diff --git a/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go b/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go
index 74e1acc53..97623dda7 100644
--- a/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go
+++ b/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	SSHHostKeyFile       string   `mapstructure:"ssh_host_key_file"`
 	SSHAuthorizedKeyFile string   `mapstructure:"ssh_authorized_key_file"`
 	SFTPCmd              string   `mapstructure:"sftp_command"`
+	UseSFTP              bool     `mapstructure:"use_sftp"`
 	inventoryFile        string
 }
 
@@ -106,6 +107,12 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 			log.Println(p.config.SSHHostKeyFile, "does not exist")
 			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs, err)
 		}
+	} else {
+		p.config.AnsibleEnvVars = append(p.config.AnsibleEnvVars, "ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING=False")
+	}
+
+	if !p.config.UseSFTP {
+		p.config.AnsibleEnvVars = append(p.config.AnsibleEnvVars, "ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH=True")
 	}
 
 	if len(p.config.LocalPort) > 0 {
@@ -277,7 +284,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Provision(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator) error {
 		}()
 	}
 
-	if err := p.executeAnsible(ui, comm, k.privKeyFile, !hostSigner.generated); err != nil {
+	if err := p.executeAnsible(ui, comm, k.privKeyFile); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Error executing Ansible: %s", err)
 	}
 
@@ -294,7 +301,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Cancel() {
 	os.Exit(0)
 }
 
-func (p *Provisioner) executeAnsible(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator, privKeyFile string, checkHostKey bool) error {
+func (p *Provisioner) executeAnsible(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator, privKeyFile string) error {
 	playbook, _ := filepath.Abs(p.config.PlaybookFile)
 	inventory := p.config.inventoryFile
 	var envvars []string
@@ -315,10 +322,6 @@ func (p *Provisioner) executeAnsible(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator, pri
 		cmd.Env = append(cmd.Env, envvars...)
 	}
 
-	if !checkHostKey {
-		cmd.Env = append(cmd.Env, "ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING=False")
-	}
-
 	stdout, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -435,7 +438,6 @@ func newUserKey(pubKeyFile string) (*userKey, error) {
 
 type signer struct {
 	ssh.Signer
-	generated bool
 }
 
 func newSigner(privKeyFile string) (*signer, error) {
@@ -464,7 +466,6 @@ func newSigner(privKeyFile string) (*signer, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("Failed to extract private key from generated key pair")
 	}
-	signer.generated = true
 
 	return signer, nil
 }
diff --git a/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/all_options.json b/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/all_options.json
index 6d74d65c8..4f7e16255 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/all_options.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/all_options.json
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
           "-vvvv", "--private-key", "ansible-test-id"
         ],
         "sftp_command": "/usr/lib/sftp-server -e -l INFO",
+        "use_sftp": true,
         "ansible_env_vars": ["PACKER_ANSIBLE_TEST=1", "ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING=False"],
         "groups": ["PACKER_TEST"],
         "empty_groups": ["PACKER_EMPTY_GROUP"],
diff --git a/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/playbook.yml b/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/playbook.yml
index fbe9cc6ac..b352387c0 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/playbook.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/playbook.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-- hosts: default
+- hosts: default:packer-test
   gather_facts: no
   tasks:
     - raw: touch /root/ansible-raw-test
diff --git a/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/scp.json b/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/scp.json
index 21d72a3c4..b94078f2a 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/scp.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/scp.json
@@ -7,10 +7,9 @@
         "extra_arguments": [
           "-vvvv"
         ],
-        "ansible_env_vars": ["ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH=True"],
         "sftp_command": "/usr/bin/false"
       }
-		],
+    ],
     "builders": [
       {
         "type": "googlecompute",
diff --git a/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/sftp.json b/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/sftp.json
index 4b2c73b34..bc2e5d731 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/sftp.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/provisioner-ansible/sftp.json
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@
       }, {
         "type":  "ansible",
         "playbook_file": "./playbook.yml",
-        "sftp_command": "/usr/lib/sftp-server -e -l INFO"
+        "sftp_command": "/usr/lib/sftp-server -e -l INFO",
+        "use_sftp": true
       }
-		],
+    ],
     "builders": [
       {
         "type": "googlecompute",
diff --git a/test/provisioner_ansible.bats b/test/provisioner_ansible.bats
index c25fc8012..537435ae6 100755
--- a/test/provisioner_ansible.bats
+++ b/test/provisioner_ansible.bats
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ teardown() {
     run packer build ${USER_VARS} $FIXTURE_ROOT/minimal.json
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     [ "$(gc_has_image "packerbats-minimal")" -eq 1 ]
+    diff -r dir fetched-dir/default/tmp/remote-dir > /dev/null
 }
 
 @test "ansible provisioner: build all_options.json" {
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ teardown() {
     run packer build ${USER_VARS} $FIXTURE_ROOT/all_options.json
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     [ "$(gc_has_image "packerbats-alloptions")" -eq 1 ]
+    diff -r dir fetched-dir/packer-test/tmp/remote-dir > /dev/null
 }
 
 @test "ansible provisioner: build scp.json" {
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ teardown() {
     run packer build ${USER_VARS} $FIXTURE_ROOT/scp.json
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     [ "$(gc_has_image "packerbats-scp")" -eq 1 ]
+    diff -r dir fetched-dir/default/tmp/remote-dir > /dev/null
 }
 
 @test "ansible provisioner: build sftp.json" {
@@ -69,4 +72,6 @@ teardown() {
     run packer build ${USER_VARS} $FIXTURE_ROOT/sftp.json
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     [ "$(gc_has_image "packerbats-sftp")" -eq 1 ]
+    diff -r dir fetched-dir/default/tmp/remote-dir > /dev/null
 }
+
diff --git a/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.md b/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.md
index 7c80b273a..2656130e9 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.md
@@ -78,10 +78,12 @@ Optional Parameters:
 - `sftp_command` (string) - The command to run on the machine being provisioned
   by Packer to handle the SFTP protocol that Ansible will use to transfer
   files. The command should read and write on stdin and stdout, respectively.
-  SCP can be used instead of SFTP by setting `ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH=True` in
-  `ansible_env_vars`.
   Defaults to `/usr/lib/sftp-server -e`.
 
+- `use_sftp` (boolean) - Whether to use SFTP. When false,
+  `ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH=True` will be automatically added to `ansible_env_vars`.
+  Defaults to false.
+
 - `extra_arguments` (array of strings) - Extra arguments to pass to Ansible.
   Usage example:
 
@@ -90,8 +92,7 @@ Optional Parameters:
 ```
 
 - `ansible_env_vars` (array of strings) - Environment variables to set before
-  running Ansible.  If unset, defaults to `ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING=False`.
-  Set `ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH=True` to use SCP instead of SFTP.
+  running Ansible.
   Usage example:
 
 ```