diff --git a/packer_test/common/commands.go b/packer_test/common/commands.go
index 9d1cf1b18..1002aad61 100644
--- a/packer_test/common/commands.go
+++ b/packer_test/common/commands.go
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ func (pc *packerCommand) SetAssertFatal() *packerCommand {
 // Note: while originally "Run" was designed to be idempotent, with the
 // introduction of multiple runs for a command, this is not the case anymore
 // and the function should not be considered thread-safe anymore.
-func (pc *packerCommand) Run() (string, string, error) {
+func (pc *packerCommand) run() (string, string, error) {
 	if pc.runs <= 0 {
 		return pc.stdout.String(), pc.stderr.String(), pc.err
 	}
@@ -160,11 +160,26 @@ func (pc *packerCommand) Run() (string, string, error) {
 	return pc.stdout.String(), pc.stderr.String(), pc.err
 }
 
+// Output returns the results of the latest Run that was executed.
+//
+// In general there is only one run of the command, but as it can be changed
+// through the Runs function, only the latest run will be returned.
+//
+// If the command was not run (through Assert), this will make the test fail
+// immediately.
+func (pc *packerCommand) Output() (string, string, error) {
+	if pc.runs > 0 {
+		pc.t.Fatalf("command was not run, invoke Assert first, then Output.")
+	}
+
+	return pc.stdout.String(), pc.stderr.String(), pc.err
+}
+
 func (pc *packerCommand) Assert(checks ...check.Checker) {
 	attempt := 0
 	for pc.runs > 0 {
 		attempt++
-		stdout, stderr, err := pc.Run()
+		stdout, stderr, err := pc.run()
 
 		for _, checker := range checks {
 			checkErr := checker.Check(stdout, stderr, err)
diff --git a/packer_test/common/plugin.go b/packer_test/common/plugin.go
index 59a07a247..10a7b4730 100644
--- a/packer_test/common/plugin.go
+++ b/packer_test/common/plugin.go
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ func (ts *PackerTestSuite) CompilePlugin(t *testing.T, versionString string) {
 // packer will be able to use that directory for running its functions.
 //
 // Deletion of the directory is the caller's responsibility.
+//
+// Note: all of the plugin versions specified to be installed in this plugin directory
+// must have been compiled beforehand.
 func (ts *PackerTestSuite) MakePluginDir(pluginVersions ...string) (pluginTempDir string, cleanup func()) {
 	t := ts.T()
 
@@ -158,7 +161,7 @@ func (ts *PackerTestSuite) MakePluginDir(pluginVersions ...string) (pluginTempDi
 		path := ts.GetPluginPath(t, pluginVersion)
 		cmd := ts.PackerCommand().SetArgs("plugins", "install", "--path", path, "github.com/hashicorp/tester").AddEnv("PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH", pluginTempDir)
 		cmd.Assert(check.MustSucceed())
-		out, stderr, cmdErr := cmd.Run()
+		out, stderr, cmdErr := cmd.run()
 		if cmdErr != nil {
 			err = fmt.Errorf("failed to install tester plugin version %q: %s\nCommand stdout: %s\nCommand stderr: %s", pluginVersion, err, out, stderr)
 			return
diff --git a/packer_test/plugin_tests/plugins_remove_test.go b/packer_test/plugin_tests/plugins_remove_test.go
index 0584a8d07..fcaad4459 100644
--- a/packer_test/plugin_tests/plugins_remove_test.go
+++ b/packer_test/plugin_tests/plugins_remove_test.go
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func InstalledPlugins(ts *PackerPluginTestSuite, dir string) []string {
 		SetAssertFatal()
 	cmd.Assert(check.MustSucceed())
 
-	out, _, _ := cmd.Run()
+	out, _, _ := cmd.Output()
 	// Output will be split on '\n' after trimming all other white space
 	out = strings.TrimSpace(out)
 	plugins := strings.Fields(out)