diff --git a/proxy/create_exec_interceptor.go b/proxy/create_exec_interceptor.go
index 5414346e9b..3a1af205e0 100644
--- a/proxy/create_exec_interceptor.go
+++ b/proxy/create_exec_interceptor.go
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ func (i *createExecInterceptor) InterceptRequest(r *http.Request) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if cidrs, ok := i.proxy.weaveCIDRsFromConfig(container.Config); ok {
+	_, hasWeaveWait := container.Volumes["/w"]
+	cidrs, hasCIDRs := i.proxy.weaveCIDRsFromConfig(container.Config)
+	if hasCIDRs && hasWeaveWait {
 		Log.Infof("Exec in container %s with WEAVE_CIDR \"%s\"", container.ID, strings.Join(cidrs, " "))
 		cmd := append(weaveWaitEntrypoint, "-s")
 		options.Cmd = append(cmd, options.Cmd...)
diff --git a/test/610_proxy_wait_for_weave_test.sh b/test/610_proxy_wait_for_weave_test.sh
index 7376a70dca..ae218a73c2 100755
--- a/test/610_proxy_wait_for_weave_test.sh
+++ b/test/610_proxy_wait_for_weave_test.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ entrypoint() {
 }
 
 start_suite "Proxy waits for weave to be ready before running container commands"
-weave_on $HOST1 launch-proxy
+weave_on $HOST1 launch
 BASE_IMAGE=busybox
 # Ensure the base image does not exist, so that it will be pulled
 ! docker_on $HOST1 inspect --format=" " $BASE_IMAGE >/dev/null 2>&1 || docker_on $HOST1 rmi $BASE_IMAGE
@@ -22,4 +22,8 @@ assert "entrypoint c2" "$(entrypoint $COMMITTED_IMAGE)"
 # Check weave IP is first ip returned, so java (etc) prefer weave.
 assert "proxy docker_on $HOST1 run -e 'WEAVE_CIDR=10.2.1.1/24' $BASE_IMAGE hostname -i | cut -d' ' -f1" "10.2.1.1"
 
+# Check exec works on containers without weavewait
+docker_on $HOST1 run -dit --name c3 $SMALL_IMAGE /bin/sh
+assert_raises "proxy docker_on $HOST1 exec c3 true"
+
 end_suite