diff --git a/chi-appliance.py b/chi-appliance.py
index a70092ee9ae255fe8a0a3dc428f6ba8ced2cec9c..f705c07669b20510d1d1961b2398496c57aaf9ef 100755
--- a/chi-appliance.py
+++ b/chi-appliance.py
@@ -35,6 +35,29 @@ def get_blazar_client(region=None):
                                 region_name=region)
 
 
+def execute_cmd(args, env_update={}, prefix=''):
+    """Execute a command and read stdout and stderr on the fly."""
+    print("Executing:", " ".join(args))
+    newenv = os.environ
+    newenv.update(env_update)
+    proc = subprocess.Popen(args, env=newenv, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                            stderr=subprocess.PIPE, universal_newlines=True)
+    while True:
+        err = proc.poll()
+        if err is None:
+            line = proc.stdout.readline()
+            if line:
+                print(prefix, line, end='', flush=True)
+        else:
+            if err == 0:
+                print(prefix, "Command successful.")
+            else:
+                for l in proc.stderr.readlines():
+                    print(l, end='', flush=True)
+                print(prefix, "Command failed.")
+            break
+
+
 def do_create(argv):
     """Create an appliance inside a lease, based on template."""
     shade_client = get_shade_client(argv.region)
@@ -174,14 +197,7 @@ def do_configure(argv):
                 '    - name: Copy ansible configuration to the frontend\n'
                 '      synchronize:\n'
                 '        src: ' + confpath + '\n'
-                '        dest: ~/\n'
-                '    - name: Execute ansible on frontend\n'
-                '      shell: ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING=False'
-                ' ansible-playbook -i inventory.yaml ' + playpath + '\n'
-                '      args:\n'
-                '        chdir: ~/ansible\n'
-                '      register: config\n'
-                '    - debug: var=config.stdout_lines')
+                '        dest: ~/\n')
     # generate files
     remote_inv_path = os.path.join(confpath, "inventory.yaml")
     local_temp = NamedTemporaryFile(mode='w+', encoding='utf8', delete=False)
@@ -193,28 +209,23 @@ def do_configure(argv):
         yaml.dump(local_inventory, stream=local_temp)
         play_temp.write(playbook)
 
+    # call the local ansible
     try:
-        # call ansible
-        aargs = ["ansible-playbook", "-i", local_temp.name, play_temp.name]
-        proc = subprocess.Popen(aargs, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-                                stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                                universal_newlines=True)
-        while True:
-            err = proc.poll()
-            if err is None:
-                print(proc.stdout.readline(), end='', flush=True)
-            else:
-                if err == 0:
-                    print("Configuration successful.")
-                else:
-                    for l in proc.stderr.readlines():
-                        print(l, end='', flush=True)
-                    print("Configuration failed.")
-                break
+        cmd = ["ansible-playbook", "-i", local_temp.name, play_temp.name]
+        execute_cmd(cmd, {'ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING': 'False'}, 'localhost:')
     finally:
         os.unlink(local_temp.name)
         os.unlink(play_temp.name)
 
+    # call the remote ansible
+    remote_cmd = ('cd ansible;'
+                  'ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING=False '
+                  'ansible-playbook -i inventory.yaml ' + playpath)
+    # forward agent, auto accept host, don't save it in the host file
+    cmd = ["ssh", "-A", "-oUserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null",
+           "-oStrictHostKeyChecking=no", "cc@" + public_ip, remote_cmd]
+    execute_cmd(cmd, prefix='frontend:')
+
 
 def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Chameleon Appliance Helper')