diff --git a/fabfile/tasks/esxi_prov.py b/fabfile/tasks/esxi_prov.py
index 486ea6f9f..f937c6735 100755
--- a/fabfile/tasks/esxi_prov.py
+++ b/fabfile/tasks/esxi_prov.py
@@ -318,6 +318,26 @@ def _install_contrailvm_pkg(self, ip, user, passwd, domain, server ,
         sftp.put(pkg, "/tmp/contrail_pkg")
         sftp.close()
 
+        #Set up ntp  
+        ntp_cmd = ('ntpdate "%s"') %(self.ntp_server)
+        out, err = execute_cmd_out(ssh_session, ntp_cmd)
+        ntp_cmd = ('mv /etc/ntp.conf /etc/ntp.conf.orig')
+        out, err = execute_cmd_out(ssh_session, ntp_cmd)
+        ntp_cmd = ('touch /var/lib/ntp/drift')
+        out, err = execute_cmd_out(ssh_session, ntp_cmd)
+        ntp_cmd = ('echo "driftfile /var/lib/ntp/drift" >> /etc/ntp.conf')
+        out, err = execute_cmd_out(ssh_session, ntp_cmd)
+        ntp_cmd = ('echo "server %s" >> /etc/ntp.conf') % (self.ntp_server)
+        out, err = execute_cmd_out(ssh_session, ntp_cmd)
+        ntp_cmd = ('echo "restrict 127.0.0.1" >> /etc/ntp.conf')
+        out, err = execute_cmd_out(ssh_session, ntp_cmd)
+        ntp_cmd = ('echo "restrict -6 ::1" >> /etc/ntp.conf')
+        out, err = execute_cmd_out(ssh_session, ntp_cmd)
+        ntp_cmd = ('service ntp restart')
+        out, err = execute_cmd_out(ssh_session, ntp_cmd)
+
+        # end ntp setup
+
         install_cmd = ("/usr/bin/dpkg -i %s") % ("/tmp/contrail_pkg")
         out, err = execute_cmd_out(ssh_session, install_cmd)
         setup_cmd = "/opt/contrail/contrail_packages/setup.sh"
diff --git a/fabfile/tasks/vmware.py b/fabfile/tasks/vmware.py
index 5b29967bf..251d51075 100644
--- a/fabfile/tasks/vmware.py
+++ b/fabfile/tasks/vmware.py
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ def provision_esxi(deb, compute_vm_info):
             vm_params['domain'] =  _get_var(compute_vm_info['domain'])
             vm_params['vm_password'] = _get_var(compute_vm_info['password'])
             vm_params['vm_server'] = _get_var(compute_vm_info['esx_vm_name'])
+            vm_params['ntp_server'] = _get_var(compute_vm_info['esx_ntp_server'])
             if deb is not None:
                 vm_params['vm_deb'] = deb
             else:
diff --git a/fabfile/testbeds/testbed_multibox_example.py b/fabfile/testbeds/testbed_multibox_example.py
index fefbb9dcf..849f6d784 100644
--- a/fabfile/testbeds/testbed_multibox_example.py
+++ b/fabfile/testbeds/testbed_multibox_example.py
@@ -346,6 +346,7 @@
 # contrailvm_ip the contrailvm ip to be associated with the virtual mac
 # esx_vm_name: the contrailvm name which is brought up on esxi
 # esx_data_store: the datastore on esxi where the vmdk is copied to
+# esx_ntp_server: the ntp server ip address to be used by the contrail vm
 #example: 'esx_datastore' : "/vmfs/volumes/b3s40-ds1",
 # esx_vmdk: the absolute path of the contrail-vmdk used to spawn vm
 #OR
@@ -369,6 +370,7 @@
              'contrailvm_ip': "1.1.1.2",
              'esx_vm_name' : "ContrailVM-sumne1",
              'esx_datastore' : "/vmfs/volumes/b3s40-ds1",
+             'esx_ntp_server' : "2.2.2.3",
              'vmdk_download_path' : "http://127.0.0.1/vmware/vmdk/ContrailVM-disk1.vmdk",
              'password' : 'c0ntrail123',
              'domain' : 'englab.juniper.net',