diff --git a/spec/beaker/command_spec.rb b/spec/beaker/command_spec.rb
index d62bcd2d0..bb723cb17 100644
--- a/spec/beaker/command_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/beaker/command_spec.rb
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ module Beaker
       allow(h).to receive(:append_commands).and_return('')
       h
     end
-    let(:platform)    { @platform   || 'unix' }
+    let(:platform)    { @platform   || 'el-9-64' }
     let(:expression)  { @expression || 's/b/s/' }
     let(:filename)    { @filename   || '/fakefile' }
     let(:options)     { @options    || {} }
diff --git a/spec/beaker/host/windows/file_spec.rb b/spec/beaker/host/windows/file_spec.rb
index fca1c7dcc..f3c3135b1 100644
--- a/spec/beaker/host/windows/file_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/beaker/host/windows/file_spec.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ module Beaker
     let(:group) { 'somegroup' }
     let(:path) { 'C:\Foo\Bar' }
     let(:newpath) { '/Foo/Bar' }
-    let(:host)    { make_host('name', { :platform => 'windows' }) }
+    let(:host)    { make_host('name', { :platform => 'windows-11-64' }) }
 
     describe '#chown' do
       it 'calls cygpath first' do
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ module Beaker
       end
 
       it 'replaces backslashes with forward slashes when using BitVise and powershell' do
-        host = make_host('name', platform: 'windows', is_cygwin: false)
+        host = make_host('name', platform: 'windows-11-64', is_cygwin: false)
         allow(host).to receive(:determine_ssh_server).and_return(:bitvise)
         expect(host.scp_path(path)).to eq('C:/Windows')
       end
diff --git a/spec/beaker/host_prebuilt_steps_spec.rb b/spec/beaker/host_prebuilt_steps_spec.rb
index 0abbd1c29..428a8876c 100644
--- a/spec/beaker/host_prebuilt_steps_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/beaker/host_prebuilt_steps_spec.rb
@@ -7,12 +7,11 @@
   let(:ntpserver)      { Beaker::HostPrebuiltSteps::NTPSERVER }
   let(:sync_cmd)       { Beaker::HostPrebuiltSteps::ROOT_KEYS_SYNC_CMD }
   let(:windows_pkgs)   { Beaker::HostPrebuiltSteps::WINDOWS_PACKAGES }
-  let(:unix_only_pkgs) { Beaker::HostPrebuiltSteps::UNIX_PACKAGES }
   let(:sles_only_pkgs) { Beaker::HostPrebuiltSteps::SLES_PACKAGES }
   let(:rhel8_packages) { Beaker::HostPrebuiltSteps::RHEL8_PACKAGES }
   let(:fedora_packages) { Beaker::HostPrebuiltSteps::FEDORA_PACKAGES }
   let(:amazon2023_packages) { Beaker::HostPrebuiltSteps::AMAZON2023_PACKAGES }
-  let(:platform)       { @platform || 'unix' }
+  let(:platform)       { @platform || 'el-9-64' }
   let(:ip)             { "ip.address.0.0" }
   let(:stdout) { @stdout || ip }
   let(:hosts) do
@@ -41,79 +40,75 @@
   end
 
   # Non-cygwin Windows
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'pswindows', [], false
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'windows-11-64', [], false
 
-  # Non-cygwin Windows
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'windows', [
+  # cygwin Windows
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'windows-11-64', [
     "sed -ri 's/^#?PermitRootLogin /PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/sshd_config",
   ], true
 
   # FreeBSD
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'freesbd', [
-    "sudo su -c \"sed -ri 's/^#?PermitRootLogin no|^#?PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config\"",
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'freebsd-14-64', [
+    "sudo sed -i -e 's/#PermitRootLogin no/PermitRootLogin yes/g' /etc/ssh/sshd_config",
+    "sudo /etc/rc.d/sshd restart",
   ], true
 
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'osx-10.10', [
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'osx-10.10-64', [
     "sudo sed -i '' 's/#PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin Yes/g' /etc/sshd_config",
     "sudo sed -i '' 's/#PermitRootLogin no/PermitRootLogin Yes/g' /etc/sshd_config",
   ]
 
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'osx-10.11', [
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'osx-10.11-64', [
     "sudo sed -i '' 's/#PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin Yes/g' /private/etc/ssh/sshd_config",
     "sudo sed -i '' 's/#PermitRootLogin no/PermitRootLogin Yes/g' /private/etc/ssh/sshd_config",
   ]
 
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'osx-10.12', [
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'osx-10.12-64', [
     "sudo sed -i '' 's/#PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin Yes/g' /private/etc/ssh/sshd_config",
     "sudo sed -i '' 's/#PermitRootLogin no/PermitRootLogin Yes/g' /private/etc/ssh/sshd_config",
   ]
 
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'osx-10.13', [
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'osx-10.13-64', [
     "sudo sed -i '' 's/#PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin Yes/g' /private/etc/ssh/sshd_config",
     "sudo sed -i '' 's/#PermitRootLogin no/PermitRootLogin Yes/g' /private/etc/ssh/sshd_config",
   ]
 
   # Solaris
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'solaris-10', [
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'solaris-10-64', [
     "sudo -E svcadm restart network/ssh",
     "sudo gsed -i -e 's/#PermitRootLogin no/PermitRootLogin yes/g' /etc/ssh/sshd_config",
   ], true
 
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'solaris-11', [
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'solaris-11-64', [
     "sudo -E svcadm restart network/ssh",
     "sudo gsed -i -e 's/PermitRootLogin no/PermitRootLogin yes/g' /etc/ssh/sshd_config",
     "if grep \"root::::type=role\" /etc/user_attr; then sudo rolemod -K type=normal root; else echo \"root user already type=normal\"; fi",
   ], true
 
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'amazon-2023', [
-    "sudo -E systemctl restart sshd.service",
+  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'amazon-2023-64', [
     "sudo su -c \"sed -ri 's/^#?PermitRootLogin no|^#?PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config\"",
+    "sudo -E systemctl restart sshd.service",
   ]
 
-  %w[debian ubuntu].each do |deb_like|
+  %w[debian-12-64 ubuntu-2204-64].each do |deb_like|
     it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', deb_like, [
       "sudo su -c \"sed -ri 's/^#?PermitRootLogin no|^#?PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config\"",
       "sudo su -c \"service ssh restart\"",
     ]
   end
 
-  ['centos', 'el-', 'redhat'].each do |redhat_like|
+  ['centos-9-64', 'el-9-64', 'redhat-9-64', 'fedora-39-64'].each do |redhat_like|
     it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', redhat_like, [
       "sudo su -c \"sed -ri 's/^#?PermitRootLogin no|^#?PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config\"",
-      "sudo -E /sbin/service sshd reload",
+      "sudo -E systemctl restart sshd.service",
     ]
   end
 
-  it_behaves_like 'enables_root_login', 'fedora', [
-    "sudo su -c \"sed -ri 's/^#?PermitRootLogin no|^#?PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config\"",
-    "sudo -E systemctl restart sshd.service",
-  ]
-
   context 'timesync' do
     subject { dummy_class.new }
 
-    it "can sync time on unix hosts" do
-      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'unix' })
+    it "can sync time on el-7 hosts" do
+      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'el-7-64' })
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("ntpdate -u -t 20 #{ntpserver}").exactly(3).times
 
@@ -121,7 +116,7 @@
     end
 
     it "can retry on failure on unix hosts" do
-      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'unix', :exit_code => [1, 0] })
+      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'el-7-64', :exit_code => [1, 0] })
       allow(subject).to receive(:sleep).and_return(true)
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("ntpdate -u -t 20 #{ntpserver}").exactly(6).times
@@ -130,7 +125,7 @@
     end
 
     it "eventually gives up and raises an error when unix hosts can't be synched" do
-      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'unix', :exit_code => 1 })
+      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'el-7-64', :exit_code => 1 })
       allow(subject).to receive(:sleep).and_return(true)
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("ntpdate -u -t 20 #{ntpserver}").exactly(5).times
@@ -139,7 +134,7 @@
     end
 
     it "can sync time on windows hosts" do
-      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'windows' })
+      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'windows-11-64' })
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("w32tm /register").exactly(3).times
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("net start w32time").exactly(3).times
@@ -184,8 +179,8 @@
       subject.timesync(hosts, options)
     end
 
-    it "can set time server on unix hosts" do
-      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'unix' })
+    it "can set time server on el-7 hosts" do
+      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'el-7-64' })
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("ntpdate -u -t 20 #{ntpserver_set}").exactly(3).times
 
@@ -193,7 +188,7 @@
     end
 
     it "can set time server on windows hosts" do
-      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'windows' })
+      hosts = make_hosts({ :platform => 'windows-11-64' })
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("w32tm /register").exactly(3).times
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("net start w32time").exactly(3).times
@@ -225,7 +220,7 @@
     subject { dummy_class.new }
 
     it "can perform apt-get on ubuntu hosts" do
-      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'ubuntu' })
+      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'ubuntu-2204-64' })
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("apt-get update -qq").once
 
@@ -233,7 +228,7 @@
     end
 
     it "can perform apt-get on debian hosts" do
-      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'debian' })
+      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'debian-12-64' })
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("apt-get update -qq").once
 
@@ -241,7 +236,7 @@
     end
 
     it "does nothing on non debian/ubuntu hosts" do
-      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'windows' })
+      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'windows-11-64' })
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).not_to receive(:new)
 
@@ -256,7 +251,7 @@
       content = "this is the content"
       tempfilepath = "/path/to/tempfile"
       filepath = "/path/to/file"
-      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'windows' })
+      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'windows-11-64' })
       tempfile = double('tempfile')
       allow(tempfile).to receive(:path).and_return(tempfilepath)
       allow(Tempfile).to receive(:open).and_yield(tempfile)
@@ -274,7 +269,7 @@
     subject { dummy_class.new }
 
     it "can sync keys on a solaris host" do
-      @platform = 'solaris'
+      @platform = 'solaris-11-64'
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with(sync_cmd % "bash").exactly(3).times
 
@@ -291,9 +286,9 @@
   context "validate_host" do
     subject { dummy_class.new }
 
-    it "can validate unix hosts" do
+    it "can validate el-9 hosts" do
       hosts.each do |host|
-        unix_only_pkgs.each do |pkg|
+        rhel8_packages.each do |pkg|
           expect(host).to receive(:check_for_package).with(pkg).once.and_return(false)
           expect(host).to receive(:install_package).with(pkg).once
         end
@@ -303,7 +298,7 @@
     end
 
     it "can validate windows hosts" do
-      @platform = 'windows'
+      @platform = 'windows-11-64'
 
       hosts.each do |host|
         windows_pkgs.each do |pkg|
@@ -395,7 +390,7 @@
     context "on windows" do
       let(:host) do
         make_host('name', {
-                    :platform => 'windows',
+                    :platform => 'windows-11-64',
                     :is_cygwin => cygwin,
                     :stdout => "domain labs.lan d.labs.net dc1.labs.net labs.com\nnameserver 10.16.22.10\nnameserver 10.16.22.11",
                   })
@@ -422,7 +417,7 @@
       end
     end
 
-    %w[amazon centos redhat].each do |platform|
+    %w[amazon-2023-64 centos-9-64 redhat-9-64].each do |platform|
       context "on platform '#{platform}'" do
         let(:host) do
           make_host('name', {
@@ -480,7 +475,7 @@
     subject { dummy_class.new }
 
     it "can copy ssh to root in windows hosts with no cygwin" do
-      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'windows', :is_cygwin => false })
+      host = make_host('testhost', { :platform => 'windows-11-64', :is_cygwin => false })
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("if exist .ssh (xcopy .ssh C:\\Users\\Administrator\\.ssh /s /e /y /i)").once
 
       subject.copy_ssh_to_root(host, options)
@@ -493,7 +488,7 @@
     proxyurl = "http://192.168.2.100:3128"
 
     it "can set proxy config on a debian/ubuntu host" do
-      host = make_host('name', { :platform => 'debian' })
+      host = make_host('name', { :platform => 'debian-12-64' })
 
       expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with("echo 'Acquire::http::Proxy \"#{proxyurl}/\";' >> /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/10proxy").once
       expect(host).to receive(:exec).once
@@ -501,7 +496,7 @@
       subject.package_proxy(host, options.merge({ 'package_proxy' => proxyurl }))
     end
 
-    %w[amazon centos redhat].each do |platform|
+    %w[amazon-2023-64 el-9-64].each do |platform|
       it "can set proxy config on a '#{platform}' host" do
         host = make_host('name', { :platform => platform })
 
@@ -517,43 +512,43 @@
     subject { dummy_class.new }
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on an OS X 10.10 host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('osx-10.10')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('osx-10.10-64')
     end
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on an OS X 10.11 host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('osx-10.11')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('osx-10.11-64')
     end
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on an OS X 10.12 host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('osx-10.12')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('osx-10.12-64')
     end
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on an OS X 10.13 host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('osx-10.13')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('osx-10.13-64')
     end
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on an ssh-based linux host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('ubuntu')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('ubuntu-2204-64')
     end
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on an sles host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('sles')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('sles-15-64')
     end
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on a solaris host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('solaris')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('solaris-11-64')
     end
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on an aix host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('aix')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('aix-7.2-power')
     end
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on a FreeBSD host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('freebsd')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('freebsd-14-64')
     end
 
     it "sets user ssh environment on a windows host" do
-      test_host_ssh_calls('windows')
+      test_host_ssh_calls('windows-11-64')
     end
 
     def test_host_ssh_calls(platform_name)
diff --git a/spec/beaker/host_spec.rb b/spec/beaker/host_spec.rb
index 0a4af7e34..fbfa6c102 100644
--- a/spec/beaker/host_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/beaker/host_spec.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ module Beaker
     let(:host)    { make_host('name', options.merge(platform)) }
 
     it 'creates a windows host given a windows config' do
-      @platform = 'windows'
+      @platform = 'windows-11-64'
       expect(host).to be_a Windows::Host
     end
 
@@ -109,16 +109,16 @@ module Beaker
         result.exit_code = 0
         expect(Beaker::Command).to receive(:new).with(/grep \^key= ~\/\.ssh\/environment/)
         expect(host).to receive(:exec).and_return(result)
-        expect(Beaker::SedCommand).to receive(:new).with('unix', 's/^key=/key=\\/my\\/first\\/value:/', '~/.ssh/environment')
+        expect(Beaker::SedCommand).to receive(:new).with('el-9-64', 's/^key=/key=\\/my\\/first\\/value:/', '~/.ssh/environment')
         host.add_env_var('key', '/my/first/value')
       end
     end
 
     describe "#delete_env_var" do
       it "deletes env var" do
-        expect(Beaker::SedCommand).to receive(:new).with('unix', '/key=\\/my\\/first\\/value$/d', '~/.ssh/environment')
-        expect(Beaker::SedCommand).to receive(:new).with("unix", "s/key=\\(.*\\)[;:]\\/my\\/first\\/value/key=\\1/", "~/.ssh/environment")
-        expect(Beaker::SedCommand).to receive(:new).with("unix", "s/key=\\/my\\/first\\/value[;:]/key=/", "~/.ssh/environment")
+        expect(Beaker::SedCommand).to receive(:new).with('el-9-64', '/key=\\/my\\/first\\/value$/d', '~/.ssh/environment')
+        expect(Beaker::SedCommand).to receive(:new).with("el-9-64", "s/key=\\(.*\\)[;:]\\/my\\/first\\/value/key=\\1/", "~/.ssh/environment")
+        expect(Beaker::SedCommand).to receive(:new).with("el-9-64", "s/key=\\/my\\/first\\/value[;:]/key=/", "~/.ssh/environment")
         host.delete_env_var('key', '/my/first/value')
       end
     end
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ module Beaker
     describe "#mkdir_p" do
       it "does the right thing on a bash host, identified as is_cygwin=true" do
         @options = { :is_cygwin => true }
-        @platform = 'windows'
+        @platform = 'windows-11-64'
         result = double
         allow(result).to receive(:exit_code).and_return(0)
         allow(host).to receive(:exec).and_return(result)
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ module Beaker
 
       it "does the right thing on a bash host, identified as is_cygwin=nil" do
         @options = { :is_cygwin => nil }
-        @platform = 'windows'
+        @platform = 'windows-11-64'
         result = double
         allow(result).to receive(:exit_code).and_return(0)
         allow(host).to receive(:exec).and_return(result)
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ module Beaker
 
       it "does the right thing on a non-bash host, identified as is_cygwin=false (powershell)" do
         @options = { :is_cygwin => false }
-        @platform = 'windows'
+        @platform = 'windows-11-64'
         result = double
         allow(result).to receive(:exit_code).and_return(0)
         allow(host).to receive(:exec).and_return(result)
@@ -290,19 +290,17 @@ module Beaker
 
     describe "#touch" do
       it "generates the right absolute command for a windows host" do
-        @platform = 'windows'
+        @platform = 'windows-11-64'
         expect(host.touch('touched_file')).to eq "c:\\\\windows\\\\system32\\\\cmd.exe /c echo. 2> touched_file"
       end
 
-      %w[centos redhat].each do |platform|
-        it "generates the right absolute command for a #{platform} host" do
-          @platform = platform
-          expect(host.touch('touched_file')).to eq "/bin/touch touched_file"
-        end
+      it "generates the right absolute command for an el-9-64 host" do
+        @platform = 'el-9-64'
+        expect(host.touch('touched_file')).to eq "/bin/touch touched_file"
       end
 
-      it "generates the right absolute command for an osx host" do
-        @platform = 'osx'
+      it "generates the right absolute command for an osx-12-64 host" do
+        @platform = 'osx-12-64'
         expect(host.touch('touched_file')).to eq "/usr/bin/touch touched_file"
       end
     end
@@ -762,12 +760,12 @@ module Beaker
 
     describe "#fips_mode?" do
       it 'returns false on non-linux hosts' do
-        @platform = 'windows'
+        @platform = 'windows-11-64'
         expect(host).to receive(:file_exist?).with('/proc/sys/crypto/fips_enabled').and_return(false)
         expect(host.fips_mode?).to be false
       end
 
-      platforms = %w[el-7 el-8 centos]
+      platforms = %w[el-7-64 el-8-64 centos-9-64]
 
       platforms.each do |platform|
         context "on #{platform}" do
diff --git a/spec/beaker/hypervisor/hypervisor_spec.rb b/spec/beaker/hypervisor/hypervisor_spec.rb
index 0de108537..bc0e31eff 100644
--- a/spec/beaker/hypervisor/hypervisor_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/beaker/hypervisor/hypervisor_spec.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 module Beaker
   describe Hypervisor do
-    let(:hosts) { make_hosts({ :platform => 'el-5' }) }
+    let(:hosts) { make_hosts({ :platform => 'el-9-64' }) }
 
     describe "#create" do
       let(:hypervisor) { described_class }
diff --git a/spec/beaker/perf_spec.rb b/spec/beaker/perf_spec.rb
index 1d8bb1d02..7ff2b7515 100644
--- a/spec/beaker/perf_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/beaker/perf_spec.rb
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ module Beaker
       it "Does the Right Thing on non-Linux hosts" do
         hosts = [
           make_host("myHost", @options.merge('platform' => 'windows-11-64')),
-          make_host("myOtherHost", @options),
+          make_host("myOtherHost", @options.merge('platform' => 'solaris-11-64')),
         ]
         @my_logger.remove_destination(STDOUT)
         perf = described_class.new(hosts, @options)
diff --git a/spec/beaker/shared/host_manager_spec.rb b/spec/beaker/shared/host_manager_spec.rb
index dede8f86c..705e852ff 100644
--- a/spec/beaker/shared/host_manager_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/beaker/shared/host_manager_spec.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ module Shared
       let(:logger)         { double('logger') }
       let(:host_handler)   { described_class }
       let(:spec_block)     { Proc.new { |arr| arr } }
-      let(:platform)       { @platform || 'unix' }
+      let(:platform)       { @platform || 'el-9-64' }
       let(:role0)          { "role0" }
       let(:role1)          { :role1 }
       let(:role2)          { :role2 }
diff --git a/spec/helpers.rb b/spec/helpers.rb
index af4b33cdc..e36a81f6a 100644
--- a/spec/helpers.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def fog_file_contents
 end
 
 module HostHelpers
-  HOST_DEFAULTS = { :platform => 'unix',
+  HOST_DEFAULTS = { :platform => 'el-9-64',
                     :roles => ['agent'],
                     :snapshot => 'snap',
                     :ip => 'default.ip.address',
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ def make_host_opts name, opts
   def make_host name, host_hash
     host_hash = Beaker::Options::OptionsHash.new.merge(HOST_DEFAULTS.merge(host_hash))
 
+    host_hash['platform'] = Beaker::Platform.new(host_hash['platform']) unless host_hash['platform'].is_a?(Beaker::Platform)
+
     host = Beaker::Host.create(name, host_hash, make_opts)
 
     allow(host).to receive(:exec).and_return(generate_result(name, host_hash))