diff --git a/kythe/release/cloudbuild/bazelisk-builder-client/Dockerfile b/kythe/release/cloudbuild/bazelisk-builder-client/Dockerfile
index f331dbef52..2f1c955510 100644
--- a/kythe/release/cloudbuild/bazelisk-builder-client/Dockerfile
+++ b/kythe/release/cloudbuild/bazelisk-builder-client/Dockerfile
@@ -42,3 +42,5 @@ RUN curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/bazelbuild/bazelisk/releases/latest \
 
 # Add the wrapper script for USE_BAZEL_VERSION=min support.
 ADD bazel /usr/bin/bazel
+# Use a custom system bazelrc file as well.
+ADD bazelrc /etc/bazel.bazelrc
diff --git a/kythe/release/cloudbuild/bazelisk-builder-client/bazelrc b/kythe/release/cloudbuild/bazelisk-builder-client/bazelrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..faa0db6c83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kythe/release/cloudbuild/bazelisk-builder-client/bazelrc
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+build --noshow_loading_progress
+test --test_output=errors --test_summary=terse --test_verbose_timeout_warnings
+test --test_tag_filters=-flaky