diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index b1fd001..828d556 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ pipeline {
     environment {
         ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING = 'False'
         ANSIBLE_FORCE_COLOR = 'true'
+        OPNSENSE_HOST = '192.168.0.1'
     }
 
     stages {
@@ -94,30 +95,58 @@ pipeline {
             }
         }
 
-        stage('Wait for Machine to Boot') {
+        stage('Get VM IP from DHCP') {
             steps {
-                script {
-                    // Use template hostname for ping since the cloned machine still has the template's hostname
-                    def templateHost = params.PROVISION_TYPE == 'VM' ? 'ubuntu24vm' : 'ubuntu24lxc'
-                    def targetHost = "${templateHost}.lan"
-                    echo "Waiting for ${targetHost} (template hostname) to become available..."
+                withCredentials([usernamePassword(credentialsId: 'opnsense-api', usernameVariable: 'OPNSENSE_KEY', passwordVariable: 'OPNSENSE_SECRET')]) {
+                    script {
+                        def templateHost = params.PROVISION_TYPE == 'VM' ? 'ubuntu24vm' : 'ubuntu24lxc'
+                        echo "Looking up DHCP lease for hostname: ${templateHost}"
 
-                    // Wait up to 5 minutes for the machine to respond to ping
-                    timeout(time: 5, unit: 'MINUTES') {
-                        waitUntil {
-                            // Flush DNS cache before each ping attempt
-                            sh(script: "sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches 2>/dev/null || sudo resolvectl flush-caches 2>/dev/null || sudo nscd -i hosts 2>/dev/null || true", returnStatus: true)
+                        // Wait for DHCP lease to appear
+                        def vmIp = ''
+                        timeout(time: 5, unit: 'MINUTES') {
+                            waitUntil {
+                                sleep(time: 10, unit: 'SECONDS')
 
-                            def result = sh(
-                                script: "ping -c 1 ${targetHost} > /dev/null 2>&1",
-                                returnStatus: true
-                            )
-                            return result == 0
+                                // Query OPNSense DHCP leases API
+                                def response = sh(
+                                    script: """
+                                        curl -s -k -u "\${OPNSENSE_KEY}:\${OPNSENSE_SECRET}" \
+                                            "https://${OPNSENSE_HOST}/api/dhcpv4/leases/searchLease"
+                                    """,
+                                    returnStdout: true
+                                ).trim()
+
+                                // Parse JSON and find the lease with matching hostname
+                                def leases = readJSON text: response
+                                def matchingLease = leases.rows?.find { it.hostname == templateHost || it['client-hostname'] == templateHost }
+
+                                if (matchingLease) {
+                                    vmIp = matchingLease.address
+                                    echo "Found IP address: ${vmIp} for hostname: ${templateHost}"
+                                    return true
+                                }
+                                echo "DHCP lease not found yet, retrying..."
+                                return false
+                            }
                         }
-                    }
 
-                    // Additional wait for SSH to be ready
-                    sleep(time: 30, unit: 'SECONDS')
+                        // Store IP for subsequent stages
+                        env.VM_IP = vmIp
+                        echo "VM IP address: ${env.VM_IP}"
+
+                        // Wait for SSH to be ready
+                        timeout(time: 3, unit: 'MINUTES') {
+                            waitUntil {
+                                def result = sh(
+                                    script: "nc -z -w5 ${env.VM_IP} 22",
+                                    returnStatus: true
+                                )
+                                return result == 0
+                            }
+                        }
+                        sleep(time: 10, unit: 'SECONDS')
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -125,13 +154,8 @@ pipeline {
         stage('Copy Jenkins SSH Key') {
             steps {
                 script {
-                    def templateHost = params.PROVISION_TYPE == 'VM' ? 'ubuntu24vm' : 'ubuntu24lxc'
-                    def targetHost = "${templateHost}.lan"
-
-                    // Use sshpass or expect to handle the initial connection
-                    // This assumes the template has a default user that accepts the key
                     sh """
-                        sudo -u jenkins ssh-copy-id -i /var/lib/jenkins/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no jenkins@${targetHost}
+                        sudo -u jenkins ssh-copy-id -i /var/lib/jenkins/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no jenkins@${env.VM_IP}
                     """
                 }
             }
@@ -140,16 +164,14 @@ pipeline {
         stage('Set Hostname') {
             steps {
                 script {
-                    def templateHost = params.PROVISION_TYPE == 'VM' ? 'ubuntu24vm' : 'ubuntu24lxc'
-                    def currentHost = "${templateHost}.lan"
                     def newHostname = params.HOSTNAME
 
-                    // Create a temporary inventory file with the current host
+                    // Create a temporary inventory file with the VM IP
                     writeFile file: 'temp_inventory.yml', text: """---
 all:
   hosts:
     new_host:
-      ansible_host: ${currentHost}
+      ansible_host: ${env.VM_IP}
       ansible_user: jenkins
       ansible_ssh_private_key_file: /var/lib/jenkins/.ssh/id_ed25519
 """
@@ -159,20 +181,6 @@ all:
                             -i temp_inventory.yml \
                             -e "new_hostname=${newHostname}"
                     """
-
-                    // Wait for the machine to come back up with the new hostname
-                    echo "Waiting for ${newHostname}.lan to become available..."
-                    sleep(time: 30, unit: 'SECONDS')
-
-                    timeout(time: 3, unit: 'MINUTES') {
-                        waitUntil {
-                            def result = sh(
-                                script: "ping -c 1 ${newHostname}.lan > /dev/null 2>&1",
-                                returnStatus: true
-                            )
-                            return result == 0
-                        }
-                    }
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -180,14 +188,12 @@ all:
         stage('Configure Machine') {
             steps {
                 script {
-                    def targetHost = "${params.HOSTNAME}.lan"
-
-                    // Create a temporary inventory file with the new host
+                    // Create a temporary inventory file - still use IP since DNS may not have updated
                     writeFile file: 'temp_inventory.yml', text: """---
 all:
   hosts:
     new_host:
-      ansible_host: ${targetHost}
+      ansible_host: ${env.VM_IP}
       ansible_user: jenkins
       ansible_ssh_private_key_file: /var/lib/jenkins/.ssh/id_ed25519
 """
@@ -210,7 +216,7 @@ all:
         }
         success {
             echo "Successfully provisioned ${params.PROVISION_TYPE} '${params.HOSTNAME}' on ${params.TARGET_NODE}"
-            echo "Machine is accessible at ${params.HOSTNAME}.lan"
+            echo "Machine is accessible at ${params.HOSTNAME}.lan (IP: ${env.VM_IP})"
         }
         failure {
             echo "Failed to provision ${params.PROVISION_TYPE} '${params.HOSTNAME}'"