sample_vnf_deploy_helper = SampleVNFDeployHelper(vnfd_helper, ssh_helper)
 
         self.assertIsNone(sample_vnf_deploy_helper.deploy_vnfs('name1'))
-        self.assertEqual(ssh_helper.execute.call_count, 0)
-        self.assertEqual(ssh_helper.put.call_count, 0)
+        sample_vnf_deploy_helper.DISABLE_DEPLOY = True
+        self.assertEqual(ssh_helper.execute.call_count, 5)
+        self.assertEqual(ssh_helper.put.call_count, 1)
 
     @mock.patch('yardstick.network_services.vnf_generic.vnf.sample_vnf.time')
     @mock.patch('subprocess.check_output')
 
         udp_replay_approx_vnf.WAIT_TIME = 0
         udp_replay_approx_vnf.setup_helper.setup_vnf_environment = mock.Mock()
 
+        udp_replay_approx_vnf.deploy_helper = mock.MagicMock()
+        udp_replay_approx_vnf.deploy_vnfs = mock.MagicMock()
         self.assertIsNone(udp_replay_approx_vnf.instantiate(self.SCENARIO_CFG, self.CONTEXT_CFG))
 
         udp_replay_approx_vnf._vnf_process.is_alive = mock.Mock(return_value=1)
         udp_replay_approx_vnf.q_out.put("some text PANIC some text")
         udp_replay_approx_vnf.setup_helper.setup_vnf_environment = mock.Mock()
 
+        udp_replay_approx_vnf.deploy_helper = mock.MagicMock()
         self.assertIsNone(udp_replay_approx_vnf.instantiate(self.SCENARIO_CFG, self.CONTEXT_CFG))
         with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
             udp_replay_approx_vnf.wait_for_instantiate()
 
         self.ssh_helper = ssh_helper
         self.vnfd_helper = vnfd_helper
 
-    DISABLE_DEPLOY = True
-
     def deploy_vnfs(self, app_name):
-        # temp disable for now
-        if self.DISABLE_DEPLOY:
-            return
-
         vnf_bin = self.ssh_helper.join_bin_path(app_name)
         exit_status = self.ssh_helper.execute("which %s" % vnf_bin)[0]
         if not exit_status:
         self.nfvi_context = Context.get_context_from_server(self.scenario_helper.nodes[self.name])
         # self.nfvi_context = None
 
-        self.deploy_helper.deploy_vnfs(self.APP_NAME)
+        # vnf deploy is unsupported, use ansible playbooks
+        if self.scenario_helper.options.get("vnf_deploy", False):
+            self.deploy_helper.deploy_vnfs(self.APP_NAME)
         self.resource_helper.setup()
         self._start_vnf()