diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index b8a636220..c1624bcc4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,31 @@ jobs:
         with:
           ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
 
+      # these steps are necessary if not using ephemeral nodes
+      - name: Delete old Vagrant box versions
+        if: always() # do this even if a step before has failed
+        run: vagrant box prune --force
+
+      - name: Remove all local Vagrant boxes
+        if: always() # do this even if a step before has failed
+        run: vagrant box list | cut -f 1 -d ' ' | xargs -L 1 vagrant box remove -f
+
+      - name: Remove all Virtualbox VMs
+        if: always() # do this even if a step before has failed
+        run: VBoxManage list vms | awk -F'"' '{print $2}' | xargs -I {} VBoxManage unregistervm --delete "{}"
+
+      - name: Remove all Virtualbox HDs
+        if: always() # do this even if a step before has failed
+        run: VBoxManage list hdds | awk -F':' '/^UUID:/ {print $2}' | xargs -I {} VBoxManage closemedium disk "{}" --delete
+
+      - name: Remove all Virtualbox Networks
+        if: always() # do this even if a step before has failed
+        run: VBoxManage list hostonlyifs | grep '^Name:' | awk '{print $2}' | grep '^vboxnet' | xargs -I {} VBoxManage hostonlyif remove {}
+
+      - name: Remove Virtualbox network config
+        if: always() # do this even if a step before has failed
+        run: sudo rm /etc/vbox/networks.conf
+
       - name: Configure VirtualBox
         run: |-
           sudo mkdir -p /etc/vbox