novnc_state.stdout == ""
+  tags:
+    - novnc
+    - check-novnc
+
+- name: fail when websockify is not running
+  fail: msg="Websockify is not running for user '{{ ATMOUSERNAME }}'"
+  when: websockify_state.stdout == ""
+  tags:
+    - novnc
+    - check-novnc
+
+# disabled until further notice
+#- name: fail if shell can't talk to vm
+#  wait_for: >
+#    search_regex=OpenSSH
+#    port={{ ansible_port }}
+#    host={{ ansible_host }}
+#    delay=1
+#    timeout={{ SSH_PORT_TIMEOUT }}
+#  tags: gateone_networking_check
+#  delegate_to: shell
diff --git a/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS-5.yml b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS-5.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..64176fe79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS-5.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+
+XGUI:
+  xsession_path: /usr/bin/xinit
+  xterm_path: /usr/bin/xterm
+
diff --git a/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS.yml b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1fa88553c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+
+XGUI:
+  xsession_path: /usr/bin/xinit
+  xterm_path: /usr/bin/Xorg
+
+NOVNC_PACKAGE: novnc
+
+CHECK_IF_PACKAGE_INSTALLED: rpm -qa | grep novnc
diff --git a/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/vars/Ubuntu.yml b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/vars/Ubuntu.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b95243eba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles.disabled/atmo-check-novnc/vars/Ubuntu.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+
+XGUI:
+  xsession_path: /usr/bin/X
+  xterm_path: /usr/bin/xinit
+
+NOVNC_PACKAGE: novnc
+
+CHECK_IF_PACKAGE_INSTALLED: dpkg -l {{ NOVNC_PACKAGE }} | grep ii
diff --git a/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/defaults/main.yml
index 3c6b1670f..b78748785 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,2 @@
 ---
 # defaults file for atmo-check-vnc
-
-SSH_PORT_TIMEOUT: 30 
diff --git a/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/tasks/main.yml
index 706e90cca..ceb754404 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/tasks/main.yml
@@ -39,28 +39,6 @@
   tags:
     - vnc
 
-- name: check to see if novnc is installed
-  shell: "{{ CHECK_IF_PACKAGE_INSTALLED }}"
-  ignore_errors: yes
-  failed_when: False
-  register: novnc_state
-  tags:
-    - novnc
-
-- name: check to see if websockify is running
-  shell: /bin/ps aux | grep "websockify" | grep -v grep
-  ignore_errors: yes
-  failed_when: False
-  register: websockify_state
-  tags:
-    - novnc
-
-- name: Fail if novnc is not installed
-  action: >
-    {{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} name={{ NOVNC_PACKAGE }} state=present
-  tags:
-     - novnc  
-
 - name: fail if OS does not contain a GUI
   fail: msg="OS does NOT have a GUI for VNC to run on."
   when: not (xsession.stat.exists and xterm.stat.exists)
@@ -75,27 +53,3 @@
     - vnc
     - check-vnc
 
-- name: fail when novnc is not installed
-  fail: msg="novnc is not installed for user '{{ ATMOUSERNAME }}'"
-  when: novnc_state.stdout == ""
-  tags:
-    - novnc
-    - check-novnc
-
-- name: fail when websockify is not running
-  fail: msg="Websockify is not running for user '{{ ATMOUSERNAME }}'"
-  when: websockify_state.stdout == ""
-  tags:
-    - novnc
-    - check-novnc
-
-# disabled until further notice
-#- name: fail if shell can't talk to vm
-#  wait_for: >
-#    search_regex=OpenSSH
-#    port={{ ansible_port }}
-#    host={{ ansible_host }}
-#    delay=1
-#    timeout={{ SSH_PORT_TIMEOUT }}
-#  tags: gateone_networking_check
-#  delegate_to: shell
diff --git a/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS.yml b/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS.yml
index 1fa88553c..3eaa9d571 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/vars/CentOS.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,3 @@ XGUI:
   xsession_path: /usr/bin/xinit
   xterm_path: /usr/bin/Xorg
 
-NOVNC_PACKAGE: novnc
-
-CHECK_IF_PACKAGE_INSTALLED: rpm -qa | grep novnc
diff --git a/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/vars/Ubuntu.yml b/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/vars/Ubuntu.yml
index b95243eba..406344fea 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/vars/Ubuntu.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/atmo-check-novnc/vars/Ubuntu.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,3 @@ XGUI:
   xsession_path: /usr/bin/X
   xterm_path: /usr/bin/xinit
 
-NOVNC_PACKAGE: novnc
-
-CHECK_IF_PACKAGE_INSTALLED: dpkg -l {{ NOVNC_PACKAGE }} | grep ii