diff --git a/scaletest/scaletest.sh b/scaletest/scaletest.sh
index 9db7d5a123e74..fdb23d9271bbb 100755
--- a/scaletest/scaletest.sh
+++ b/scaletest/scaletest.sh
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@ SCALETEST_CODER_LICENSE="${SCALETEST_CODER_LICENSE:-}"
 SCALETEST_SKIP_CLEANUP="${SCALETEST_SKIP_CLEANUP:-0}"
 SCALETEST_CREATE_CONCURRENCY="${SCALETEST_CREATE_CONCURRENCY:-10}"
 SCALETEST_TRAFFIC_BYTES_PER_TICK="${SCALETEST_TRAFFIC_BYTES_PER_TICK:-1024}"
-SCALETEST_TRAFFIC_TICK_INTERVAL="${SCALETEST_TRAFFIC_TICK_INTERVAL:-10}"
+SCALETEST_TRAFFIC_TICK_INTERVAL="${SCALETEST_TRAFFIC_TICK_INTERVAL:-10s}"
+SCALETEST_DESTROY="${SCALETEST_DESTROY:-0}"
 
 script_name=$(basename "$0")
-args="$(getopt -o "" -l create-concurrency:,dry-run,help,name:,num-workspaces:,project:,scenario:,skip-cleanup,traffic-bytes-per-tick:,traffic-tick-interval:, -- "$@")"
+args="$(getopt -o "" -l create-concurrency:,destroy,dry-run,help,name:,num-workspaces:,project:,scenario:,skip-cleanup,traffic-bytes-per-tick:,traffic-tick-interval:, -- "$@")"
 eval set -- "$args"
 while true; do
 	case "$1" in
@@ -29,12 +30,16 @@ while true; do
 		SCALETEST_CREATE_CONCURRENCY="$2"
 		shift 2
 		;;
+	--destroy)
+		SCALETEST_DESTROY=1
+		shift
+		;;
 	--dry-run)
 		DRY_RUN=1
 		shift
 		;;
 	--help)
-		echo "Usage: $script_name --name <name> --project <project> --num-workspaces <num-workspaces> --scenario <scenario> [--dry-run] [--skip-cleanup] [--create-concurrency=<create-concurrency>]"
+		echo "Usage: $script_name --name <name> --project <project> --num-workspaces <num-workspaces> --scenario <scenario> [--create-concurrency <create-concurrency>] [--destroy] [--dry-run] [--skip-cleanup] [--traffic-bytes-per-tick <number>] [--traffic-tick-interval <duration>]"
 		exit 1
 		;;
 	--name)
@@ -142,7 +147,7 @@ echo "Initializing terraform."
 maybedryrun "$DRY_RUN" terraform init
 
 echo "Setting up infrastructure."
-maybedryrun "$DRY_RUN" terraform apply --var-file="${SCALETEST_SCENARIO_VARS}" --var-file="${SCALETEST_SECRETS}" --auto-approve
+maybedryrun "$DRY_RUN" terraform apply --var-file="${SCALETEST_SCENARIO_VARS}" --var-file="${SCALETEST_SECRETS}" --var state=started --auto-approve
 
 if [[ "${DRY_RUN}" != 1 ]]; then
 	SCALETEST_CODER_URL=$(<"${CONFIG_DIR}/url")
@@ -151,7 +156,21 @@ else
 fi
 KUBECONFIG="${PROJECT_ROOT}/scaletest/.coderv2/${SCALETEST_NAME}-cluster.kubeconfig"
 echo "Waiting for Coder deployment at ${SCALETEST_CODER_URL} to become ready"
-maybedryrun "$DRY_RUN" kubectl --kubeconfig="${KUBECONFIG}" -n "coder-${SCALETEST_NAME}" rollout status deployment/coder
+max_attempts=10
+for attempt in $(seq 1 $max_attempts); do
+	maybedryrun "$DRY_RUN" curl --silent --fail --output /dev/null "${SCALETEST_CODER_URL}/api/v2/buildinfo"
+	curl_status=$?
+	if [[ $curl_status -eq 0 ]]; then
+		break
+	fi
+	if attempt -eq $max_attempts; then
+		echo
+		echo "Coder deployment failed to become ready in time!"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	echo "Coder deployment not ready yet (${attempt}/${max_attempts}), sleeping 3 seconds"
+	maybedryrun "$DRY_RUN" sleep 3
+done
 
 echo "Initializing Coder deployment."
 DRY_RUN="$DRY_RUN" "${PROJECT_ROOT}/scaletest/lib/coder_init.sh" "${SCALETEST_CODER_URL}"
@@ -212,5 +231,10 @@ if [[ "${SCALETEST_SKIP_CLEANUP}" == 1 ]]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo "Cleaning up"
-maybedryrun "$DRY_RUN" terraform destroy --var-file="${SCALETEST_SCENARIO_VARS}" --var-file="${SCALETEST_SECRETS}" --auto-approve
+if [[ "${SCALETEST_DESTROY}" == 1 ]]; then
+	echo "Destroying infrastructure"
+	maybedryrun "$DRY_RUN" terraform destroy --var-file="${SCALETEST_SCENARIO_VARS}" --var-file="${SCALETEST_SECRETS}" --auto-approve
+else
+	echo "Scaling down infrastructure"
+	maybedryrun "$DRY_RUN" terraform apply --var-file="${SCALETEST_SCENARIO_VARS}" --var-file="${SCALETEST_SECRETS}" --var state=stopped --auto-approve
+fi
diff --git a/scaletest/terraform/coder.tf b/scaletest/terraform/coder.tf
index ad93d100ed5e0..13bd15205b6eb 100644
--- a/scaletest/terraform/coder.tf
+++ b/scaletest/terraform/coder.tf
@@ -25,13 +25,24 @@ provider "helm" {
   }
 }
 
-resource "kubernetes_namespace" "coder_namespace" {
-  metadata {
-    name = local.coder_namespace
+resource "null_resource" "coder_namespace" {
+  triggers = {
+    namespace       = local.coder_namespace
+    kubeconfig_path = local.cluster_kubeconfig_path
   }
   depends_on = [
     google_container_node_pool.coder
   ]
+  provisioner "local-exec" {
+    when    = create
+    command = <<EOF
+      KUBECONFIG=${self.triggers.kubeconfig_path} kubectl create namespace ${self.triggers.namespace}
+    EOF
+  }
+  provisioner "local-exec" {
+    when    = destroy
+    command = "true"
+  }
 }
 
 resource "random_password" "coder-postgres-password" {
@@ -46,8 +57,9 @@ resource "kubernetes_secret" "coder-db" {
   type = "" # Opaque
   metadata {
     name      = "coder-db-url"
-    namespace = kubernetes_namespace.coder_namespace.metadata.0.name
+    namespace = local.coder_namespace
   }
+  depends_on = [null_resource.coder_namespace]
   data = {
     url = "postgres://${google_sql_user.coder.name}:${urlencode(random_password.coder-postgres-password.result)}@${google_sql_database_instance.db.private_ip_address}/${google_sql_database.coder.name}?sslmode=disable"
   }
@@ -58,9 +70,10 @@ resource "helm_release" "coder-chart" {
   chart      = local.coder_helm_chart
   name       = local.coder_release_name
   version    = var.coder_chart_version
-  namespace  = kubernetes_namespace.coder_namespace.metadata.0.name
+  namespace  = local.coder_namespace
   depends_on = [
     google_container_node_pool.coder,
+    null_resource.coder_namespace
   ]
   values = [<<EOF
 coder:
@@ -176,7 +189,7 @@ resource "local_file" "kubernetes_template" {
       count = data.coder_workspace.me.start_count
       metadata {
         name      = "coder-$${lower(data.coder_workspace.me.owner)}-$${lower(data.coder_workspace.me.name)}"
-        namespace = "${kubernetes_namespace.coder_namespace.metadata.0.name}"
+        namespace = "${local.coder_namespace}"
         labels = {
           "app.kubernetes.io/name"     = "coder-workspace"
           "app.kubernetes.io/instance" = "coder-workspace-$${lower(data.coder_workspace.me.owner)}-$${lower(data.coder_workspace.me.name)}"
diff --git a/scaletest/terraform/gcp_cluster.tf b/scaletest/terraform/gcp_cluster.tf
index 70223c8251e30..23633e45ba139 100644
--- a/scaletest/terraform/gcp_cluster.tf
+++ b/scaletest/terraform/gcp_cluster.tf
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ data "google_compute_default_service_account" "default" {
   project = var.project_id
 }
 
+locals {
+  cluster_kubeconfig_path = "${abspath(path.module)}/../.coderv2/${var.name}-cluster.kubeconfig"
+}
+
 resource "google_container_cluster" "primary" {
   name                      = var.name
   location                  = var.zone
@@ -40,7 +44,7 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "coder" {
   location   = var.zone
   project    = var.project_id
   cluster    = google_container_cluster.primary.name
-  node_count = var.nodepool_size_coder
+  node_count = var.state == "stopped" ? 0 : var.nodepool_size_coder
   node_config {
     oauth_scopes = [
       "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/logging.write",
@@ -70,7 +74,7 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "workspaces" {
   location   = var.zone
   project    = var.project_id
   cluster    = google_container_cluster.primary.name
-  node_count = var.nodepool_size_workspaces
+  node_count = var.state == "stopped" ? 0 : var.nodepool_size_workspaces
   node_config {
     oauth_scopes = [
       "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/logging.write",
@@ -100,7 +104,7 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "misc" {
   location   = var.zone
   project    = var.project_id
   cluster    = google_container_cluster.primary.name
-  node_count = var.nodepool_size_misc
+  node_count = var.state == "stopped" ? 0 : var.nodepool_size_misc
   node_config {
     oauth_scopes = [
       "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/logging.write",
@@ -124,3 +128,25 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "misc" {
     }
   }
 }
+
+resource "null_resource" "cluster_kubeconfig" {
+  depends_on = [google_container_cluster.primary]
+  triggers = {
+    path       = local.cluster_kubeconfig_path
+    name       = google_container_cluster.primary.name
+    project_id = var.project_id
+    zone       = var.zone
+  }
+  provisioner "local-exec" {
+    command = <<EOF
+      KUBECONFIG=${self.triggers.path} gcloud container clusters get-credentials ${self.triggers.name} --project=${self.triggers.project_id} --zone=${self.triggers.zone}
+    EOF
+  }
+
+  provisioner "local-exec" {
+    when    = destroy
+    command = <<EOF
+      rm -f ${self.triggers.path}
+    EOF
+  }
+}
diff --git a/scaletest/terraform/prometheus.tf b/scaletest/terraform/prometheus.tf
index 900ad83dd2fc7..9dd44a055275f 100644
--- a/scaletest/terraform/prometheus.tf
+++ b/scaletest/terraform/prometheus.tf
@@ -10,13 +10,24 @@ locals {
 }
 
 # Create a namespace to hold our Prometheus deployment.
-resource "kubernetes_namespace" "prometheus_namespace" {
-  metadata {
-    name = local.prometheus_namespace
+resource "null_resource" "prometheus_namespace" {
+  triggers = {
+    namespace       = local.prometheus_namespace
+    kubeconfig_path = local.cluster_kubeconfig_path
   }
   depends_on = [
     google_container_node_pool.misc
   ]
+  provisioner "local-exec" {
+    when    = create
+    command = <<EOF
+      KUBECONFIG=${self.triggers.kubeconfig_path} kubectl create namespace ${self.triggers.namespace}
+    EOF
+  }
+  provisioner "local-exec" {
+    when    = destroy
+    command = "true"
+  }
 }
 
 # Create a secret to store the remote write key
@@ -25,7 +36,7 @@ resource "kubernetes_secret" "prometheus-credentials" {
   type  = "kubernetes.io/basic-auth"
   metadata {
     name      = "prometheus-credentials"
-    namespace = kubernetes_namespace.prometheus_namespace.metadata.0.name
+    namespace = local.prometheus_namespace
   }
 
   data = {
@@ -39,7 +50,8 @@ resource "helm_release" "prometheus-chart" {
   repository = local.prometheus_helm_repo
   chart      = local.prometheus_helm_chart
   name       = local.prometheus_release_name
-  namespace  = kubernetes_namespace.prometheus_namespace.metadata.0.name
+  namespace  = local.prometheus_namespace
+  depends_on = [null_resource.prometheus_namespace]
   values = [<<EOF
 alertmanager:
   enabled: false
@@ -102,8 +114,9 @@ resource "kubernetes_secret" "prometheus-postgres-password" {
   type = "kubernetes.io/basic-auth"
   metadata {
     name      = "prometheus-postgres"
-    namespace = kubernetes_namespace.prometheus_namespace.metadata.0.name
+    namespace = local.prometheus_namespace
   }
+  depends_on = [null_resource.prometheus_namespace]
   data = {
     username = google_sql_user.prometheus.name
     password = google_sql_user.prometheus.password
@@ -152,7 +165,7 @@ resource "local_file" "coder-monitoring-manifest" {
 apiVersion: monitoring.coreos.com/v1
 kind: PodMonitor
 metadata:
-  namespace: ${kubernetes_namespace.coder_namespace.metadata.0.name}
+  namespace: ${local.prometheus_namespace}
   name: coder-monitoring
 spec:
   selector:
@@ -168,8 +181,7 @@ resource "null_resource" "coder-monitoring-manifest_apply" {
   provisioner "local-exec" {
     working_dir = "${abspath(path.module)}/../.coderv2"
     command     = <<EOF
-KUBECONFIG=${var.name}-cluster.kubeconfig gcloud container clusters get-credentials ${google_container_cluster.primary.name} --project=${var.project_id} --zone=${var.zone} && \
-KUBECONFIG=${var.name}-cluster.kubeconfig kubectl apply -f ${abspath(local_file.coder-monitoring-manifest.filename)}
+KUBECONFIG=${local.cluster_kubeconfig_path} kubectl apply -f ${abspath(local_file.coder-monitoring-manifest.filename)}
     EOF
   }
   depends_on = [helm_release.prometheus-chart]
diff --git a/scaletest/terraform/vars.tf b/scaletest/terraform/vars.tf
index ad534f2f99b65..d65711f1c07d3 100644
--- a/scaletest/terraform/vars.tf
+++ b/scaletest/terraform/vars.tf
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+variable "state" {
+  description = "The state of the cluster. Valid values are 'started', and 'stopped'."
+  validation {
+    condition     = contains(["started", "stopped"], var.state)
+    error_message = "value must be one of 'started' or 'stopped'"
+  }
+  default = "started"
+}
+
 variable "project_id" {
   description = "The project in which to provision resources"
 }