diff --git a/test/200_dns_test.sh b/test/200_dns_test.sh
index 045cdacc..3a04ef45 100755
--- a/test/200_dns_test.sh
+++ b/test/200_dns_test.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 C1=10.2.0.78
 C2=10.2.0.34
+NAME=seetwo.weave.local
 
 start_suite "Resolve names on a single host"
 
@@ -13,13 +14,9 @@ weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24
 
 docker_on $HOST1 rm -f c1 c2 || true
 
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 -h seetwo.weave.local ubuntu
+weave_on $HOST1 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 -h $NAME ubuntu
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns $C1/24 -t --name=c1 aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig +short seetwo.weave.local)
-assert "echo $ok" "$C2"
-
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig +short -x $C2)
-assert "echo $ok" "seetwo.weave.local."
+assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $NAME $C2
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh b/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh
index 2e72e262..9629c12f 100755
--- a/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh
+++ b/test/210_dns_multicast_test.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 C1=10.2.3.78
 C2=10.2.3.34
+NAME=seetwo.weave.local
 
 start_suite "Resolve names across hosts"
 
@@ -19,16 +20,11 @@ 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 seetwo.weave.local ubuntu
+weave_on $HOST2 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 -h $NAME ubuntu
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns $C1/24 --name=c1 -t aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig +short seetwo.weave.local)
-assert "echo $ok" "$C2"
+assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $NAME $C2
 
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig +short -x $C2)
-assert "echo $ok" "seetwo.weave.local."
-
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig +short -x 8.8.8.8)
-assert "test -n \"$ok\" && echo pass" "pass"
+assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 getent hosts 8.8.8.8 | grep google"
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh b/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh
index 6ed56f04..94388f12 100755
--- a/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh
+++ b/test/220_dns_custom_test.sh
@@ -4,22 +4,20 @@
 
 C1=10.2.56.34
 C2=10.2.54.91
+DOMAIN=foo.bar
+NAME=seetwo.$DOMAIN
 
 start_suite "Resolve names in custom domain"
 
 weave_on $HOST1 stop || true
 weave_on $HOST1 stop-dns || true
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 --domain foo.bar.
+weave_on $HOST1 launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 --domain $DOMAIN.
 
 docker_on $HOST1 rm -f c1 c2 || true
 
-weave_on $HOST1 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 -h seetwo.foo.bar ubuntu
+weave_on $HOST1 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 -h $NAME ubuntu
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns $C1/24 -t --name=c1 aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig +short seetwo.foo.bar.)
-assert "echo $ok" "$C2"
-
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig +short -x $C2)
-assert "echo $ok" "seetwo.foo.bar."
+assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $NAME $C2
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/300_fallback_dns_test.sh b/test/300_fallback_dns_test.sh
index 19e8cabd..8e665efb 100755
--- a/test/300_fallback_dns_test.sh
+++ b/test/300_fallback_dns_test.sh
@@ -10,10 +10,7 @@ docker_on $HOST1 rm -f c1 || true
 
 weave_on $HOST1 run --with-dns 10.2.1.5/24 --name=c1 -t aanand/docker-dnsutils /bin/sh
 
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig +short -t MX weave.works)
-assert "test -n \"$ok\" && echo pass" "pass"
-
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig +short -x 8.8.8.8)
-assert "test -n \"$ok\" && echo pass" "pass"
+assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 host -t mx weave.works | grep google"
+assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 getent hosts 8.8.8.8   | grep google"
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/400_weave_local_test.sh b/test/400_weave_local_test.sh
index 2658a160..0b198951 100755
--- a/test/400_weave_local_test.sh
+++ b/test/400_weave_local_test.sh
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ assert_raises "docker_on $HOST1 ps | grep weave" 0
 
 docker_on $HOST1 rm -f c1 || true
 run_on $HOST1 sudo ./weave --local run 10.2.6.5/24 -ti --name=c1 ubuntu
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 ifconfig | grep ethwe)
-assert "test -n \"$ok\" && echo pass" "pass"
+
+assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 ifconfig | grep ethwe"
 
 docker_on $HOST1 rm -f c1 || true
 
diff --git a/test/config.sh b/test/config.sh
index c67896ba..02656018 100644
--- a/test/config.sh
+++ b/test/config.sh
@@ -88,6 +88,12 @@ exec_on() {
     docker -H tcp://$host:2375 exec $container "$@"
 }
 
+# assert_dns_record <host> <container> <name> <ip>
+assert_dns_record() {
+    assert "exec_on $1 $2 getent hosts $3 | tr -s ' '" "$4 $3"
+    assert "exec_on $1 $2 getent hosts $4 | tr -s ' '" "$4 $3"
+}
+
 start_suite() {
     whitely echo $@
 }