diff --git a/roles/command/tasks/main.yml b/roles/command/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4f0fcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/command/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+---
+# vim: set ft=ansible:
+#
+# Runs a command and optionally checks stdout output
+#
+# Parameters:
+#   cmd (string) - command to run
+#   output (string) - optional substring to check for in stdout
+#                     use caution as it is a substring search
+#
+
+- name: Fail if cmd is not defined
+  fail:
+    msg: "cmd is undefined"
+  when: cmd is undefined
+
+- name: Run command
+  command: "{{ cmd }}"
+  register: cmd_output
+
+- name: Verify output
+  fail:
+    msg: "{{ output }} is not in command output"
+  when: output is defined and
+        output not in cmd_output.stdout
diff --git a/roles/etcd_sys_container_install/tasks/main.yml b/roles/etcd_sys_container_install/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..666f061
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/etcd_sys_container_install/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+---
+# vim: set ft=ansible:
+#
+# This role installs etcd system container and verifies installation by setting
+#   and retrieving the /atomic.io/network/config key/pair.  It will optionally
+#   delete the key after
+#
+# Parameters:
+#   delete_key (boolean) - optional parameter to delete key after
+#     verifying the set and get of the key.  This is useful since etcd
+#     keys are preserved even after uninstalling the system container
+#
+
+- name: Set facts
+  set_fact:
+    etcd_image: 'registry.access.redhat.com/rhel7/etcd'
+    etcd_name: 'etcd'
+  when: ansible_distribution == 'RedHat'
+
+- name: Set facts
+  set_fact:
+    etcd_image: 'registry.fedoraproject.org/f25/etcd'
+    etcd_name: 'etcd'
+  when: ansible_distribution != 'RedHat'
+
+- name: Install etcd
+  command: >
+    atomic install
+    --system
+    --name=etcd
+    {{ etcd_image }}
+  register: ai_etcd
+  retries: 5
+  delay: 60
+  until: ai_etcd|success
+
+- name: Start etcd
+  command: systemctl start etcd
+
+- name: Verify etcd is active
+  command: systemctl is-active etcd
+  register: etcd_output
+  failed_when: "'active' not in etcd_output.stdout"
+
+- name: Wait for etcd port to open
+  wait_for:
+    port: 2379
+    timeout: 30
+
+- name: Configure etcd
+  command: >
+    runc exec etcd etcdctl
+    set /atomic.io/network/config '{"Network":"172.17.0.0/16"}'
+  register: set_etcd
+
+- name: Verify etcd settings
+  command: >
+    runc exec etcd etcdctl
+    get /atomic.io/network/config
+  register: get_etcd
+  failed_when: set_etcd.stdout != get_etcd.stdout
+
+- name: Delete key
+  command: >
+    runc exec etcd etcdctl
+    rm /atomic.io/network/config
+  when: delete_key is defined and delete_key
+
+- name: Verify key is deleted
+  command: >
+    runc exec etcd etcdctl
+    get /atomic.io/network/config
+  register: get_etcd
+  failed_when: get_etcd.rc == 0
+  when: delete_key is defined and delete_key
diff --git a/roles/shell/tasks/main.yml b/roles/shell/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b0aa87d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/shell/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+---
+# vim: set ft=ansible:
+#
+# Runs a command and optionally checks stdout output
+#
+# Parameters:
+#   cmd (string) - command to run
+#   output (string) - optional string to check for in stdout
+#                     use caution as it is a substring search
+#
+
+- name: Fail if cmd is not defined
+  fail:
+    msg: "cmd is undefined"
+  when: cmd is undefined
+
+- name: Run command
+  shell: "{{ cmd }}"
+  register: cmd_output
+
+- name: Verify output
+  fail:
+    msg: "{{ output }} is not in command output"
+  when: output is defined and
+        output not in cmd_output.stdout
diff --git a/tests/improved-sanity-test/main.yml b/tests/improved-sanity-test/main.yml
index dd9b44b..971cbde 100644
--- a/tests/improved-sanity-test/main.yml
+++ b/tests/improved-sanity-test/main.yml
@@ -282,6 +282,11 @@
         - atomic_installation_verify
         - cloud_image
 
+    # Install etcd system container
+    - role: etcd_sys_container_install
+      tags:
+        - etcd_sys_container_install
+
     # Upgrade and reboot
     - role: rpm_ostree_upgrade
       tags:
@@ -389,6 +394,48 @@
       tags:
         - rpm_ostree_install_verify
 
+    # Check etcd system container is still running
+    - role: command
+      cmd: systemctl status etcd
+      output: 'active (running)'
+      tags:
+        - command
+
+    # Uninstall etcd system container
+    - role: atomic_system_uninstall
+      name: etcd
+      tags:
+        - atomic_system_uninstall
+
+    # Verify etcd system container uninstall
+    - role: atomic_system_uninstall_verify
+      image: etcd
+      tags:
+        - atomic_system_uninstall_verify
+
+    # Install etcd system container
+    - role: etcd_sys_container_install
+      delete_key: True
+      tags:
+        - etcd_sys_container_install
+        - cloud_image
+      check_mode: no
+
+    # Uninstall etcd system container
+    - role: atomic_system_uninstall
+      name: etcd
+      tags:
+        - atomic_system_uninstall
+        - cloud_image
+      check_mode: no
+
+    # Verify etcd system container uninstall
+    - role: atomic_system_uninstall_verify
+      image: etcd
+      tags:
+        - atomic_system_uninstall_verify
+        - cloud_image
+
     - role: rpm_ostree_install
       packages: httpd
       reboot: false