diff --git a/test/utils/docker/centos7/Dockerfile b/test/utils/docker/centos7/Dockerfile
index 6abac60922..69450e0af1 100644
--- a/test/utils/docker/centos7/Dockerfile
+++ b/test/utils/docker/centos7/Dockerfile
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ RUN yum -y install \
     python-pip \
     python-setuptools \
     python-virtualenv
-RUN sed -i -e 's/^\(Defaults\s*requiretty\)/#--- \1/'  /etc/sudoers
+RUN /usr/bin/sed -i -e 's/^\(Defaults\s*requiretty\)/#--- \1/'  /etc/sudoers
 RUN mkdir /etc/ansible/
-RUN echo -e '[local]\nlocalhost ansible_connection=local' > /etc/ansible/hosts
+RUN /usr/bin/echo -e '[local]\nlocalhost ansible_connection=local' > /etc/ansible/hosts
 VOLUME /sys/fs/cgroup /run /tmp
 ENV container=docker
 CMD ["/usr/sbin/init"]
diff --git a/test/utils/docker/ubuntu1404/Dockerfile b/test/utils/docker/ubuntu1404/Dockerfile
index a0144e56d5..25493c1f86 100644
--- a/test/utils/docker/ubuntu1404/Dockerfile
+++ b/test/utils/docker/ubuntu1404/Dockerfile
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ FROM ubuntu:trusty
 RUN apt-get clean; apt-get update -y;
 RUN apt-get install -y \
     debianutils \
+    gawk \
     git \
     locales \
     make \
@@ -10,6 +11,35 @@ RUN apt-get install -y \
     subversion \
     sudo \
     unzip
+
+# helpful things taken from the ubuntu-upstart Dockerfile:
+# https://github.com/tianon/dockerfiles/blob/4d24a12b54b75b3e0904d8a285900d88d3326361/sbin-init/ubuntu/upstart/14.04/Dockerfile
+ADD init-fake.conf /etc/init/fake-container-events.conf
+
+# undo some leet hax of the base image
+RUN rm /usr/sbin/policy-rc.d; \
+	rm /sbin/initctl; dpkg-divert --rename --remove /sbin/initctl
+# remove some pointless services
+RUN /usr/sbin/update-rc.d -f ondemand remove; \
+	for f in \
+		/etc/init/u*.conf \
+		/etc/init/mounted-dev.conf \
+		/etc/init/mounted-proc.conf \
+		/etc/init/mounted-run.conf \
+		/etc/init/mounted-tmp.conf \
+		/etc/init/mounted-var.conf \
+		/etc/init/hostname.conf \
+		/etc/init/networking.conf \
+		/etc/init/tty*.conf \
+		/etc/init/plymouth*.conf \
+		/etc/init/hwclock*.conf \
+		/etc/init/module*.conf\
+	; do \
+		dpkg-divert --local --rename --add "$f"; \
+	done; \
+	echo '# /lib/init/fstab: cleared out for bare-bones Docker' > /lib/init/fstab
+# end things from ubuntu-upstart Dockerfile
+
 RUN apt-get install -y \
     python-coverage \
     python-httplib2 \
@@ -22,9 +52,10 @@ RUN apt-get install -y \
     python-setuptools \
     python-virtualenv \
     python-yaml
-RUN sed -i -e 's/^\(Defaults\s*requiretty\)/#--- \1/'  /etc/sudoers
+RUN rm /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/docker-clean
+RUN /bin/sed -i -e 's/^\(Defaults\s*requiretty\)/#--- \1/'  /etc/sudoers
 RUN mkdir /etc/ansible/
-RUN echo -e '[local]\nlocalhost ansible_connection=local' > /etc/ansible/hosts
+RUN /bin/echo -e "[local]\nlocalhost ansible_connection=local" > /etc/ansible/hosts
 RUN locale-gen en_US.UTF-8
-ENV container=docker
+ENV container docker
 CMD ["/sbin/init"]
diff --git a/test/utils/docker/ubuntu1404/init-fake.conf b/test/utils/docker/ubuntu1404/init-fake.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f5db965051
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/utils/docker/ubuntu1404/init-fake.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# fake some events needed for correct startup other services
+
+description     "In-Container Upstart Fake Events"
+
+start on startup
+
+script
+	rm -rf /var/run/*.pid
+	rm -rf /var/run/network/*
+	/sbin/initctl emit stopped JOB=udevtrigger --no-wait
+	/sbin/initctl emit started JOB=udev --no-wait
+	/sbin/initctl emit runlevel RUNLEVEL=3 --no-wait
+end script