diff --git a/test/200_dns_test.sh b/test/200_dns_test.sh
index 569eb4d9..49fa215a 100755
--- a/test/200_dns_test.sh
+++ b/test/200_dns_test.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ NAME=seetwo.weave.local
 
 start_suite "Resolve names on a single host"
 
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+launch_dns_on $HOST1 10.2.254.1/24
 
 start_container          $HOST1 $C2/24 --name=c2 -h $NAME
 start_container_with_dns $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1
diff --git a/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh b/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh
index d72135ae..dbb559bc 100755
--- a/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh
+++ b/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ NAME2=seetwo.weave.local
 NAME4=seefour.weave.local
 
 start() {
-    weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns $1 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS >/dev/null
-    weave_on $HOST2 launch-dns $2 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS >/dev/null
+    launch_dns_on $HOST1 $1 >/dev/null
+    launch_dns_on $HOST2 $2 >/dev/null
 }
 
 stop() {
diff --git a/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh b/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh
index 9a9043ea..ec1b1efe 100755
--- a/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh
+++ b/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ NAME=seetwo.$DOMAIN
 
 start_suite "Resolve names in custom domain"
 
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 --domain $DOMAIN. $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+launch_dns_on $HOST1 10.2.254.1/24 --domain $DOMAIN.
 
 start_container          $HOST1 $C2/24 --name=c2 -h $NAME
 start_container_with_dns $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1
diff --git a/test/230_dns_unqualified_test.sh b/test/230_dns_unqualified_test.sh
index 33b4c504..68c8dadc 100755
--- a/test/230_dns_unqualified_test.sh
+++ b/test/230_dns_unqualified_test.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ NAME=seeone.$DOMAIN
 
 start_suite "Resolve unqualified names"
 
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+launch_dns_on $HOST1 10.2.254.1/24
 
 start_container          $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1 -h $NAME
 start_container_with_dns $HOST1 $C2/24 --name=c2 -h seetwo.$DOMAIN
diff --git a/test/240_dns_add_name_test.sh b/test/240_dns_add_name_test.sh
index 1b0a4070..ce76e225 100755
--- a/test/240_dns_add_name_test.sh
+++ b/test/240_dns_add_name_test.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ NAME3=seethree.weave.local
 
 start_suite "Add and remove names on a single host"
 
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+launch_dns_on $HOST1 10.2.254.1/24
 
 start_container          $HOST1 --without-dns $C2/24 --name=c2
 start_container_with_dns $HOST1               $C1/24 --name=c1
diff --git a/test/260_dns_removal_test.sh b/test/260_dns_removal_test.sh
index 92b90faa..78fa9bd9 100755
--- a/test/260_dns_removal_test.sh
+++ b/test/260_dns_removal_test.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ check() {
 
 start_suite "Automatic DNS record removal on container death"
 
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+launch_dns_on $HOST1 10.2.254.1/24
 start_container_with_dns $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1
 
 start_container $HOST1 $C2/24 $DOPTS
diff --git a/test/290_dns_fallback_test.sh b/test/290_dns_fallback_test.sh
index abcd5bc4..0767e8d7 100755
--- a/test/290_dns_fallback_test.sh
+++ b/test/290_dns_fallback_test.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ DNS_ARGS="--no-cache"
 
 start_suite "Resolve a non-weave address"
 
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+launch_dns_on $HOST1 10.2.254.1/24
 
 start_container_with_dns $HOST1 10.2.1.5/24 --name=c1
 
diff --git a/test/500_weave_multi_cidr_test.sh b/test/500_weave_multi_cidr_test.sh
index 3bedd01d..5bde2bbd 100755
--- a/test/500_weave_multi_cidr_test.sh
+++ b/test/500_weave_multi_cidr_test.sh
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ start_suite "Weave run/start/attach/detach with multiple cidr arguments"
 # lowest available address in the subnet
 
 weave_on $HOST1 launch -debug -iprange 10.2.3.0/24
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.254.254.254/24 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+launch_dns_on $HOST1 10.254.254.254/24
 
 # Run container with three cidrs
 CID=$(start_container $HOST1 ip:10.2.1.1/24 10.2.2.1/24 net:10.2.3.0/24 --name=multicidr -h $NAME | cut -b 1-12)
diff --git a/test/630_proxy_dns_test.sh b/test/630_proxy_dns_test.sh
index f37e388b..d3b9ce04 100755
--- a/test/630_proxy_dns_test.sh
+++ b/test/630_proxy_dns_test.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ weave_on $HOST1 launch-proxy
 assert_no_resolution
 
 # Assert behaviour with weaveDNS running
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+launch_dns_on $HOST1 10.2.254.1/24
 boot_containers
 assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $C2_NAME $C2
 assert_dns_record $HOST1 c2 $C1_NAME $C1
diff --git a/test/640_proxy_restart_reattaches_test.sh b/test/640_proxy_restart_reattaches_test.sh
index b189957e..b85e87c4 100755
--- a/test/640_proxy_restart_reattaches_test.sh
+++ b/test/640_proxy_restart_reattaches_test.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ NAME=seetwo.weave.local
 
 start_suite "Proxy restart reattaches networking to containers"
 
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+launch_dns_on $HOST1 10.2.254.1/24
 weave_on $HOST1 launch-proxy --with-dns
 proxy docker_on $HOST1 run -e WEAVE_CIDR=$C2/24 -dt --name=c2 -h $NAME $SMALL_IMAGE /bin/sh
 proxy docker_on $HOST1 run -e WEAVE_CIDR=$C1/24 -dt --name=c1          $DNS_IMAGE   /bin/sh
diff --git a/test/config.sh b/test/config.sh
index ba0f5436..3c3c0db4 100644
--- a/test/config.sh
+++ b/test/config.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ CHECK_ETHWE_UP="grep ^1$ /sys/class/net/ethwe/carrier"
 DOCKER_PORT=2375
 
 WEAVEDNS_ARGS="--no-cache"
-[ -n "$DEBUG" ] && WEAVEDNS_ARGS="--debug"
+[ -n "$DEBUG" ] && WEAVEDNS_ARGS="$WEAVEDNS_ARGS --debug"
 
 remote() {
     rem=$1
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@ exec_on() {
     docker -H tcp://$host:$DOCKER_PORT exec $container "$@"
 }
 
+launch_dns_on() {
+    host=$1
+    shift 1
+    weave_on $host launch-dns $@ $WEAVEDNS_ARGS
+}
+
 start_container() {
     host=$1
     shift 1