diff --git a/release/tools/vagrant.conf b/release/tools/vagrant.conf
--- a/release/tools/vagrant.conf
+++ b/release/tools/vagrant.conf
@@ -14,14 +14,16 @@
 export VM_RC_LIST="firstboot_freebsd_update firstboot_pkgs growfs"
 
 vagrant_common () {
-	# The firstboot_pkgs rc.d script will download the repository
-	# catalogue and install or update pkg when the instance first
-	# launches, so these files would just be replaced anyway; removing
-	# them from the image allows it to boot faster.
-	env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg -c ${DESTDIR} clean -y -a
-	env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg -c ${DESTDIR} delete -f -y pkg
-	rm -r ${DESTDIR}/var/db/pkg/repos/FreeBSD-ports
-	rm -r ${DESTDIR}/var/db/pkg/repos/FreeBSD-ports-kmods
+	if [ -z "${NO_ROOT}" ]; then
+		# The firstboot_pkgs rc.d script will download the repository
+		# catalogue and install or update pkg when the instance first
+		# launches, so these files would just be replaced anyway;
+		# removing them from the image allows it to boot faster.
+		pkg -c ${DESTDIR} clean -y -a
+		pkg -c ${DESTDIR} delete -f -y pkg
+		rm -r ${DESTDIR}/var/db/pkg/repos/FreeBSD-ports
+		rm -r ${DESTDIR}/var/db/pkg/repos/FreeBSD-ports-kmods
+	fi
 
 	# Vagrant instances use DHCP to get their network configuration.
 	echo 'ifconfig_DEFAULT="SYNCDHCP"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
@@ -40,8 +42,7 @@
 	# Create the vagrant user with a password of vagrant
 	/usr/sbin/pw -R ${DESTDIR} \
 		groupadd vagrant -g 1001
-	chroot ${DESTDIR} mkdir -p /home/vagrant
-	/usr/sbin/pw -R ${DESTDIR} \
+	/usr/sbin/pw -R ${DESTDIR} -M ${DESTDIR}/METALOG \
 		useradd vagrant \
 		-m -M 0755 -w yes -n vagrant -u 1001 -g 1001 -G 0 \
 		-c 'Vagrant User' -d '/home/vagrant' -s '/bin/csh'
@@ -58,11 +59,11 @@
 	echo "ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAABIwAAAQEA6NF8iallvQVp22WDkTkyrtvp9eWW6A8YVr+kz4TjGYe7gHzIw+niNltGEFHzD8+v1I2YJ6oXevct1YeS0o9HZyN1Q9qgCgzUFtdOKLv6IedplqoPkcmF0aYet2PkEDo3MlTBckFXPITAMzF8dJSIFo9D8HfdOV0IAdx4O7PtixWKn5y2hMNG0zQPyUecp4pzC6kivAIhyfHilFR61RGL+GPXQ2MWZWFYbAGjyiYJnAmCP3NOTd0jMZEnDkbUvxhMmBYSdETk1rRgm+R4LOzFUGaHqHDLKLX+FIPKcF96hrucXzcWyLbIbEgE98OHlnVYCzRdK8jlqm8tehUc9c9WhQ== vagrant insecure public key" > ${DESTDIR}/home/vagrant/.ssh/authorized_keys
 	echo "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIN1YdxBpNlzxDqfJyw/QKow1F+wvG9hXGoqiysfJOn5Y vagrant insecure public key" >> ${DESTDIR}/home/vagrant/.ssh/authorized_keys
 	chmod 600 ${DESTDIR}/home/vagrant/.ssh/authorized_keys
-	metalog_add_data ./home/vagrant/.ssh/authorized_keys 0600
 
 	chmod 700 ${DESTDIR}/home/vagrant/.ssh
 	chown -R 1001 ${DESTDIR}/home/vagrant/.ssh
-	echo "./home/vagrant/.ssh type=dir uid=1001 gid=1001 mode=0700" >> METALOG
+	echo "./home/vagrant/.ssh type=dir uid=1001 gid=1001 mode=0700" >> ${DESTDIR}/METALOG
+	echo "./home/vagrant/.ssh/authorized_keys type=file uid=1001 gid=1001 mode=0600" >> ${DESTDIR}/METALOG
 
 	# Reboot quickly, Don't wait at the panic screen
 	echo 'debug.trace_on_panic=1' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/sysctl.conf