diff --git a/ansible/roles/bhyve/files/bhyverc.bash b/ansible/roles/bhyve/files/bhyverc.bash
index 190306a..0253d37 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/bhyve/files/bhyverc.bash
+++ b/ansible/roles/bhyve/files/bhyverc.bash
@@ -85,15 +85,18 @@ function main {
 
 function start {
     local num_vms="$#"
-
-    if [ "$num_vms" -gt 0 ]; then
-        for name in "$@"; do
-            log "Starting VM $name."
-            start_one "$name"
-        done
-    else
+    if [ "$num_vms" -eq 0 ]; then
         log "No VMs specified."
+        return 0
     fi
+
+    while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
+        local name="$1"
+        shift 1
+        log "Starting VM $name."
+        start_one "$name"
+        [ "$#" -eq 0 ] || sleep 5
+    done
 }
 
 function start_one {
@@ -115,15 +118,18 @@ export -f launch_pidfile
 
 function stop {
     local num_vms="$#"
-
-    if [ "$num_vms" -gt 0 ]; then
-        for name in "$@"; do
-            log "Stopping VM $name."
-            stop_one "$name"
-        done
-    else
+    if [ "$num_vms" -eq 0 ]; then
         log "No VMs specified."
+        return 0
     fi
+
+    while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
+        local name="$1"
+        shift 1
+        log "Stopping VM $name."
+        stop_one "$name"
+        [ "$#" -eq 0 ] || sleep 5
+    done
 }
 
 function stop_one {