diff --git a/circle.yml b/circle.yml
index 7266d598b0c..ec21252af79 100644
--- a/circle.yml
+++ b/circle.yml
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@ dependencies:
   pre:
     - docker pull plotly/testbed:latest
   post:
+    - eval $(node tasks/run_docker.js)
     - npm run cibuild
     - npm run pretest
+    - eval $(node tasks/setup_docker.js)
 
 test:
   override:
diff --git a/tasks/pretest.js b/tasks/pretest.js
index e4cbdffe520..e6ca9d90148 100644
--- a/tasks/pretest.js
+++ b/tasks/pretest.js
@@ -2,14 +2,11 @@ var fs = require('fs');
 
 var constants = require('./util/constants');
 var common = require('./util/common');
-var containerCommands = require('./util/container_commands');
-var isCI = process.env.CIRCLECI;
 
 // main
 makeCredentialsFile();
 makeSetPlotConfigFile();
 makeTestImageFolders();
-if(isCI) runAndSetupImageTestContainer();
 
 // Create a credentials json file,
 // to be required in jasmine test suites and test dashboard
@@ -55,30 +52,6 @@ function makeTestImageFolders() {
     makeOne(constants.pathToTestImagesDiff, 'test image diff folder');
 }
 
-// On CircleCI, run and setup image test container once an for all
-function runAndSetupImageTestContainer() {
-
-    function run() {
-        var cmd = containerCommands.dockerRun;
-        common.execCmd(cmd, function() {
-            logger('run docker container');
-
-            setTimeout(setup, 500);
-        });
-    }
-
-    function setup() {
-        var cmd = containerCommands.getRunCmd(isCI, [
-            containerCommands.setup
-        ]);
-        common.execCmd(cmd, function() {
-            logger('setup docker container');
-        });
-    }
-
-    run();
-}
-
 function logger(task) {
     console.log('ok ' + task);
 }
diff --git a/tasks/run_docker.js b/tasks/run_docker.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..804ed83f0c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/run_docker.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+var constants = require('./util/constants');
+var common = require('./util/common');
+var containerCommands = require('./util/container_commands');
+var isCI = process.env.CIRCLECI;
+
+var msg = 'Booting up ' + constants.testContainerName + ' docker container';
+var cmd = containerCommands.dockerRun;
+
+// Log command string on CircleCI,
+//  because node's `child_process.exec()` is having issues there
+
+if(isCI) {
+    console.log(cmd);
+}
+else {
+    console.log(msg);
+    common.execCmd(cmd);
+}
diff --git a/tasks/setup_docker.js b/tasks/setup_docker.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..75b579eb5b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/setup_docker.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+var constants = require('./util/constants');
+var common = require('./util/common');
+var containerCommands = require('./util/container_commands');
+var isCI = process.env.CIRCLECI;
+
+var msg = 'Setting up ' + constants.testContainerName + ' docker container for testing';
+var cmd = containerCommands.getRunCmd(process.env.CIRCLECI, [
+    containerCommands.setup
+]);
+
+// Log command string on CircleCI,
+//  because node's `child_process.exec()` is having issues there
+
+if(isCI) {
+    console.log(cmd);
+}
+else {
+    console.log(msg);
+    common.execCmd(cmd);
+}