diff --git a/test/700_status_and_report_test.sh b/test/700_status_and_report_test.sh
index de32dc72..19727201 100755
--- a/test/700_status_and_report_test.sh
+++ b/test/700_status_and_report_test.sh
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 . ./config.sh
 
 UNIVERSE=10.2.0.0/16
-IPTABLES_BACKUP=/tmp/700_status_and_report_test.iptables
-CHECKPOINT_URL=https://checkpoint-api.weave.works/v1/check/weave-net
 
 start_suite "weave status/report"
 
@@ -35,20 +33,13 @@ assert_raises "weave_on $HOST1 status | grep 'version check update disabled'"
 
 
 
-# Block outgoing traffic to Weave's checkpoint API, to prevent retrieval of latest version:
-run_on $HOST1 "sudo iptables-save > $IPTABLES_BACKUP"
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || greyly echo "Backed iptables rules up:"
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || run_on $HOST1 cat $IPTABLES_BACKUP
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || greyly echo "Updating iptables rules."
-run_on $HOST1 sudo iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp -d checkpoint-api.weave.works --dport 443 -j REJECT --reject-with tcp-reset
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || greyly echo "Updated iptables rules:"
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || run_on $HOST1 sudo iptables -L
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || greyly echo "Test access to checkpoint:"
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || run_on $HOST1 "curl -X GET $CHECKPOINT_URL || true"
-
 weave_on $HOST1 reset
-
-CHECKPOINT_DISABLE="" weave_on $HOST1 launch
+# Guarantee the version check fails by feeding an unresponsive IP address into the resolver
+$SSH $HOST1 tee /tmp/hosts.checkpoint-api > /dev/null <<EOF
+127.0.0.1 localhost
+127.1.1.1 checkpoint-api.weave.works
+EOF
+CHECKPOINT_DISABLE="" WEAVE_DOCKER_ARGS="-v /tmp/hosts.checkpoint-api:/etc/hosts" weave_on $HOST1 launch
 
 assert "weave_on $HOST1 report -f '{{.VersionCheck.Enabled}}'" "true"
 assert "weave_on $HOST1 report -f '{{.VersionCheck.Success}}'" "false"
@@ -56,14 +47,6 @@ assert "weave_on $HOST1 report -f '{{.VersionCheck.NewVersion}}'" ""
 assert_raises "weave_on $HOST1 status | grep 'failed to check latest version - see logs; next check at'"
 
 
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || greyly echo "Reverting iptables rules."
-run_on $HOST1 "sudo iptables-restore < $IPTABLES_BACKUP"
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || greyly echo "Reverted iptables rules:"
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || run_on $HOST1 sudo iptables -L
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || greyly echo "Test access to checkpoint:"
-[ -z "$DEBUG" ] || run_on $HOST1 curl -X GET $CHECKPOINT_URL
-
-
 
 weave_on $HOST1 reset