diff --git a/tests/integration/helpers/common.bash b/tests/integration/helpers/common.bash
index 64e49acc..d528fc0c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/helpers/common.bash
+++ b/tests/integration/helpers/common.bash
@@ -20,4 +20,20 @@ _common_setup() {
   export TEST_RECIPE="abra-test-recipe"
 
   _ensure_swarm
+  _ensure_ssh_agent
+}
+
+
+_ensure_ssh_agent() {
+  if ! command -v ssh-agent >/dev/null 2>&1
+  then
+    echo "ssh-agent is missing, please install it"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  export SSH_AUTH_SOCK="$HOME/.ssh/ssh_auth_sock"
+  if [ ! -S ~/.ssh/ssh_auth_sock ]; then
+    eval `ssh-agent`
+    ln -sf "$SSH_AUTH_SOCK" ~/.ssh/ssh_auth_sock
+  fi
 }