diff --git a/e2e/run_test.go b/e2e/run_test.go
index edff6c9eb..62e676cc1 100644
--- a/e2e/run_test.go
+++ b/e2e/run_test.go
@@ -19,18 +19,19 @@ import (
 	"gotest.tools/assert"
 )
 
+var e2eHome = os.Getenv("IGNITE_E2E_HOME")
+
 func TestIgniteRunWithDockerAndDockerBridge(t *testing.T) {
 	// vmName should be unique for each test
-	const vmName = "e2e_test_ignite_run_docker_docker_bridge"
+	const vmName = "e2e_test_ignite_run_docker_and_docker_bridge"
 
-	dir := os.Getenv("IGNITE_E2E_HOME")
-	assert.Assert(t, dir != "", "IGNITE_E2E_HOME should be set")
+	assert.Assert(t, e2eHome != "", "IGNITE_E2E_HOME should be set")
 
-	binary := path.Join(dir, "bin/ignite")
+	binary := path.Join(e2eHome, "bin/ignite")
 	cmd := exec.Command(binary,
 		"--runtime=docker",
 		"--network-plugin=docker-bridge",
-		"run", "--name=" + vmName,
+		"run", "--name="+vmName,
 		"weaveworks/ignite-ubuntu")
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
@@ -46,3 +47,28 @@ func TestIgniteRunWithDockerAndDockerBridge(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.Check(t, err, fmt.Sprintf("%q should not fail to run", cmd.Args))
 }
+
+func TestIgniteRunWithContainerdAndCNI(t *testing.T) {
+	// vmName should be unique for each test
+	const vmName = "e2e_test_ignite_run_containerd_and_cni"
+
+	binary := path.Join(e2eHome, "bin/ignite")
+	cmd := exec.Command(binary,
+		"--runtime=containerd",
+		"--network-plugin=cni",
+		"run", "--name="+vmName,
+		"weaveworks/ignite-ubuntu")
+	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	err := cmd.Run()
+
+	defer func() {
+		cmd := exec.Command(binary,
+			"--runtime=containerd",
+			"--network-plugin=cni",
+			"rm", "-f", vmName)
+		assert.Check(t, cmd.Run(), "vm removal should not fail")
+	}()
+
+	assert.Check(t, err, fmt.Sprintf("%q should not fail to run", cmd.Args))
+}
diff --git a/pkg/constants/dependencies.go b/pkg/constants/dependencies.go
index 64ad872ed..1a548a69f 100644
--- a/pkg/constants/dependencies.go
+++ b/pkg/constants/dependencies.go
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 package constants
 
-var Dependencies = [...]string{
+var BinaryDependencies = [...]string{
 	"mount",
 	"umount",
 	"tar",
@@ -13,3 +13,14 @@ var Dependencies = [...]string{
 	"ssh",
 	"git",
 }
+
+var PathDependencies = [...]string{
+	"/dev/mapper/control",
+	"/dev/net/tun",
+	"/dev/kvm",
+}
+
+var CNIDependencies = [...]string{
+	"/opt/cni/bin/loopback",
+	"/opt/cni/bin/bridge",
+}
diff --git a/pkg/preflight/checkers/checks.go b/pkg/preflight/checkers/checks.go
index 1e2f8d016..b01e654f6 100644
--- a/pkg/preflight/checkers/checks.go
+++ b/pkg/preflight/checkers/checks.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 	api "github.com/weaveworks/ignite/pkg/apis/ignite"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/ignite/pkg/constants"
+	"github.com/weaveworks/ignite/pkg/network"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/ignite/pkg/preflight"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/ignite/pkg/providers"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
@@ -94,17 +95,20 @@ type AvailablePathChecker struct {
 }
 
 func StartCmdChecks(vm *api.VM, ignoredPreflightErrors sets.String) error {
-	// the number "4" is chosen for the static preflight checkers see below
-	nCheckers := 4 + len(vm.Spec.Network.Ports) + len(constants.Dependencies)
-	checks := make([]preflight.Checker, 0, nCheckers)
-	checks = append(checks, ExistingFileChecker{filePath: "/dev/mapper/control"})
-	checks = append(checks, ExistingFileChecker{filePath: "/dev/net/tun"})
-	checks = append(checks, ExistingFileChecker{filePath: "/dev/kvm"})
+	checks := []preflight.Checker{}
+	for _, dependency := range constants.PathDependencies {
+		checks = append(checks, ExistingFileChecker{filePath: dependency})
+	}
+	if providers.NetworkPluginName == network.PluginCNI {
+		for _, dependency := range constants.CNIDependencies {
+			checks = append(checks, ExistingFileChecker{filePath: dependency})
+		}
+	}
 	checks = append(checks, providers.Runtime.PreflightChecker())
 	for _, port := range vm.Spec.Network.Ports {
 		checks = append(checks, PortOpenChecker{port: port.HostPort})
 	}
-	for _, dependency := range constants.Dependencies {
+	for _, dependency := range constants.BinaryDependencies {
 		checks = append(checks, BinInPathChecker{bin: dependency})
 	}
 	return runChecks(checks, ignoredPreflightErrors)