diff --git a/awx/main/isolated/isolated_manager.py b/awx/main/isolated/isolated_manager.py
index 2449b02b49..caa2e1db01 100644
--- a/awx/main/isolated/isolated_manager.py
+++ b/awx/main/isolated/isolated_manager.py
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ class IsolatedManager(object):
         extra_vars = {
             'src': self.private_data_dir,
             'dest': os.path.split(self.private_data_dir)[0],
-            'job_id': str(self.instance.pk)
         }
         if self.proot_temp_dir:
             extra_vars['proot_temp_dir'] = self.proot_temp_dir
@@ -197,7 +196,7 @@ class IsolatedManager(object):
             return True
         return False
 
-    def check(self):
+    def check(self, interval=None):
         """
         Repeatedly poll the isolated node to determine if the job has run.
 
@@ -208,12 +207,11 @@ class IsolatedManager(object):
         For a completed job run, this function returns (status, rc),
         representing the status and return code of the isolated
         `ansible-playbook` run.
-        """
 
-        extra_vars = {
-            'src': self.private_data_dir,
-            'job_id': str(self.instance.pk)
-        }
+        :param interval: an interval (in seconds) to wait between status polls
+        """
+        interval = interval if interval is not None else settings.AWX_ISOLATED_CHECK_INTERVAL
+        extra_vars = {'src': self.private_data_dir}
         args = ['ansible-playbook', '-u', settings.AWX_ISOLATED_USERNAME, '-i',
                 '%s,' % self.host, 'check_isolated.yml', '-e',
                 json.dumps(extra_vars)]
@@ -222,7 +220,8 @@ class IsolatedManager(object):
 
         status = 'failed'
         rc = None
-        buff = None
+        buff = cStringIO.StringIO()
+        last_check = time.time()
         seek = 0
         job_timeout = remaining = self.job_timeout
         while status == 'failed':
@@ -236,7 +235,11 @@ class IsolatedManager(object):
                     status = 'failed'
                     break
 
-            time.sleep(settings.AWX_ISOLATED_CHECK_INTERVAL)
+            canceled = self.cancelled_callback() if self.cancelled_callback else False
+            if not canceled and time.time() - last_check < interval:
+                # If the job isn't cancelled, but we haven't waited `interval` seconds, wait longer
+                time.sleep(1)
+                continue
 
             buff = cStringIO.StringIO()
             logger.debug('Checking job on isolated host with `check_isolated.yml` playbook.')
@@ -257,6 +260,8 @@ class IsolatedManager(object):
                         self.stdout_handle.write(line)
                         seek += len(line)
 
+            last_check = time.time()
+
         if status == 'successful':
             status_path = self.path_to('artifacts', 'status')
             rc_path = self.path_to('artifacts', 'rc')
@@ -278,12 +283,11 @@ class IsolatedManager(object):
     def cleanup(self):
         # If the job failed for any reason, make a last-ditch effort at cleanup
         extra_vars = {
-            'private_dirs': [
-                '/tmp/ansible_tower/jobs/%s' % self.instance.pk,
+            'private_data_dir': self.private_data_dir,
+            'cleanup_dirs': [
                 self.private_data_dir,
                 self.proot_temp_dir,
             ],
-            'job_id': str(self.instance.pk),
         }
         args = ['ansible-playbook', '-u', settings.AWX_ISOLATED_USERNAME, '-i',
                 '%s,' % self.host, 'clean_isolated.yml', '-e',
diff --git a/awx/main/isolated/run.py b/awx/main/isolated/run.py
index 95bf4bc8a6..22e7554f78 100755
--- a/awx/main/isolated/run.py
+++ b/awx/main/isolated/run.py
@@ -258,9 +258,9 @@ def __run__(private_data_dir):
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='manage a daemonized, isolated ansible playbook')
     parser.add_argument('command', choices=['start', 'stop', 'is-alive'])
-    parser.add_argument('job_id')
+    parser.add_argument('private_data_dir')
     args = parser.parse_args()
-    private_data_dir = os.readlink('/tmp/ansible_tower/jobs/%s' % args.job_id)
+    private_data_dir = args.private_data_dir
     pidfile = os.path.join(private_data_dir, 'pid')
 
     if args.command == 'start':
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/unit/isolated/test_expect.py b/awx/main/tests/unit/isolated/test_expect.py
index a34d4f3881..a021b8fdc4 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/unit/isolated/test_expect.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/unit/isolated/test_expect.py
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ from Crypto import Random
 
 from awx.main.isolated import run, isolated_manager
 
+from django.conf import settings
+
 HERE, FILENAME = os.path.split(__file__)
 
 
@@ -254,7 +256,7 @@ def test_check_isolated_job(private_data_dir, rsa_key):
         run_pexpect.side_effect = _synchronize_job_artifacts
         with mock.patch.object(mgr, '_missing_artifacts') as missing_artifacts:
             missing_artifacts.return_value = False
-            status, rc = mgr.check()
+            status, rc = mgr.check(interval=0)
 
         assert status == 'failed'
         assert rc == 1
@@ -262,8 +264,8 @@ def test_check_isolated_job(private_data_dir, rsa_key):
 
         run_pexpect.assert_called_with(
             [
-                'ansible-playbook', '-u', 'root', '-i', 'isolated-host,',
-                'check_isolated.yml', '-e', '{"src": "%s", "job_id": "123"}' % private_data_dir,
+                'ansible-playbook', '-u', settings.AWX_ISOLATED_USERNAME, '-i', 'isolated-host,',
+                'check_isolated.yml', '-e', '{"src": "%s"}' % private_data_dir,
                 '-vvvvv'
             ],
             '/tower_devel/awx/playbooks', mgr.env, mock.ANY,
@@ -294,7 +296,7 @@ def test_check_isolated_job_timeout(private_data_dir, rsa_key):
             return ('failed', 1)
 
         run_pexpect.side_effect = _synchronize_job_artifacts
-        status, rc = mgr.check()
+        status, rc = mgr.check(interval=0)
 
         assert status == 'failed'
         assert rc == 1
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/unit/test_tasks.py b/awx/main/tests/unit/test_tasks.py
index d76802b308..c7abfe52cb 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/unit/test_tasks.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/unit/test_tasks.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import fcntl
 import mock
 import pytest
 import yaml
+from django.conf import settings
 
 
 from awx.main.models import (
@@ -340,7 +341,7 @@ class TestIsolatedExecution(TestJobExecution):
 
         playbook_run = self.run_pexpect.call_args_list[0][0]
         assert ' '.join(playbook_run[0]).startswith(' '.join([
-            'ansible-playbook', '-u', 'root', '-i', self.REMOTE_HOST + ',',
+            'ansible-playbook', '-u', settings.AWX_ISOLATED_USERNAME, '-i', self.REMOTE_HOST + ',',
             'run_isolated.yml', '-e',
         ]))
         extra_vars = playbook_run[0][playbook_run[0].index('-e') + 1]
@@ -348,7 +349,6 @@ class TestIsolatedExecution(TestJobExecution):
         assert extra_vars['dest'] == '/tmp'
         assert extra_vars['src'] == private_data
         assert extra_vars['proot_temp_dir'].startswith('/tmp/ansible_tower_proot_')
-        assert extra_vars['job_id'] == '1'
 
     def test_systemctl_failure(self):
         # If systemctl fails, read the contents of `artifacts/systemctl_logs`
diff --git a/awx/playbooks/check_isolated.yml b/awx/playbooks/check_isolated.yml
index 97a3f6499d..508e3ebdff 100644
--- a/awx/playbooks/check_isolated.yml
+++ b/awx/playbooks/check_isolated.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 # The following variables will be set by the runner of this playbook:
 # src: /tmp/some/path/private_data_dir/
-# job_id: <pk>
 
 - hosts: all
   gather_facts: false
@@ -16,6 +15,6 @@
         mode: pull
         recursive: yes
 
-    - shell: "tower-expect is-alive {{job_id}}"
+    - shell: "tower-expect is-alive {{src}}"
       register: is_alive
       failed_when: "is_alive.rc == 0"
diff --git a/awx/playbooks/clean_isolated.yml b/awx/playbooks/clean_isolated.yml
index 4ca68f2eb5..0ab4be6d48 100644
--- a/awx/playbooks/clean_isolated.yml
+++ b/awx/playbooks/clean_isolated.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 ---
 
 # The following variables will be set by the runner of this playbook:
-# private_dirs: ['/tmp/path/private_data_dir/', '/tmp//path/proot_temp_dir/']
-# job_id: <pk>
+# cleanup_dirs: ['/tmp/path/private_data_dir/', '/tmp//path/proot_temp_dir/']
+# private_data_dir: '/tmp/path/private_data_dir/'
 
 - hosts: all
   gather_facts: false
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@
   tasks:
 
     - name: cancel the job
-      command: "tower-expect stop {{job_id}}"
+      command: "tower-expect stop {{private_data_dir}}"
       ignore_errors: yes
 
     - name: remove build artifacts
       file: path="{{item}}" state=absent
-      with_items: "{{private_dirs}}"
+      with_items: "{{cleanup_dirs}}"
diff --git a/awx/playbooks/run_isolated.yml b/awx/playbooks/run_isolated.yml
index f06930737d..c5f20c29c1 100644
--- a/awx/playbooks/run_isolated.yml
+++ b/awx/playbooks/run_isolated.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 # src: /tmp/some/path/private_data_dir
 # dest: /tmp/some/path/
 # proot_temp_dir: /tmp/some/path
-# job_id: <pk>
 
 - hosts: all
   gather_facts: false
@@ -26,20 +25,14 @@
         src: "{{src}}"
         dest: "{{dest}}"
 
-    - name: create a directory for running jobs
-      file: path=/tmp/ansible_tower/jobs state=directory mode=0700
-
-    - name: create symlink keyed by job ID
-      file: src="{{src}}" dest="/tmp/ansible_tower/jobs/{{job_id}}" state=link
-
     - name: create a named pipe for secret environment data
-      command: "mkfifo /tmp/ansible_tower/jobs/{{job_id}}/env"
+      command: "mkfifo {{src}}/env"
 
     - name: spawn the playbook
-      command: "tower-expect start {{job_id}}"
+      command: "tower-expect start {{src}}"
 
     - name: write the secret environment data
       mkfifo:
         content: "{{secret}}"
-        path: "/tmp/ansible_tower/jobs/{{job_id}}/env"
+        path: "{{src}}/env"
       no_log: True
diff --git a/awx/settings/defaults.py b/awx/settings/defaults.py
index 1297bbcd9f..6530331863 100644
--- a/awx/settings/defaults.py
+++ b/awx/settings/defaults.py
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ AWX_ANSIBLE_CALLBACK_PLUGINS = ""
 AWX_ACTIVE_NODE_TIME = 7200
 
 # The number of seconds to sleep between status checks for jobs running on isolated nodes
-AWX_ISOLATED_CHECK_INTERVAL = 5
+AWX_ISOLATED_CHECK_INTERVAL = 30
 
 # The timeout (in seconds) for launching jobs on isolated nodes
 AWX_ISOLATED_LAUNCH_TIMEOUT = 600
diff --git a/awx/settings/development.py b/awx/settings/development.py
index dbfcfa2c9e..414bcfb48f 100644
--- a/awx/settings/development.py
+++ b/awx/settings/development.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ CALLBACK_QUEUE = "callback_tasks"
 AWX_PROOT_ENABLED = True
 
 AWX_ISOLATED_USERNAME = 'root'
+AWX_ISOLATED_CHECK_INTERVAL = 1
 
 # Disable Pendo on the UI for development/test.
 # Note: This setting may be overridden by database settings.