diff --git a/ruby/spec/spec_helper.rb b/ruby/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 9a43ca42f..77cdf2ddd 100644
--- a/ruby/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/ruby/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ Spork.prefork do
       DatabaseCleaner.clean
     end
 
+    config.after(:suite) do
+      wipe_s3_test_bucket
+    end
+
     # If you're not using ActiveRecord, or you'd prefer not to run each of your
     # examples within a transaction, remove the following line or assign false
     # instead of true.
diff --git a/ruby/spec/support/utilities.rb b/ruby/spec/support/utilities.rb
index 822d07c51..9a22c1b8d 100644
--- a/ruby/spec/support/utilities.rb
+++ b/ruby/spec/support/utilities.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
+JAMKAZAM_TESTING_BUCKET = 'jamkazam-testing' # cuz i'm not comfortable using aws_bucket accessor directly
 
 def app_config
   klass = Class.new do
     def aws_bucket
-       'jamkazam-testing'
+       JAMKAZAM_TESTING_BUCKET
     end
 
     def aws_access_key_id
@@ -15,4 +16,16 @@ def app_config
   end
 
   return klass.new
+end
+
+def wipe_s3_test_bucket
+  test_config = app_config
+  s3 = AWS::S3.new(:access_key_id => test_config.aws_access_key_id,
+                   :secret_access_key => test_config.aws_secret_access_key)
+  test_bucket = s3.buckets[JAMKAZAM_TESTING_BUCKET]
+
+  if test_bucket.name == JAMKAZAM_TESTING_BUCKET
+    puts "Ruby - Pretending to delete all contents of #{test_bucket.name}"
+    #test_bucket.delete_all
+  end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/spec/spec_helper.rb b/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 968e32400..aa70cebc0 100644
--- a/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -99,10 +99,11 @@ Spork.prefork do
     config.include Snapshot
 
     config.before(:suite) do
+      set_up_snapshot
     end
 
     config.before(:all) do
-      set_up_snapshot
+
     end
 
     config.before(:each) do
@@ -120,10 +121,6 @@ Spork.prefork do
     config.before(:each, :js => true) do
     end
 
-    config.before(:each) do
-
-    end
-
     config.append_after(:each) do
 
       Capybara.reset_sessions!
@@ -144,7 +141,12 @@ Spork.prefork do
     end
 
     config.after(:all) do
+
+    end
+
+    config.after(:suite) do
       tear_down_snapshot
+      wipe_s3_test_bucket
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/web/spec/support/utilities.rb b/web/spec/support/utilities.rb
index c8a076009..f755a6e48 100644
--- a/web/spec/support/utilities.rb
+++ b/web/spec/support/utilities.rb
@@ -29,6 +29,39 @@ def cookie_jar
   Capybara.current_session.driver.browser.current_session.instance_variable_get(:@rack_mock_session).cookie_jar
 end
 
+#these S3 functions copied from ruby/spec/support/utilities.rb
+JAMKAZAM_TESTING_BUCKET = 'jamkazam-testing' # cuz i'm not comfortable using aws_bucket accessor directly
+
+def app_config
+  klass = Class.new do
+    def aws_bucket
+      JAMKAZAM_TESTING_BUCKET
+    end
+
+    def aws_access_key_id
+      'AKIAJESQY24TOT542UHQ'
+    end
+
+    def aws_secret_access_key
+      'h0V0ffr3JOp/UtgaGrRfAk25KHNiO9gm8Pj9m6v3'
+    end
+  end
+
+  return klass.new
+end
+
+def wipe_s3_test_bucket
+  test_config = app_config
+  s3 = AWS::S3.new(:access_key_id => test_config.aws_access_key_id,
+                   :secret_access_key => test_config.aws_secret_access_key)
+  test_bucket = s3.buckets[JAMKAZAM_TESTING_BUCKET]
+
+  if test_bucket.name == JAMKAZAM_TESTING_BUCKET
+    puts "Web - Pretending to delete all contents of #{test_bucket.name}"
+    #test_bucket.delete_all
+  end
+end
+# --end of S3 methods copied from ruby/spec/support/utilities.rb
 
 
 def sign_in(user)