diff --git a/doc/changelog.md b/doc/changelog.md
index 08f479235..fd6deda01 100644
--- a/doc/changelog.md
+++ b/doc/changelog.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
   - HTTP method and status code can be specified when waiting on an HTTP URL (#258)
   - Introduced global `portPropertyFile` setting (#90)
   - Allow the container's host ip to be bound to a maven property and exported
+  - Add logic to specify exec commands during postStart and preStop (#272)
 
 * **0.13.2**
   - "run" directives can be added to the Dockerfile (#191)
diff --git a/doc/manual.md b/doc/manual.md
index 04463ce99..779624731 100644
--- a/doc/manual.md
+++ b/doc/manual.md
@@ -806,7 +806,10 @@ some condition is met. These conditions can be specified within a
 * **shutdown** is the time to wait in milliseconds between stopping a container
   and removing it. This might be helpful in situation where a Docker croaks with an
   error when trying to remove a container to fast after it has been stopped.
-
+* **exec** Specifies commands to execute during specified lifecycle of the container. It knows the following sub-elements:
+  - **postStart** Command to run after the above wait criteria has been met
+  - **preStop** Command to run before the container is stopped.
+  
 As soon as one condition is met the build continues. If you add a
 `<time>` constraint this works more or less as a timeout for other
 conditions. The build will abort if you wait on an url or log output and reach the timeout. 
@@ -823,6 +826,10 @@ Example:
   </http>
   <time>10000</time>
   <shutdown>500</shutdown>
+  <exec>
+     <postStart>/opt/init_db.sh</postStart>
+     <preStop>/opt/notify_end.sh</preStop>
+  </exec>
 </wait>
 ```` 
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/StartMojo.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/StartMojo.java
index 6ab0fd461..151ebbec0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/StartMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/StartMojo.java
@@ -93,6 +93,10 @@ public synchronized void executeInternal(final DockerAccess dockerAccess) throws
 
                 // Wait if requested
                 waitIfRequested(dockerAccess,imageConfig, projProperties, containerId);
+                WaitConfiguration waitConfig = runConfig.getWaitConfiguration();
+                if (waitConfig != null && waitConfig.getExec() != null && waitConfig.getExec().getPostStart() != null) {
+                    runService.createAndStartExecContainer(containerId, waitConfig.getExec().getPostStart());
+                }
             }
             if (follow) {
                 runService.addShutdownHookForStoppingContainers(keepContainer,removeVolumes);
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/WatchMojo.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/WatchMojo.java
index 423551b4e..49688fcd8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/WatchMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/WatchMojo.java
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public class WatchMojo extends AbstractBuildSupportMojo {
     // Scheduler
     private ScheduledExecutorService executor;
 
-    
+
     @Override
     protected synchronized void executeInternal(DockerAccess dockerAccess) throws DockerAccessException, MojoExecutionException {
         // Important to be be a single threaded scheduler since watch jobs must run serialized
@@ -82,14 +82,14 @@ protected synchronized void executeInternal(DockerAccess dockerAccess) throws Do
         RunService runService = serviceHub.getRunService();
 
         MojoParameters mojoParameters = createMojoParameters();
-        
+
         try {
             for (StartOrderResolver.Resolvable resolvable : runService.getImagesConfigsInOrder(queryService, getImages())) {
                 final ImageConfiguration imageConfig = (ImageConfiguration) resolvable;
 
                 String imageId = queryService.getImageId(imageConfig.getName());
                 String containerId = runService.lookupContainer(imageConfig.getName());
-                
+
                 ImageWatcher watcher = new ImageWatcher(imageConfig, imageId, containerId);
 
                 ArrayList<String> tasks = new ArrayList<>();
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ protected synchronized void executeInternal(DockerAccess dockerAccess) throws Do
         }
     }
 
-    private void scheduleBuildWatchTask(DockerAccess dockerAccess, ImageWatcher watcher, 
+    private void scheduleBuildWatchTask(DockerAccess dockerAccess, ImageWatcher watcher,
             MojoParameters mojoParameters, boolean doRestart) throws MojoExecutionException {
         executor.scheduleAtFixedRate(
                 createBuildWatchTask(dockerAccess, watcher, mojoParameters, doRestart),
@@ -190,12 +190,28 @@ private void restartContainer(ImageWatcher watcher) throws DockerAccessException
         ImageConfiguration imageConfig = watcher.getImageConfiguration();
         PortMapping mappedPorts = runService.getPortMapping(imageConfig.getRunConfiguration(), project.getProperties());
         String id = watcher.getContainerId();
+
+        String optionalPreStop = getPreStopCommand(imageConfig);
+        if (optionalPreStop != null) {
+            runService.createAndStartExecContainer(id, optionalPreStop);
+        }
         runService.stopContainer(id, false, false);
 
         // Start new one
         watcher.setContainerId(runService.createAndStartContainer(imageConfig, mappedPorts, project.getProperties()));
     }
 
+    private String getPreStopCommand(ImageConfiguration imageConfig) {
+        if (imageConfig.getRunConfiguration() != null) {
+            if (imageConfig.getRunConfiguration().getWaitConfiguration() != null) {
+                if (imageConfig.getRunConfiguration().getWaitConfiguration().getExec() != null) {
+                    return imageConfig.getRunConfiguration().getWaitConfiguration().getExec().getPreStop();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
     private void callPostGoal(ImageWatcher watcher) throws MojoFailureException, MojoExecutionException {
         String postGoal = watcher.getPostGoal();
         if (postGoal != null) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/DockerAccess.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/DockerAccess.java
index e9f1079a3..cd4102d3f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/DockerAccess.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/DockerAccess.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.log.LogCallback;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.log.LogGetHandle;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.config.Arguments;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.model.*;
 
 /**
@@ -49,10 +50,28 @@ public interface DockerAccess {
      * @throws DockerAccessException if the containers could not be listed
      */
     List<Container> listContainers(int limit) throws DockerAccessException;
-    
+    /**
+     * Starts a previously set up exec instance id.
+     * this API sets up an interactive session with the exec command
+     *
+     * @param containerId id of the exec container
+     * @return stdout/stderr of running the exec container
+     * @throws DockerAccessException if the container could not be created.
+     */
+    String startExecContainer(String containerId) throws DockerAccessException;
+
+    /**
+     * Sets up an exec instance for a running container id
+     *
+     * @param arguments container exec commands to run
+     * @param containerId id of the running container which the exec container will be created for
+     * @throws DockerAccessException if the container could not be created.
+     */
+    String createExecContainer(Arguments arguments, String containerId) throws DockerAccessException;
+
     /**
      * Create a container from the given image.
-     * 
+     *
      * <p>The <code>container id</code> will be set on the <code>container</code> upon successful creation.</p>
      *
      * @param configuration container configuration
@@ -60,7 +79,7 @@ public interface DockerAccess {
      * @throws DockerAccessException if the container could not be created.
      */
     String createContainer(ContainerCreateConfig configuration, String containerName) throws DockerAccessException;
-    
+
     /**
      * Start a container.
      *
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/UrlBuilder.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/UrlBuilder.java
index 455983b65..4bc02bd16 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/UrlBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/UrlBuilder.java
@@ -76,6 +76,14 @@ public String startContainer(String containerId) {
         return u("containers/%s/start", containerId).toString();
     }
 
+    public String createExecContainer(String containerId) {
+        return u("containers/%s/exec", containerId).url;
+    }
+
+    public String startExecContainer(String containerId) {
+        return u("exec/%s/start", containerId).url;
+    }
+
     public String stopContainer(String containerId) {
         return u("containers/%s/stop", containerId).toString();
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/hc/DockerAccessWithHcClient.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/hc/DockerAccessWithHcClient.java
index ba6c1ae00..913cf2c51 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/hc/DockerAccessWithHcClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/access/hc/DockerAccessWithHcClient.java
@@ -1,22 +1,32 @@
 package org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.hc;
 
-import java.io.*;
-import java.net.URI;
-import java.util.*;
-
 import org.apache.http.HttpResponse;
 import org.apache.http.client.ResponseHandler;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.*;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.chunked.*;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.hc.http.HttpClientBuilder;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.hc.unix.UnixSocketClientBuilder;
-import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.log.*;
-import org.jolokia.docker.maven.model.*;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.log.LogCallback;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.log.LogGetHandle;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.log.LogRequestor;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.config.Arguments;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.model.Container;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.model.ContainerDetails;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.model.ContainersListElement;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.util.ImageName;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.util.Logger;
 import org.json.JSONArray;
 import org.json.JSONObject;
 
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.net.URI;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
 import static java.net.HttpURLConnection.*;
 import static org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.hc.ApacheHttpClientDelegate.*;
 
@@ -71,6 +81,48 @@ public DockerAccessWithHcClient(String apiVersion, String baseUrl, String certPa
         }
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public String startExecContainer(String containerId) throws DockerAccessException {
+        try {
+            String url = urlBuilder.startExecContainer(containerId);
+            JSONObject request = new JSONObject();
+            request.put("Detach", false);
+            request.put("Tty", false);
+
+            return delegate.post(url, request.toString(), new BodyResponseHandler(), HTTP_OK);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            log.error(e.getMessage());
+            throw new DockerAccessException("Unable to start container id [%s]", containerId);
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String createExecContainer(Arguments arguments, String containerId) throws DockerAccessException {
+        String url = urlBuilder.createExecContainer(containerId);
+        JSONObject request = new JSONObject();
+        request.put("Tty", false);
+        request.put("AttachStdin", true);
+        request.put("AttachStdout", true);
+        request.put("AttachStderr", true);
+        request.put("Cmd", arguments.getExec());
+
+        String execJsonRequest = request.toString();
+        try {
+            String response = delegate.post(url, execJsonRequest, new BodyResponseHandler(), HTTP_CREATED);
+            JSONObject json = new JSONObject(response);
+            if (json.has("Warnings")) {
+                logWarnings(json);
+            }
+
+            return json.getString("Id");
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            log.error(e.getMessage());
+            throw new DockerAccessException("Unable to exec [%s] on container [%s]", request.toString(),
+                    containerId);
+        }
+
+    }
+
     @Override
     public String createContainer(ContainerCreateConfig containerConfig, String containerName)
             throws DockerAccessException {
@@ -126,7 +178,7 @@ public void buildImage(String image, File dockerArchive, boolean forceRemove)
             throw new DockerAccessException("Unable to build image [%s]", image);
         }
     }
-    
+
     @Override
     public void getLogSync(String containerId, LogCallback callback) {
         LogRequestor
@@ -229,7 +281,7 @@ public void pullImage(String image, AuthConfig authConfig, String registry)
                           createPullOrPushResponseHandler(), HTTP_OK);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             log.error(e.getMessage());
-            throw new DockerAccessException("Unable to pull '%s'%s", image, (registry != null) ? " from registry '" + registry + "'" : ""); 
+            throw new DockerAccessException("Unable to pull '%s'%s", image, (registry != null) ? " from registry '" + registry + "'" : "");
         }
     }
 
@@ -244,7 +296,7 @@ public void pushImage(String image, AuthConfig authConfig, String registry)
                           createPullOrPushResponseHandler(), HTTP_OK);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             log.error(e.getMessage());
-            throw new DockerAccessException("Unable to push '%s'%s", image, (registry != null) ? " from registry '" + registry + "'" : ""); 
+            throw new DockerAccessException("Unable to push '%s'%s", image, (registry != null) ? " from registry '" + registry + "'" : "");
         } finally {
             if (temporaryImage != null) {
                 removeImage(temporaryImage);
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/WaitConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/WaitConfiguration.java
index 5ce47f76d..8667886bd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/WaitConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/WaitConfiguration.java
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ public class WaitConfiguration {
      */
     private HttpConfiguration http;
 
+    /**
+     * @parameter
+     */
+    private ExecConfiguration exec;
+
     /**
      * @parameter
      */
@@ -34,14 +39,14 @@ public class WaitConfiguration {
 
     public WaitConfiguration() {}
 
-    private WaitConfiguration(int time, HttpConfiguration http, String log, int shutdown) {
+    private WaitConfiguration(int time, ExecConfiguration exec, HttpConfiguration http, String log, int shutdown) {
         this.time = time;
+        this.exec = exec;
         this.http = http;
         this.log = log;
         this.shutdown = shutdown;
     }
 
-
     public int getTime() {
         return time;
     }
@@ -50,6 +55,10 @@ public String getUrl() {
         return http != null ? http.getUrl() : url;
     }
 
+    public ExecConfiguration getExec() {
+        return exec;
+    }
+
     public HttpConfiguration getHttp() {
         return http;
     }
@@ -68,6 +77,8 @@ public static class Builder {
         private int time = 0,shutdown = 0;
         private String url,log,status;
         private String method;
+        private String preStop;
+        private String postStart;
 
         public Builder time(int time) {
             this.time = time;
@@ -100,7 +111,40 @@ public Builder shutdown(int shutdown) {
         }
 
         public WaitConfiguration build() {
-            return new WaitConfiguration(time,new HttpConfiguration(url,method,status), log,shutdown);
+            return new WaitConfiguration(time, new ExecConfiguration(postStart, preStop), new HttpConfiguration(url,method,status), log, shutdown);
+        }
+
+        public Builder preStop(String command) {
+            this.preStop = command;
+            return this;
+        }
+
+        public Builder postStart(String command) {
+            this.postStart = command;
+            return this;
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static class ExecConfiguration {
+        /** @parameter */
+        private String postStart;
+        /** @parameter */
+        private String preStop;
+
+        public ExecConfiguration() {
+        }
+
+        public ExecConfiguration(String postStart, String preStop) {
+            this.postStart = postStart;
+            this.preStop = preStop;
+        }
+
+        public String getPostStart() {
+            return postStart;
+        }
+
+        public String getPreStop() {
+            return preStop;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/ConfigKey.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/ConfigKey.java
index bca945794..9effa0bce 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/ConfigKey.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/ConfigKey.java
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ public enum ConfigKey {
     WORKDIR,
     VOLUMES_FROM,
     WAIT_LOG("wait.log"),
+    POST_START("wait.exec.postStart"),
+    PRE_STOP("wait.exec.preStop"),
     WAIT_TIME("wait.time"),
     WAIT_URL("wait.url"),
     WAIT_HTTP_URL("wait.http.url"),
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/PropertyConfigHandler.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/PropertyConfigHandler.java
index 414f40fd0..0655dc9c3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/PropertyConfigHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/PropertyConfigHandler.java
@@ -168,6 +168,8 @@ private WaitConfiguration extractWaitConfig(String prefix, Properties properties
         return new WaitConfiguration.Builder()
                 .time(asInt(withPrefix(prefix, WAIT_TIME,properties)))
                 .url(url)
+                .preStop(withPrefix(prefix, PRE_STOP, properties))
+                .postStart(withPrefix(prefix, POST_START, properties))
                 .method(withPrefix(prefix, WAIT_HTTP_METHOD, properties))
                 .status(withPrefix(prefix, WAIT_HTTP_STATUS, properties))
                 .log(withPrefix(prefix, WAIT_LOG, properties))
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/RunService.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/RunService.java
index cbb05eec4..1ad478e47 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/RunService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/RunService.java
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.model.Container;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.util.*;
 
+import static edu.emory.mathcs.backport.java.util.Arrays.asList;
+import static org.jolokia.docker.maven.util.EnvUtil.splitOnSpaceWithEscape;
+
 /**
  * Service class for helping in running containers.
  *
@@ -36,7 +39,7 @@ public class RunService {
     // Action to be used when doing a shutdown
     //private final Map<String,ShutdownAction> shutdownActionMap = new LinkedHashMap<>();
     private ContainerTracker tracker;
-    
+
     // DAO for accessing the docker daemon
     private DockerAccess docker;
 
@@ -49,6 +52,22 @@ public RunService(DockerAccess docker, QueryService queryService, ContainerTrack
         this.log = log;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Create and start a Exec container with the given image configuration.
+     * @param containerId container id to run exec command against
+     *
+     * @return the exec container id
+     *
+     * @throws DockerAccessException if access to the docker backend fails
+     */
+    public String createAndStartExecContainer(String containerId, String command) throws DockerAccessException {
+        Arguments arguments = new Arguments();
+        arguments.setExec(asList(splitOnSpaceWithEscape(command)));
+        String execContainerId = docker.createExecContainer(arguments, containerId);
+        docker.startExecContainer(execContainerId);
+        return execContainerId;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Create and start a container with the given image configuration.
      * @param imageConfig image configuration holding the run information and the image name
@@ -69,11 +88,11 @@ public String createAndStartContainer(ImageConfiguration imageConfig,
 
         String id = docker.createContainer(config, containerName);
         startContainer(imageConfig, id);
-        
+
         if (mappedPorts.containsDynamicPorts()) {
             updateMappedPorts(id, mappedPorts);
         }
-        
+
         return id;
     }
 
@@ -267,14 +286,14 @@ List<String> findVolumesFromContainers(List<String> images) throws DockerAccessE
                 if (id == null) {
                     throw new DockerAccessException("No container found for image/alias '%s', unable to mount volumes", image);
                 }
-                
-                list.add(queryService.getContainerName(id));            
+
+                list.add(queryService.getContainerName(id));
             }
         }
         return list;
     }
 
-    
+
     private String calculateContainerName(String alias, RunImageConfiguration.NamingStrategy namingStrategy) {
         if (namingStrategy == RunImageConfiguration.NamingStrategy.none) {
             return null;
@@ -288,7 +307,7 @@ private String calculateContainerName(String alias, RunImageConfiguration.Naming
     // checkAllContainers: false = only running containers are considered
     private String findContainerId(String imageNameOrAlias, boolean checkAllContainers) throws DockerAccessException {
         String id = lookupContainer(imageNameOrAlias);
-        
+
         // check for external container. The image name is interpreted as a *container name* for that case ...
         if (id == null) {
             Container container = queryService.getContainerByName(imageNameOrAlias);
@@ -298,13 +317,13 @@ private String findContainerId(String imageNameOrAlias, boolean checkAllContaine
         }
         return id;
     }
-    
+
     private void startContainer(ImageConfiguration imageConfig, String id) throws DockerAccessException {
         log.info(imageConfig.getDescription() + ": Start container " + id);
         docker.startContainer(id);
         tracker.registerShutdownAction(id, imageConfig);
     }
-    
+
     private void updateMappedPorts(String containerId, PortMapping mappedPorts) throws DockerAccessException {
         Container container = queryService.getContainer(containerId);
         mappedPorts.updateVariablesWithDynamicPorts(container.getPortBindings());
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/ShutdownAction.java b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/ShutdownAction.java
index bf487ffd2..eae7dc65c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/ShutdownAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/ShutdownAction.java
@@ -15,11 +15,18 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+import edu.emory.mathcs.backport.java.util.Arrays;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.DockerAccess;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.DockerAccessException;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.config.*;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.config.Arguments.Builder;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.util.EnvUtil;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.util.Logger;
 
+import java.util.List;
+
+import static edu.emory.mathcs.backport.java.util.Arrays.asList;
+import static org.jolokia.docker.maven.util.EnvUtil.splitOnSpaceWithEscape;
 import static org.jolokia.docker.maven.util.WaitUtil.sleep;
 
 /**
@@ -40,6 +47,8 @@ class ShutdownAction {
     // How long to wait after shutdown (in milliseconds)
     private int shutdownGracePeriod;
 
+    private String preStop;
+
     ShutdownAction(ImageConfiguration imageConfig, String containerId) {
         this.image = imageConfig.getName();
         this.containerId = containerId;
@@ -47,6 +56,10 @@ class ShutdownAction {
         RunImageConfiguration runConfig = imageConfig.getRunConfiguration();
         WaitConfiguration waitConfig = runConfig != null ? runConfig.getWaitConfiguration() : null;
         this.shutdownGracePeriod = waitConfig != null ? waitConfig.getShutdown() : 0;
+
+        if (waitConfig != null && waitConfig.getExec() != null) {
+            this.preStop = waitConfig.getExec().getPreStop();
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -69,6 +82,17 @@ public boolean applies(String pImage) {
      */
     public void shutdown(DockerAccess access, Logger log, boolean keepContainer, boolean removeVolumes)
             throws DockerAccessException {
+
+        if (preStop != null) {
+            try {
+                Arguments arguments = new Arguments();
+                arguments.setExec(asList(splitOnSpaceWithEscape(preStop)));
+                String execContainerId = access.createExecContainer(arguments, containerId);
+                access.startExecContainer(execContainerId);
+            } catch (DockerAccessException e) {
+                log.error(e.getMessage());
+            }
+        }
         // Stop the container
         access.stopContainer(containerId);
         if (!keepContainer) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/integration/DockerAccessIT.java b/src/test/java/integration/DockerAccessIT.java
index 9eaa08522..34efc5dac 100644
--- a/src/test/java/integration/DockerAccessIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/integration/DockerAccessIT.java
@@ -5,15 +5,18 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
+import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 import edu.emory.mathcs.backport.java.util.Arrays;
 import org.apache.maven.plugin.logging.SystemStreamLog;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.AbstractDockerMojo;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.*;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.access.hc.DockerAccessWithHcClient;
+import org.jolokia.docker.maven.config.Arguments;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.model.Container.PortBinding;
 import org.jolokia.docker.maven.util.*;
 import org.junit.*;
 
+import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.is;
 import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 
 /*
@@ -26,13 +29,13 @@ public class DockerAccessIT {
 
     private static final String CONTAINER_NAME = "integration-test";
     private static final String IMAGE = "busybox:buildroot-2014.02";
-    
+
     private static final String IMAGE_TAG = "busybox:tagged";
     private static final int PORT = 5677;
 
     private String containerId;
     private final DockerAccessWithHcClient dockerClient;
-    
+
     public DockerAccessIT() {
         this.dockerClient = createClient(EnvUtil.extractUrl(null), new AnsiLogger(new SystemStreamLog(), true, true));
     }
@@ -43,27 +46,27 @@ public void setup() throws DockerAccessException {
         testRemoveImage(IMAGE);
         testRemoveImage(IMAGE_TAG);
     }
-    
+
     @Test
     @Ignore
     public void testBuildImage() throws DockerAccessException {
         File file = new File("src/test/resources/integration/busybox-test.tar");
         dockerClient.buildImage(IMAGE_TAG, file, false);
         assertTrue(hasImage(IMAGE_TAG));
-        
+
         testRemoveImage(IMAGE_TAG);
     }
-    
+
     @Test
     public void testPullStartStopRemove() throws DockerAccessException {
         testDoesNotHave();
-        
+
         try {
             testPullImage();
             testTagImage();
-        
             testCreateContainer();
             testStartContainer();
+            testExecContainer();
             testQueryPortMapping();
             testStopContainer();
             testRemoveContainer();
@@ -74,7 +77,7 @@ public void testPullStartStopRemove() throws DockerAccessException {
 
     private DockerAccessWithHcClient createClient(String baseUrl, Logger logger) {
         try {
-            return new DockerAccessWithHcClient(AbstractDockerMojo.API_VERSION, baseUrl, null, 20, logger);
+            return new DockerAccessWithHcClient(AbstractDockerMojo.API_VERSION, baseUrl, EnvUtil.getCertPath(null), 20, logger);
         } catch (@SuppressWarnings("unused") IOException e) {
             // not using ssl, so not going to happen
             throw new RuntimeException();
@@ -106,7 +109,7 @@ private void testQueryPortMapping() throws DockerAccessException {
         Map<String, PortBinding> portMap = dockerClient.inspectContainer(containerId).getPortBindings();
         assertEquals(5677, portMap.values().iterator().next().getHostPort().intValue());
     }
-    
+
     private void testRemoveContainer() throws DockerAccessException {
         dockerClient.removeContainer(containerId, true);
     }
@@ -121,6 +124,13 @@ private void testStartContainer() throws DockerAccessException {
         assertTrue(dockerClient.inspectContainer(containerId).isRunning());
     }
 
+    private void testExecContainer() throws DockerAccessException {
+        Arguments arguments = new Arguments();
+        arguments.setExec(Lists.newArrayList("echo", "test", "echo"));
+        String execContainerId = dockerClient.createExecContainer(arguments, this.containerId);
+        assertThat(dockerClient.startExecContainer(execContainerId), is("test echo"));
+    }
+
     private void testStopContainer() throws DockerAccessException {
         dockerClient.stopContainer(containerId);
         assertFalse(dockerClient.inspectContainer(containerId).isRunning());
@@ -129,11 +139,11 @@ private void testStopContainer() throws DockerAccessException {
     private void testTagImage() throws DockerAccessException {
         dockerClient.tag(IMAGE, IMAGE_TAG,false);
         assertTrue(hasImage(IMAGE_TAG));
-        
+
         dockerClient.removeImage(IMAGE_TAG, false);
         assertFalse(hasImage(IMAGE_TAG));
     }
-    
+
     private boolean hasImage(String image) throws DockerAccessException {
         return dockerClient.hasImage(image);
     }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/PropertyConfigHandlerTest.java b/src/test/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/PropertyConfigHandlerTest.java
index 213374a94..adadb61a5 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/PropertyConfigHandlerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/config/handler/property/PropertyConfigHandlerTest.java
@@ -242,6 +242,8 @@ private void validateRunConfiguration(RunImageConfiguration runConfig) {
         WaitConfiguration wait = runConfig.getWaitConfiguration();
         assertEquals("http://foo.com", wait.getUrl());
         assertEquals("pattern", wait.getLog());
+        assertEquals("post_start_command", wait.getExec().getPostStart());
+        assertEquals("pre_stop_command", wait.getExec().getPreStop());
         assertEquals(5, wait.getTime());
     }
 
@@ -301,6 +303,8 @@ private String[] getTestData() {
                 k(USER), "tomcat",
                 k(VOLUMES) + ".1","/foo",
                 k(VOLUMES_FROM) + ".1", "from",
+                k(PRE_STOP), "pre_stop_command",
+                k(POST_START), "post_start_command",
                 k(WAIT_LOG), "pattern",
                 k(WAIT_TIME), "5",
                 k(WAIT_URL), "http://foo.com",
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/ShutdownActionTest.java b/src/test/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/ShutdownActionTest.java
index cc89ef56c..98af6c23a 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/ShutdownActionTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/jolokia/docker/maven/service/ShutdownActionTest.java
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ public void shutdownWithoutKeepingContainers() throws Exception {
         }};
 
         long start = System.currentTimeMillis();
-        action.shutdown(docker,log,false,false);
+        action.shutdown(docker, log, false, false);
         assertTrue("Waited for at least " + SHUTDOWN_WAIT + " ms",
-                   System.currentTimeMillis() - start >= SHUTDOWN_WAIT);
+                System.currentTimeMillis() - start >= SHUTDOWN_WAIT);
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -78,6 +78,23 @@ public void shutdownWithKeepingContainer() throws Exception {
 
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void shutdownWithPreStopExecConfig() throws Exception {
+        ShutdownAction action = new ShutdownAction(createImageConfigWithExecConfig(SHUTDOWN_WAIT),container);
+
+        new Expectations() {{
+            docker.createExecContainer((Arguments) withNotNull(), container); result = "execContainerId";
+            docker.startExecContainer("execContainerId");
+            docker.stopContainer(container);
+            log.info(with(getLogArgCheck(container, false)));
+        }};
+        long start = System.currentTimeMillis();
+        action.shutdown(docker,log,true,false);
+        assertTrue("No wait",
+                   System.currentTimeMillis() - start < SHUTDOWN_WAIT);
+
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testWithoutWait() throws Exception {
         ShutdownAction action = new ShutdownAction(createImageConfig(0),container);
@@ -128,4 +145,18 @@ private ImageConfiguration createImageConfig(int wait) {
                                    .build())
                 .build();
     }
+
+    private ImageConfiguration createImageConfigWithExecConfig(int wait) {
+        return new ImageConfiguration.Builder()
+                .name("testName")
+                .alias("testAlias")
+                .runConfig(new RunImageConfiguration.Builder()
+                                   .wait(new WaitConfiguration.Builder()
+                                                 .shutdown(wait)
+                                                 .preStop("pre-stop-command")
+                                                 .postStart("post-start-command")
+                                                 .build())
+                                   .build())
+                .build();
+    }
 }
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