diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ab6832d54..24aafb2e4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ scripts/scratch*
 test/integration/yaml_suite/log
 .aws-config.json
 .idea
-.esvm
+esvm
 .es-snapshot-repos
 
 ## generated files
diff --git a/.npmignore b/.npmignore
index 413d154c1..19062e42f 100644
--- a/.npmignore
+++ b/.npmignore
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ scripts/scratch*
 test/integration/yaml_suite/log
 .aws-config.json
 .idea
-.esvm
+esvm
 
 ## generated files
 test/integration/yaml_suite/yaml_tests*.json
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index ec60019e1..a902e4247 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@ language: node_js
 node_js:
   - "node"
   - "iojs"
+cache:
+  directories:
+  - src/_elasticsearch_/
+  - esvm
+  - node_modules
+before_cache:
+  - rm -rf esvm/*/logs esvm/data_dir
 sudo: false
 secure: "UFAGQ6m/VnEahbj9vttY9YoA5h5rEBE6K7AvEEbWnt+VKppV+w3hu3HZxgKr8C9PWhCzqlGvsLh+kCqykZhISU1fBCK/Ttp3nSpMvvF5tI2u51Rj1qZ/7NUGRU0qVI9KFt0rJeXMJwq3fivb1H6aojfPD1gsIte7NHNjUfd0iUg="
 env:
diff --git a/grunt/config/esvm.js b/grunt/config/esvm.js
index 449a8ddb3..a2cc64424 100644
--- a/grunt/config/esvm.js
+++ b/grunt/config/esvm.js
@@ -10,10 +10,11 @@ var Version = require('../../scripts/Version');
 var versionedOpts = [
   {
     version: '*',
-    directory: fromRoot('.esvm'),
+    directory: fromRoot('esvm'),
     nodes: 1,
     quiet: false,
     config: {
+      'path.data': fromRoot('esvm/data_dir'),
       'node.name': 'elasticsearch_js_test_runner',
       'cluster.name': 'elasticsearch_js_test_runners',
       'http.port': port,