diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index c9968ef544f..5b4830d65dc 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/Azure/go-ansiterm v0.0.0-20210617225240-d185dfc1b5a1 // indirect
 	github.com/Microsoft/go-winio v0.6.1 // indirect
 	github.com/ProtonMail/go-crypto v1.0.0 // indirect
+	github.com/avast/retry-go v3.0.0+incompatible
 	github.com/cloudflare/circl v1.3.7 // indirect
 	github.com/containerd/containerd v1.7.13 // indirect
 	github.com/containerd/log v0.1.0 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index fcfaa4eae50..e331dbdff6d 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ github.com/anmitsu/go-shlex v0.0.0-20200514113438-38f4b401e2be h1:9AeTilPcZAjCFI
 github.com/anmitsu/go-shlex v0.0.0-20200514113438-38f4b401e2be/go.mod h1:ySMOLuWl6zY27l47sB3qLNK6tF2fkHG55UZxx8oIVo4=
 github.com/armon/go-socks5 v0.0.0-20160902184237-e75332964ef5 h1:0CwZNZbxp69SHPdPJAN/hZIm0C4OItdklCFmMRWYpio=
 github.com/armon/go-socks5 v0.0.0-20160902184237-e75332964ef5/go.mod h1:wHh0iHkYZB8zMSxRWpUBQtwG5a7fFgvEO+odwuTv2gs=
+github.com/avast/retry-go v3.0.0+incompatible h1:4SOWQ7Qs+oroOTQOYnAHqelpCO0biHSxpiH9JdtuBj0=
+github.com/avast/retry-go v3.0.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:XtSnn+n/sHqQIpZ10K1qAevBhOOCWBLXXy3hyiqqBrY=
 github.com/bwesterb/go-ristretto v1.2.3/go.mod h1:fUIoIZaG73pV5biE2Blr2xEzDoMj7NFEuV9ekS419A0=
 github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4 v4.3.0 h1:MyRJ/UdXutAwSAT+s3wNd7MfTIcy71VQueUuFK343L8=
 github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4 v4.3.0/go.mod h1:Y3VNntkOUPxTVeUxJ/G5vcM//AlwfmyYozVcomhLiZE=
diff --git a/pkg/runner/expression.go b/pkg/runner/expression.go
index cfd5d42f858..48df35f4921 100644
--- a/pkg/runner/expression.go
+++ b/pkg/runner/expression.go
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ func getEvaluatorInputs(ctx context.Context, rc *RunContext, step step, ghc *mod
 			for k, v := range config.Inputs {
 				value := nestedMapLookup(ghc.Event, "inputs", k)
 				if value == nil {
-					v.Default.Decode(&value)
+					_ = v.Default.Decode(&value)
 				}
 				if v.Type == "boolean" {
 					inputs[k] = value == "true"
diff --git a/pkg/runner/run_context.go b/pkg/runner/run_context.go
index 8abc4353cac..1303c47c2de 100644
--- a/pkg/runner/run_context.go
+++ b/pkg/runner/run_context.go
@@ -647,6 +647,9 @@ func (rc *RunContext) startContainer() common.Executor {
 		if rc.IsHostEnv(ctx) {
 			return rc.startHostEnvironment()(ctx)
 		}
+		if rc.IsTartEnv(ctx) {
+			return rc.startTartEnvironment()(ctx)
+		}
 		return rc.startJobContainer()(ctx)
 	}
 }
@@ -657,6 +660,12 @@ func (rc *RunContext) IsHostEnv(ctx context.Context) bool {
 	return image == "" && strings.EqualFold(platform, "-self-hosted")
 }
 
+func (rc *RunContext) IsTartEnv(ctx context.Context) bool {
+	platform := rc.runsOnImage(ctx)
+	image := rc.containerImage(ctx)
+	return image == "" && strings.HasPrefix(platform, "tart://")
+}
+
 func (rc *RunContext) stopContainer() common.Executor {
 	return rc.stopJobContainer()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/runner/run_context_darwin.go b/pkg/runner/run_context_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6930b0f4505
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/runner/run_context_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+package runner
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/url"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/nektos/act/pkg/common"
+	"github.com/nektos/act/pkg/container"
+	"github.com/nektos/act/pkg/tart"
+)
+
+func (rc *RunContext) startTartEnvironment() common.Executor {
+	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		logger := common.Logger(ctx)
+		rawLogger := logger.WithField("raw_output", true)
+		logWriter := common.NewLineWriter(rc.commandHandler(ctx), func(s string) bool {
+			if rc.Config.LogOutput {
+				rawLogger.Infof("%s", s)
+			} else {
+				rawLogger.Debugf("%s", s)
+			}
+			return true
+		})
+		cacheDir := rc.ActionCacheDir()
+		randBytes := make([]byte, 8)
+		_, _ = rand.Read(randBytes)
+		miscpath := filepath.Join(cacheDir, hex.EncodeToString(randBytes))
+		actPath := filepath.Join(miscpath, "act")
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(actPath, 0o777); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		path := filepath.Join(miscpath, "hostexecutor")
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(path, 0o777); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		runnerTmp := filepath.Join(miscpath, "tmp")
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(runnerTmp, 0o777); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		toolCache := filepath.Join(cacheDir, "tool_cache")
+		platImage := rc.runsOnImage(ctx)
+		platURI, _ := url.Parse(platImage)
+		query := platURI.Query()
+		tenv := &tart.Environment{
+			HostEnvironment: container.HostEnvironment{
+				Path:      path,
+				TmpDir:    runnerTmp,
+				ToolCache: toolCache,
+				Workdir:   rc.Config.Workdir,
+				ActPath:   actPath,
+				CleanUp: func() {
+					os.RemoveAll(miscpath)
+				},
+				StdOut: logWriter,
+			},
+			Config: tart.Config{
+				SSHUsername: "admin",
+				SSHPassword: "admin",
+				Softnet:     query.Get("softnet") == "1",
+				Headless:    query.Get("headless") != "0",
+				AlwaysPull:  query.Get("pull") != "0",
+			},
+			Env: &tart.Env{
+				JobImage: platURI.Host + platURI.EscapedPath(),
+				JobID:    rc.jobContainerName(),
+			},
+			Miscpath: miscpath,
+		}
+		rc.JobContainer = tenv
+		if query.Has("sshusername") {
+			tenv.Config.SSHUsername = query.Get("sshusername")
+		}
+		if query.Has("sshpassword") {
+			tenv.Config.SSHPassword = query.Get("sshpassword")
+		}
+		rc.cleanUpJobContainer = rc.JobContainer.Remove()
+		for k, v := range rc.JobContainer.GetRunnerContext(ctx) {
+			if v, ok := v.(string); ok {
+				rc.Env[fmt.Sprintf("RUNNER_%s", strings.ToUpper(k))] = v
+			}
+		}
+		// for _, env := range os.Environ() {
+		// 	if k, v, ok := strings.Cut(env, "="); ok {
+		// 		// don't override
+		// 		if _, ok := rc.Env[k]; !ok {
+		// 			rc.Env[k] = v
+		// 		}
+		// 	}
+		// }
+
+		return common.NewPipelineExecutor(
+			// rc.JobContainer.Remove(),
+			rc.JobContainer.Start(false),
+			rc.JobContainer.Copy(rc.JobContainer.GetActPath()+"/", &container.FileEntry{
+				Name: "workflow/event.json",
+				Mode: 0o644,
+				Body: rc.EventJSON,
+			}, &container.FileEntry{
+				Name: "workflow/envs.txt",
+				Mode: 0o666,
+				Body: "",
+			}),
+		)(ctx)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/runner/run_context_other.go b/pkg/runner/run_context_other.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3039b33986f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/runner/run_context_other.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+//go:build !darwin
+
+package runner
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/nektos/act/pkg/common"
+)
+
+func (rc *RunContext) startTartEnvironment() common.Executor {
+	return func(_ context.Context) error {
+		return fmt.Errorf("You need macOS for tart")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tart/config_darwin.go b/pkg/tart/config_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..861f8d2756f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tart/config_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package tart
+
+type Config struct {
+	SSHUsername string
+	SSHPassword string
+	Softnet     bool
+	Headless    bool
+	AlwaysPull  bool
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tart/env_darwin.go b/pkg/tart/env_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d4a2c4ac3dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tart/env_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package tart
+
+type Env struct {
+	JobID           string
+	JobImage        string
+	FailureExitCode int
+	Registry        *Registry
+}
+
+type Registry struct {
+	Address  string
+	User     string
+	Password string
+}
+
+func (e Env) VirtualMachineID() string {
+	return e.JobID
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tart/environment_darwin.go b/pkg/tart/environment_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..30d97c0fd55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tart/environment_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,218 @@
+package tart
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/kballard/go-shellquote"
+	"github.com/nektos/act/pkg/common"
+	"github.com/nektos/act/pkg/container"
+)
+
+type Environment struct {
+	container.HostEnvironment
+	vm       *VM
+	Config   Config
+	Env      *Env
+	Miscpath string
+}
+
+// "/Volumes/My Shared Files/act/"
+func (e *Environment) ToHostPath(path string) string {
+	actPath := filepath.Clean("/private/tmp/act/")
+	altPath := filepath.Clean(path)
+	if strings.HasPrefix(altPath, actPath) {
+		return e.Miscpath + altPath[len(actPath):]
+	}
+	return altPath
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) ToContainerPath(path string) string {
+	path = e.HostEnvironment.ToContainerPath(path)
+	actPath := filepath.Clean(e.Miscpath)
+	altPath := filepath.Clean(path)
+	if strings.HasPrefix(altPath, actPath) {
+		return "/private/tmp/act/" + altPath[len(actPath):]
+	}
+	return altPath
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) Exec(command []string /*cmdline string, */, env map[string]string, user, workdir string) common.Executor {
+	return e.ExecWithCmdLine(command, "", env, user, workdir)
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) ExecWithCmdLine(command []string, cmdline string, env map[string]string, user, workdir string) common.Executor {
+	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		if err := e.exec(ctx, command, cmdline, env, user, workdir); err != nil {
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return fmt.Errorf("this step has been cancelled: %w", err)
+			default:
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) Start(b bool) common.Executor {
+	return e.HostEnvironment.Start(b).Then(func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		return e.start(ctx)
+	})
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) start(ctx context.Context) error {
+	actEnv := e.Env
+
+	config := e.Config
+
+	if config.AlwaysPull {
+		log.Printf("Pulling the latest version of %s...\n", actEnv.JobImage)
+		_, _, err := ExecWithEnv(ctx, nil,
+			"pull", actEnv.JobImage)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	log.Println("Cloning and configuring a new VM...")
+	vm, err := CreateNewVM(ctx, *actEnv, 0, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	var customDirectoryMounts []string
+	_ = os.MkdirAll(e.Miscpath, 0666)
+	customDirectoryMounts = append(customDirectoryMounts, "act:"+e.Miscpath)
+	e.vm = vm
+	err = vm.Start(config, actEnv, customDirectoryMounts)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return e.execRaw(ctx, "ln -sf '/Volumes/My Shared Files/act' /private/tmp/act")
+}
+func (e *Environment) Stop(ctx context.Context) error {
+	log.Println("Stop VM?")
+
+	actEnv := e.Env
+
+	var vm *VM
+	if e.vm != nil {
+		vm = e.vm
+	} else {
+		vm = ExistingVM(*actEnv)
+	}
+
+	if err := vm.Stop(); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Failed to stop VM: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := vm.Delete(); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Failed to delete VM: %v", err)
+
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) Remove() common.Executor {
+	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		_ = e.Stop(ctx)
+		log.Println("Remove VM?")
+		if e.CleanUp != nil {
+			e.CleanUp()
+		}
+		_ = os.RemoveAll(e.Path)
+		return e.Close()(ctx)
+	}
+}
+func (e *Environment) exec(ctx context.Context, command []string, _ string, env map[string]string, _, workdir string) error {
+	var wd string
+	if workdir != "" {
+		if filepath.IsAbs(workdir) {
+			wd = filepath.Clean(workdir)
+		} else {
+			wd = filepath.Clean(filepath.Join(e.Path, workdir))
+		}
+	} else {
+		wd = e.ToContainerPath(e.Path)
+	}
+	envs := ""
+	for k, v := range env {
+		envs += shellquote.Join(k) + "=" + shellquote.Join(v) + " "
+	}
+	return e.execRaw(ctx, "cd "+shellquote.Join(wd)+"\nenv "+envs+shellquote.Join(command...)+"\nexit $?")
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) execRaw(ctx context.Context, script string) error {
+	actEnv := e.Env
+
+	var vm *VM
+	if e.vm != nil {
+		vm = e.vm
+	} else {
+		vm = ExistingVM(*actEnv)
+	}
+
+	// Monitor "tart run" command's output so it's not silenced
+	go vm.MonitorTartRunOutput()
+
+	config := e.Config
+
+	ssh, err := vm.OpenSSH(ctx, config)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer ssh.Close()
+
+	session, err := ssh.NewSession()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer session.Close()
+
+	os.Stdout.WriteString(script + "\n")
+
+	session.Stdin = strings.NewReader(
+		script,
+	)
+	session.Stdout = e.StdOut
+	session.Stderr = e.StdOut
+
+	err = session.Shell()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return session.Wait()
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) GetActPath() string {
+	return e.ToContainerPath(e.HostEnvironment.GetActPath())
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) Copy(destPath string, files ...*container.FileEntry) common.Executor {
+	return e.HostEnvironment.Copy(e.ToHostPath(destPath), files...)
+}
+func (e *Environment) CopyTarStream(ctx context.Context, destPath string, tarStream io.Reader) error {
+	return e.HostEnvironment.CopyTarStream(ctx, e.ToHostPath(destPath), tarStream)
+}
+func (e *Environment) CopyDir(destPath string, srcPath string, useGitIgnore bool) common.Executor {
+	return e.HostEnvironment.CopyDir(e.ToHostPath(destPath), srcPath, useGitIgnore)
+}
+func (e *Environment) GetContainerArchive(ctx context.Context, srcPath string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	return e.HostEnvironment.GetContainerArchive(ctx, e.ToHostPath(srcPath))
+}
+
+func (e *Environment) GetRunnerContext(ctx context.Context) map[string]interface{} {
+	rctx := e.HostEnvironment.GetRunnerContext(ctx)
+	rctx["temp"] = e.ToContainerPath(e.TmpDir)
+	rctx["tool_cache"] = e.ToContainerPath(e.ToolCache)
+	return rctx
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tart/vm_darwin.go b/pkg/tart/vm_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..95fcc9bcc9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tart/vm_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,282 @@
+package tart
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+	"syscall"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/avast/retry-go"
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/ssh"
+)
+
+const tartCommandName = "tart"
+
+var (
+	ErrTartNotFound = errors.New("tart command not found")
+	ErrTartFailed   = errors.New("tart command returned non-zero exit code")
+	ErrVMFailed     = errors.New("VM errored")
+)
+
+type VM struct {
+	id     string
+	runcmd *exec.Cmd
+}
+
+func ExistingVM(actEnv Env) *VM {
+	return &VM{
+		id: actEnv.VirtualMachineID(),
+	}
+}
+
+func CreateNewVM(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	actEnv Env,
+	cpuOverride uint64,
+	memoryOverride uint64,
+) (*VM, error) {
+	log.Print("CreateNewVM")
+	vm := &VM{
+		id: actEnv.VirtualMachineID(),
+	}
+
+	if err := vm.cloneAndConfigure(ctx, actEnv, cpuOverride, memoryOverride); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to clone the VM: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return vm, nil
+}
+
+func (vm *VM) cloneAndConfigure(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	actEnv Env,
+	cpuOverride uint64,
+	memoryOverride uint64,
+) error {
+	_, _, err := Exec(ctx, "clone", actEnv.JobImage, vm.id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if cpuOverride != 0 {
+		_, _, err = Exec(ctx, "set", "--cpu", strconv.FormatUint(cpuOverride, 10), vm.id)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	if memoryOverride != 0 {
+		_, _, err = Exec(ctx, "set", "--memory", strconv.FormatUint(memoryOverride, 10), vm.id)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (vm *VM) Start(config Config, _ *Env, customDirectoryMounts []string) error {
+	os.Remove(vm.tartRunOutputPath())
+	var runArgs = []string{"run"}
+
+	if config.Softnet {
+		runArgs = append(runArgs, "--net-softnet")
+	}
+
+	if config.Headless {
+		runArgs = append(runArgs, "--no-graphics")
+	}
+
+	for _, customDirectoryMount := range customDirectoryMounts {
+		runArgs = append(runArgs, "--dir", customDirectoryMount)
+	}
+
+	runArgs = append(runArgs, vm.id)
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(tartCommandName, runArgs...)
+
+	outputFile, err := os.OpenFile(vm.tartRunOutputPath(), os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND|os.O_CREATE, 0600)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, _ = outputFile.WriteString(strings.Join(runArgs, " ") + "\n")
+
+	cmd.Stdout = outputFile
+	cmd.Stderr = outputFile
+
+	cmd.SysProcAttr = &syscall.SysProcAttr{
+		Setsid: true,
+	}
+
+	err = cmd.Start()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	vm.runcmd = cmd
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (vm *VM) MonitorTartRunOutput() {
+	outputFile, err := os.Open(vm.tartRunOutputPath())
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Failed to open VM's output file, "+
+			"looks like the VM wasn't started in \"prepare\" step?\n")
+
+		return
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		_ = outputFile.Close()
+	}()
+
+	for {
+		n, err := io.Copy(os.Stdout, outputFile)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Failed to display VM's output: %v\n", err)
+
+			break
+		}
+		if n == 0 {
+			time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+
+			continue
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (vm *VM) OpenSSH(ctx context.Context, config Config) (*ssh.Client, error) {
+	ip, err := vm.IP(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	addr := ip + ":22"
+
+	var netConn net.Conn
+	if err := retry.Do(func() error {
+		dialer := net.Dialer{}
+
+		netConn, err = dialer.DialContext(ctx, "tcp", addr)
+
+		return err
+	}, retry.Context(ctx)); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: failed to connect via SSH: %v", ErrVMFailed, err)
+	}
+
+	sshConfig := &ssh.ClientConfig{
+		HostKeyCallback: func(_ string, _ net.Addr, _ ssh.PublicKey) error {
+			return nil
+		},
+		User: config.SSHUsername,
+		Auth: []ssh.AuthMethod{
+			ssh.Password(config.SSHPassword),
+		},
+	}
+
+	sshConn, chans, reqs, err := ssh.NewClientConn(netConn, addr, sshConfig)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: failed to connect via SSH: %v", ErrVMFailed, err)
+	}
+
+	return ssh.NewClient(sshConn, chans, reqs), nil
+}
+
+func (vm *VM) IP(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+	stdout, _, err := Exec(ctx, "ip", "--wait", "60", vm.id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return strings.TrimSpace(stdout), nil
+}
+
+func (vm *VM) Stop() error {
+	log.Println("Stop VM REAL?")
+	if vm.runcmd != nil {
+		log.Println("send sigint?")
+		_ = vm.runcmd.Process.Signal(os.Interrupt)
+		log.Println("wait?")
+		_ = vm.runcmd.Wait()
+		log.Println("wait done?")
+		return nil
+	}
+	_, _, err := Exec(context.Background(), "stop", vm.id)
+	return err
+}
+
+func (vm *VM) Delete() error {
+	_, _, err := Exec(context.Background(), "delete", vm.id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: failed to delete VM %s: %v", ErrVMFailed, vm.id, err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func Exec(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	args ...string,
+) (string, string, error) {
+	return ExecWithEnv(ctx, nil, args...)
+}
+
+func ExecWithEnv(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	env map[string]string,
+	args ...string,
+) (string, string, error) {
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, tartCommandName, args...)
+
+	// Base environment
+	cmd.Env = cmd.Environ()
+
+	// Environment overrides
+	for key, value := range env {
+		cmd.Env = append(cmd.Env, fmt.Sprintf("%s=%s", key, value))
+	}
+
+	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
+
+	cmd.Stdout = &stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = &stderr
+
+	err := cmd.Run()
+	if err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, exec.ErrNotFound) {
+			return "", "", fmt.Errorf("%w: %s command not found in PATH, make sure Tart is installed",
+				ErrTartNotFound, tartCommandName)
+		}
+
+		if _, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
+			// Tart command failed, redefine the error
+			// to be the Tart-specific output
+			err = fmt.Errorf("%w: %q", ErrTartFailed, firstNonEmptyLine(stderr.String(), stdout.String()))
+		}
+	}
+
+	return stdout.String(), stderr.String(), err
+}
+
+func firstNonEmptyLine(outputs ...string) string {
+	for _, output := range outputs {
+		for _, line := range strings.Split(output, "\n") {
+			if line != "" {
+				return line
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return ""
+}
+
+func (vm *VM) tartRunOutputPath() string {
+	return filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), fmt.Sprintf("%s-tart-run-output.log", vm.id))
+}