diff --git a/test/100_cross_hosts_test.sh b/test/100_cross_hosts_test.sh
index 6d9a0e30..9a5d535b 100755
--- a/test/100_cross_hosts_test.sh
+++ b/test/100_cross_hosts_test.sh
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ start_suite "Ping over cross-host weave network"
 weave_on $HOST1 launch
 weave_on $HOST2 launch $HOST1
 
-weave_on $HOST2 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C1/24 -t --name=c1 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1
+start_container $HOST2 $C2/24 --name=c2
 assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 ping -q -c 4 $C2"
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/110_encryption_test.sh b/test/110_encryption_test.sh
index e5099b68..0f16aaa6 100755
--- a/test/110_encryption_test.sh
+++ b/test/110_encryption_test.sh
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ start_suite "Ping over encrypted cross-host weave network"
 weave_on $HOST1 launch -password notverysecure
 weave_on $HOST2 launch -password notverysecure $HOST1
 
-weave_on $HOST2 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C1/24 -t --name=c1 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1
+start_container $HOST2 $C2/24 --name=c2
 assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 ping -q -c 4 $C2"
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/120_ipam_test.sh b/test/120_ipam_test.sh
index d0a22bc8..23be4c1a 100755
--- a/test/120_ipam_test.sh
+++ b/test/120_ipam_test.sh
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ start_suite "Ping over cross-host weave network with IPAM"
 weave_on $HOST1 launch -iprange $UNIVERSE
 weave_on $HOST2 launch -iprange $UNIVERSE $HOST1
 
-weave_on $HOST1 run -t --name=c1 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
-weave_on $HOST2 run -t --name=c2 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST1 --name=c1
+start_container $HOST2 --name=c2
 C2=$(container_ip $HOST2 c2)
 assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 ping -q -c 4 $C2"
 
diff --git a/test/130_expose_test.sh b/test/130_expose_test.sh
index 353fa408..1984c76f 100755
--- a/test/130_expose_test.sh
+++ b/test/130_expose_test.sh
@@ -29,18 +29,14 @@ check_container_connectivity() {
     # exec_on1 "c3 ! $PING $C1"
 }
 
-start_container() {
-    weave_on $HOST1 run $2/24 --name=$1 -t gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
-}
-
 start_suite "exposing weave network to host"
 
 weave_on $HOST1 launch
 
-start_container c1 $C1
-start_container c2 $C2
-start_container c3 $C3
-start_container c4 $C4
+start_container $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1
+start_container $HOST1 $C2/24 --name=c2
+start_container $HOST1 $C3/24 --name=c3
+start_container $HOST1 $C4/24 --name=c4
 
 # absence of host connectivity by default
 run_on1 "! $PING $C1"
diff --git a/test/140_ipam_expose_test.sh b/test/140_ipam_expose_test.sh
index 32b61981..a1176068 100755
--- a/test/140_ipam_expose_test.sh
+++ b/test/140_ipam_expose_test.sh
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ start_suite "exposing weave network to host with IPAM"
 
 weave_on $HOST1 launch -iprange $R1
 
-weave_on $HOST1 run -t --name=c1 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
-weave_on $HOST1 run -t --name=c2 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C3/24 -t --name=c3 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C4/24 -t --name=c4 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST1        --name=c1
+start_container $HOST1        --name=c2
+start_container $HOST1 $C3/24 --name=c3
+start_container $HOST1 $C4/24 --name=c4
 C1=$(container_ip $HOST1 c1)
 
 # absence of host connectivity by default
diff --git a/test/200_dns_test.sh b/test/200_dns_test.sh
index c2fca822..a43b1fc1 100755
--- a/test/200_dns_test.sh
+++ b/test/200_dns_test.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ start_suite "Resolve names on a single host"
 
 weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24
 
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 -h $NAME gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST1 $C2/24 --name=c2 -h $NAME
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns $C1/24 -t --name=c1 aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 
 assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $NAME $C2
diff --git a/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh b/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh
index fd22b0fe..6e1886c9 100755
--- a/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh
+++ b/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ weave_on $HOST2 launch $HOST1
 weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 -debug
 weave_on $HOST2 launch-dns 10.2.254.2/24 -debug
 
-weave_on $HOST2 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 -h $NAME gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST2 $C2/24 --name=c2 -h $NAME
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns $C1/24 -t --name=c1 aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 
 assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $NAME $C2
diff --git a/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh b/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh
index 35d14d91..95546f2b 100755
--- a/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh
+++ b/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ start_suite "Resolve names in custom domain"
 
 weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 --domain $DOMAIN.
 
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 -h $NAME gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST1 $C2/24 --name=c2 -h $NAME
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns $C1/24 -t --name=c1 aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 
 assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $NAME $C2
diff --git a/test/230_dns_unqualified_test.sh b/test/230_dns_unqualified_test.sh
index 3ceab5fc..29181613 100755
--- a/test/230_dns_unqualified_test.sh
+++ b/test/230_dns_unqualified_test.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ start_suite "Resolve unqualified names"
 
 weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24
 
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C1/24 -t --name=c1 -h $NAME gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1 -h $NAME
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns $C2/24 -t --name=c2 -h seetwo.$DOMAIN aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns $C3/24 -t --name=c3 --dns-search=weave.local aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 
diff --git a/test/240_dns_add_name_test.sh b/test/240_dns_add_name_test.sh
index 45697ec6..91548f22 100755
--- a/test/240_dns_add_name_test.sh
+++ b/test/240_dns_add_name_test.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ start_suite "Add and remove names on a single host"
 
 weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24
 
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST1 $C2/24 --name=c2
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns $C1/24 -t --name=c1 aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 
 weave_on $HOST1 dns-add $C2 c2 -h $NAME2
diff --git a/test/250_dns_ipam_test.sh b/test/250_dns_ipam_test.sh
index 347ff28a..43d8f385 100755
--- a/test/250_dns_ipam_test.sh
+++ b/test/250_dns_ipam_test.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ weave_on $HOST2 launch -iprange $UNIVERSE $HOST1
 weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24
 weave_on $HOST2 launch-dns 10.2.254.2/24
 
-weave_on $HOST2 run -t --name=c2 -h $NAME gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+start_container $HOST2 --name=c2 -h $NAME
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns -t --name=c1 aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 C2=$(container_ip $HOST2 c2)
 
diff --git a/test/500_weave_multi_cidr_test.sh b/test/500_weave_multi_cidr_test.sh
index b27b589f..247883df 100755
--- a/test/500_weave_multi_cidr_test.sh
+++ b/test/500_weave_multi_cidr_test.sh
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ weave_on $HOST1 launch
 weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.254.254.254/24
 
 # Run container with three cidrs
-CID=$(weave_on $HOST1 run 10.2.1.1/24 10.2.2.1/24 10.2.3.1/24 -t --name=multicidr -h multicidr.weave.local gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh | cut -b 1-12)
+CID=$(start_container $HOST1 10.2.1.1/24 10.2.2.1/24 10.2.3.1/24 --name=multicidr -h multicidr.weave.local | cut -b 1-12)
 assert_container_cidrs $HOST1 $CID 10.2.1.1/24 10.2.2.1/24 10.2.3.1/24
 assert_zone_records $HOST1 $CID multicidr.weave.local. 10.2.1.1 10.2.2.1 10.2.3.1
 
diff --git a/test/config.sh b/test/config.sh
index e1109fa8..89fa8605 100644
--- a/test/config.sh
+++ b/test/config.sh
@@ -88,6 +88,12 @@ exec_on() {
     docker -H tcp://$host:2375 exec $container $@
 }
 
+start_container() {
+    host=$1
+    shift 1
+    weave_on $host run $@ -t gliderlabs/alpine /bin/sh
+}
+
 container_ip() {
     weave_on $1 ps $2 | grep -o -E '[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}'
 }