diff --git a/qa/tasks/cephfs/kernel_mount.py b/qa/tasks/cephfs/kernel_mount.py
index 6b128f57247..950a1137d1b 100644
--- a/qa/tasks/cephfs/kernel_mount.py
+++ b/qa/tasks/cephfs/kernel_mount.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from StringIO import StringIO
 import json
 import logging
+import time
 from textwrap import dedent
 from teuthology.orchestra.run import CommandFailedError
 from teuthology import misc
@@ -176,21 +177,31 @@ class KernelMount(CephFSMount):
                                                 self.ipmi_user,
                                                 self.ipmi_password,
                                                 self.ipmi_domain)
-        con.power_off()
+        con.hard_reset(wait_for_login=False)
 
         self.mounted = False
 
     def kill_cleanup(self):
         assert not self.mounted
 
-        con = orchestra_remote.getRemoteConsole(self.client_remote.hostname,
-                                                self.ipmi_user,
-                                                self.ipmi_password,
-                                                self.ipmi_domain)
-        con.power_on()
+        # We need to do a sleep here because we don't know how long it will
+        # take for a hard_reset to be effected.
+        time.sleep(30)
 
-        # Wait for node to come back up after reboot
-        misc.reconnect(None, 300, [self.client_remote])
+        try:
+            # Wait for node to come back up after reboot
+            misc.reconnect(None, 300, [self.client_remote])
+        except:
+            # attempt to get some useful debug output:
+            con = orchestra_remote.getRemoteConsole(self.client_remote.hostname,
+                                                    self.ipmi_user,
+                                                    self.ipmi_password,
+                                                    self.ipmi_domain)
+            con.check_status(timeout=60)
+            raise
+
+        # Remove mount directory
+        self.client_remote.run(args=['uptime'], timeout=10)
 
         # Remove mount directory
         self.client_remote.run(
diff --git a/qa/tasks/cephfs/test_client_recovery.py b/qa/tasks/cephfs/test_client_recovery.py
index e4c3ce60691..7b305c5c3da 100644
--- a/qa/tasks/cephfs/test_client_recovery.py
+++ b/qa/tasks/cephfs/test_client_recovery.py
@@ -297,6 +297,9 @@ class TestClientRecovery(CephFSTestCase):
         # Simulate client death
         self.mount_a.kill()
 
+        # wait for it to die so it doesn't voluntarily release buffer cap
+        time.sleep(5)
+
         try:
             # The waiter should get stuck waiting for the capability
             # held on the MDS by the now-dead client A