diff --git a/release/tools/openstack.conf b/release/tools/openstack.conf
index 5d188bba1e89..df5b378d8828 100644
--- a/release/tools/openstack.conf
+++ b/release/tools/openstack.conf
@@ -11,8 +11,25 @@ export VM_EXTRA_PACKAGES="net/cloud-init devel/py-pbr devel/py-iso8601 \
 # Set to a list of third-party software to enable in rc.conf(5).
 export VM_RC_LIST="cloudinit"
 
+export NOSWAP=YES
+
 vm_extra_pre_umount() {
+	#Enable sshd by default
 	echo 'sshd_enable="YES"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+
+	# Disable DNS lookups by default to make SSH connect quickly
+	echo 'UseDNS no' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/ssh/sshd_config
+
+	# Allow root to ssh using keys
+	echo 'PermitRootLogin without-password' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/ssh/sshd_config
+
+	# Disable sendmail
+	echo 'sendmail_enable="NO"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+	echo 'sendmail_submit_enable="NO"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+	echo 'sendmail_outbound_enable="NO"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+	echo 'sendmail_msp_queue_enable="NO"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
+
+	# Enable DHCP for the OpenStack instance
 	echo 'ifconfig_DEFAULT="SYNCDHCP"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
 
 	# Openstack wants sudo(8) usable by default without a password.
@@ -21,5 +38,15 @@ vm_extra_pre_umount() {
 
 	rm -f ${DESTDIR}/etc/resolv.conf
 
+	# The console is not interactive, so we might as well boot quickly.
+	echo 'autoboot_delay="-1"' >> ${DESTDIR}/boot/loader.conf
+	echo 'beastie_disable="YES"' >> ${DESTDIR}/boot/loader.conf
+
+	# Reboot quickly, Don't wait at the panic screen
+	echo 'debug.trace_on_panic=1' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/sysctl.conf
+	echo 'debug.debugger_on_panic=0' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/sysctl.conf
+	echo 'kern.panic_reboot_wait_time=0' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/sysctl.conf
+
+	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
 	return 0
 }