diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a47a726b71..2cefdfb76a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ prog/weavehosts/weavehosts
 prog/weaveproxy/weaveproxy
 prog/sigproxy/sigproxy
 prog/weavewait/weavewait
+prog/weavewait/weavewait_noop
 prog/netcheck/netcheck
 prog/docker_tls_args/docker_tls_args
 testing/cover/cover
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ prog/weaveexec/weave
 prog/weaveexec/weavehosts
 prog/weaveexec/weaveproxy
 prog/weaveexec/weavewait
+prog/weaveexec/weavewait_noop
 prog/weaveexec/sigproxy
 prog/weaveexec/netcheck
 prog/weaveexec/docker_tls_args
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e1ff21565d..a8e6e6f3df 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -13,11 +13,12 @@ WEAVER_EXE=prog/weaver/weaver
 WEAVEPROXY_EXE=prog/weaveproxy/weaveproxy
 SIGPROXY_EXE=prog/sigproxy/sigproxy
 WEAVEWAIT_EXE=prog/weavewait/weavewait
+WEAVEWAIT_NOOP_EXE=prog/weavewait/weavewait_noop
 NETCHECK_EXE=prog/netcheck/netcheck
 DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE=prog/docker_tls_args/docker_tls_args
 RUNNER_EXE=testing/runner/runner
 
-EXES=$(WEAVER_EXE) $(SIGPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) $(NETCHECK_EXE) $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE) $(RUNNER_EXE)
+EXES=$(WEAVER_EXE) $(SIGPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) $(WEAVEWAIT_NOOP_EXE) $(NETCHECK_EXE) $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE) $(RUNNER_EXE)
 
 WEAVER_UPTODATE=.weaver.uptodate
 WEAVEEXEC_UPTODATE=.weaveexec.uptodate
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ $(NETCHECK_EXE): prog/netcheck/netcheck.go
 # Sigproxy and weavewait need separate rules as they fail the netgo check in
 # the main build stanza due to not importing net package
 $(SIGPROXY_EXE): prog/sigproxy/main.go
-$(WEAVEWAIT_EXE): prog/weavewait/main.go net/*.go
+$(WEAVEWAIT_EXE): prog/weavewait/*.go net/*.go
 $(RUNNER_EXE): testing/runner/runner.go
 $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE): prog/docker_tls_args/*.go
 
@@ -84,15 +85,20 @@ $(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) $(SIGPROXY_EXE) $(RUNNER_EXE) $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE):
 	go get -tags netgo ./$(@D)
 	go build $(BUILD_FLAGS) -o $@ ./$(@D)
 
+$(WEAVEWAIT_NOOP_EXE): prog/weavewait/*.go
+	go get -tags netgo ./$(@D)
+	go build $(BUILD_FLAGS) -tags noop -o $@ ./$(@D)
+
 $(WEAVER_UPTODATE): prog/weaver/Dockerfile $(WEAVER_EXE)
 	$(SUDO) docker build -t $(WEAVER_IMAGE) prog/weaver
 	touch $@
 
-$(WEAVEEXEC_UPTODATE): prog/weaveexec/Dockerfile $(DOCKER_DISTRIB) weave $(SIGPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) $(NETCHECK_EXE) $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE)
+$(WEAVEEXEC_UPTODATE): prog/weaveexec/Dockerfile $(DOCKER_DISTRIB) weave $(SIGPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) $(WEAVEWAIT_NOOP_EXE) $(NETCHECK_EXE) $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE)
 	cp weave prog/weaveexec/weave
 	cp $(SIGPROXY_EXE) prog/weaveexec/sigproxy
 	cp $(WEAVEPROXY_EXE) prog/weaveexec/weaveproxy
 	cp $(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) prog/weaveexec/weavewait
+	cp $(WEAVEWAIT_NOOP_EXE) prog/weaveexec/weavewait_noop
 	cp $(NETCHECK_EXE) prog/weaveexec/netcheck
 	cp $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE) prog/weaveexec/docker_tls_args
 	cp $(DOCKER_DISTRIB) prog/weaveexec/docker.tgz
diff --git a/prog/weaveexec/Dockerfile b/prog/weaveexec/Dockerfile
index 3cd1972d9a..3003d03eb6 100644
--- a/prog/weaveexec/Dockerfile
+++ b/prog/weaveexec/Dockerfile
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ LABEL works.weave.role=system
 
 WORKDIR /home/weave
 VOLUME /w
+VOLUME /w-noop
 ENTRYPOINT ["/home/weave/sigproxy", "/home/weave/weave"]
 
 RUN apk add --update \
@@ -20,4 +21,5 @@ RUN apk add --update \
 ADD ./weave ./sigproxy ./weaveproxy /home/weave/
 ADD ./netcheck ./docker_tls_args /usr/bin/
 ADD ./weavewait /w/w
+ADD ./weavewait_noop /w-noop/w
 ADD ./docker.tgz /
diff --git a/prog/weavewait/check_network.go b/prog/weavewait/check_network.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9c17bf8e9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prog/weavewait/check_network.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+// +build !noop
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	weavenet "github.com/weaveworks/weave/net"
+)
+
+func checkNetwork() error {
+	_, err := weavenet.EnsureInterfaceAndMcastRoute("ethwe")
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/prog/weavewait/main.go b/prog/weavewait/main.go
index 43158e9356..199073f5a5 100644
--- a/prog/weavewait/main.go
+++ b/prog/weavewait/main.go
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"syscall"
-
-	weavenet "github.com/weaveworks/weave/net"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -19,8 +17,7 @@ func main() {
 		args = os.Args[1:]
 	)
 
-	_, err := weavenet.EnsureInterfaceAndMcastRoute("ethwe")
-	checkErr(err)
+	checkErr(checkNetwork())
 
 	if len(args) == 0 {
 		checkErr(ErrNoCommandSpecified)
diff --git a/prog/weavewait/noop.go b/prog/weavewait/noop.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2342311d2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prog/weavewait/noop.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+// +build noop
+
+package main
+
+func checkNetwork() error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/proxy/common.go b/proxy/common.go
index 29db23efad..9a927cca70 100644
--- a/proxy/common.go
+++ b/proxy/common.go
@@ -155,3 +155,25 @@ func weaveContainerIPs(containerID string) (mac string, ips []net.IP, nets []*ne
 	}
 	return
 }
+
+func addVolume(hostConfig jsonObject, source, target, mode string) error {
+	configBinds, err := hostConfig.StringArray("Binds")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	var binds []string
+	for _, bind := range configBinds {
+		s := strings.Split(bind, ":")
+		if len(s) >= 2 && s[1] == target {
+			continue
+		}
+		binds = append(binds, bind)
+	}
+	bind := source + ":" + target
+	if mode != "" {
+		bind += ":" + mode
+	}
+	hostConfig["Binds"] = append(binds, bind)
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/proxy/create_container_interceptor.go b/proxy/create_container_interceptor.go
index 381c3bf2b9..7f4bc84edd 100644
--- a/proxy/create_container_interceptor.go
+++ b/proxy/create_container_interceptor.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func (i *createContainerInterceptor) InterceptRequest(r *http.Request) error {
 		Log.Infof("Leaving container alone because %s", err)
 	} else {
 		Log.Infof("Creating container with WEAVE_CIDR \"%s\"", strings.Join(cidrs, " "))
-		if err := i.proxy.addWeaveWaitVolume(hostConfig); err != nil {
+		if err := addVolume(hostConfig, i.proxy.weaveWaitVolume, "/w", "ro"); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		if err := i.setWeaveWaitEntrypoint(container); err != nil {
diff --git a/proxy/proxy.go b/proxy/proxy.go
index e90c7f57a9..6618fe51ba 100644
--- a/proxy/proxy.go
+++ b/proxy/proxy.go
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ type Proxy struct {
 	dockerBridgeIP      string
 	hostnameMatchRegexp *regexp.Regexp
 	weaveWaitVolume     string
+	weaveWaitNoopVolume string
 	normalisedAddrs     []string
 	waiters             map[*http.Request]*wait
 }
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ func NewProxy(c Config) (*Proxy, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = p.findWeaveWaitVolume(); err != nil {
+	if err = p.findWeaveWaitVolumes(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -135,23 +136,31 @@ func (proxy *Proxy) Dial() (net.Conn, error) {
 	return net.Dial("unix", dockerSock)
 }
 
-func (proxy *Proxy) findWeaveWaitVolume() error {
+func (proxy *Proxy) findWeaveWaitVolumes() error {
+	var err error
+	if proxy.weaveWaitVolume, err = proxy.findVolume("/w"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	proxy.weaveWaitNoopVolume, err = proxy.findVolume("/w-noop")
+	return err
+}
+
+func (proxy *Proxy) findVolume(v string) (string, error) {
 	container, err := proxy.client.InspectContainer("weaveproxy")
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Could not find the weavewait volume: %s", err)
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Could not find the weavewait volume: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	if container.Volumes == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Could not find the weavewait volume")
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Could not find the weavewait volume")
 	}
 
-	volume, ok := container.Volumes["/w"]
+	volume, ok := container.Volumes[v]
 	if !ok {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Could not find the weavewait volume")
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Could not find the weavewait volume")
 	}
 
-	proxy.weaveWaitVolume = volume
-	return nil
+	return volume, nil
 }
 
 func (proxy *Proxy) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
@@ -425,7 +434,7 @@ func (proxy *Proxy) attachRouter(container *docker.Container) error {
 
 func (proxy *Proxy) weaveCIDRs(networkMode string, env []string) ([]string, error) {
 	if networkMode == "host" || strings.HasPrefix(networkMode, "container:") {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the container was created with the '--net=%s'", networkMode)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the container has '--net=%s'", networkMode)
 	}
 	for _, e := range env {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(e, "WEAVE_CIDR=") {
@@ -441,24 +450,6 @@ func (proxy *Proxy) weaveCIDRs(networkMode string, env []string) ([]string, erro
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
-func (proxy *Proxy) addWeaveWaitVolume(hostConfig jsonObject) error {
-	configBinds, err := hostConfig.StringArray("Binds")
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	var binds []string
-	for _, bind := range configBinds {
-		s := strings.Split(bind, ":")
-		if len(s) >= 2 && s[1] == "/w" {
-			continue
-		}
-		binds = append(binds, bind)
-	}
-	hostConfig["Binds"] = append(binds, fmt.Sprintf("%s:/w:ro", proxy.weaveWaitVolume))
-	return nil
-}
-
 func (proxy *Proxy) setWeaveDNS(hostConfig jsonObject, hostname, dnsDomain string) error {
 	dns, err := hostConfig.StringArray("Dns")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/proxy/start_container_interceptor.go b/proxy/start_container_interceptor.go
index e182a62985..6e68059ea7 100644
--- a/proxy/start_container_interceptor.go
+++ b/proxy/start_container_interceptor.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package proxy
 
 import (
 	"net/http"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 type startContainerInterceptor struct{ proxy *Proxy }
@@ -31,11 +32,23 @@ func (i *startContainerInterceptor) InterceptRequest(r *http.Request) error {
 			hostConfig = params
 		}
 		if hostConfig != nil {
-			i.proxy.addWeaveWaitVolume(hostConfig)
-			if dnsDomain := i.proxy.getDNSDomain(); dnsDomain != "" {
-				if err := i.proxy.setWeaveDNS(hostConfig, container.Config.Hostname, dnsDomain); err != nil {
+			networkMode, err := jsonObject(hostConfig).String("NetworkMode")
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if strings.HasPrefix(networkMode, "container:") || networkMode == "host" {
+				if err := addVolume(hostConfig, i.proxy.weaveWaitNoopVolume, "/w", "ro"); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
+			} else {
+				if err := addVolume(hostConfig, i.proxy.weaveWaitVolume, "/w", "ro"); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				if dnsDomain := i.proxy.getDNSDomain(); dnsDomain != "" {
+					if err := i.proxy.setWeaveDNS(hostConfig, container.Config.Hostname, dnsDomain); err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+				}
 			}
 
 			// Note we marshal the original top-level dictionary to avoid disturbing anything else
diff --git a/test/666_abuse_of_start_test.sh b/test/666_abuse_of_start_test.sh
index 36722081f6..2f666bc08e 100755
--- a/test/666_abuse_of_start_test.sh
+++ b/test/666_abuse_of_start_test.sh
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ docker_bridge_ip=$(weave_on $HOST1 docker-bridge-ip)
 proxy_start_container $HOST1 --name=c1
 
 check_hostconfig() {
-    docker_on $HOST1 attach c2 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true # Wait for container to exit
-    assert "docker_on $HOST1 inspect -f '{{.HostConfig.Dns}} {{.HostConfig.NetworkMode}} {{.State.Running}} {{.State.ExitCode}}' $1" "[$docker_bridge_ip] $2 false 0"
+    docker_on $HOST1 attach $1 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true # Wait for container to exit
+    assert "docker_on $HOST1 inspect -f '{{.HostConfig.Dns}} {{.HostConfig.NetworkMode}} {{.State.Running}} {{.State.ExitCode}}' $1" "[$3] $2 false 0"
 }
 
 # Start c2 with a sneaky HostConfig
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ check_hostconfig c5 container:c1
 # Start c3 with HostConfig having empty binds and null dns/networking settings
 proxy docker_on $HOST1 create --name=c3 -v /tmp:/hosttmp $SMALL_IMAGE $CHECK_ETHWE_UP
 proxy docker_api_on $HOST1 POST /containers/c3/start '{"Binds":[],"Dns":null,"DnsSearch":null,"ExtraHosts":null,"VolumesFrom":null,"Devices":null,"NetworkMode":""}'
-check_hostconfig c3 default
+check_hostconfig c3 default $docker_bridge_ip
 
 # Start c4 with an 'null' HostConfig and check this doesn't remove previous parameters
 proxy docker_on $HOST1 create --name=c4 --memory-swap -1 $SMALL_IMAGE echo foo
@@ -42,6 +42,17 @@ check_hostconfig c6 container:c1
 proxy docker_on $HOST1 create --name=c7 --memory-swap -1 $SMALL_IMAGE $CHECK_ETHWE_UP
 proxy docker_api_on $HOST1 POST /containers/c7/start '{"HostConfig":{}}'
 assert "docker_on $HOST1 inspect -f '{{.HostConfig.MemorySwap}}' c7" "0"
-check_hostconfig c7 default
+check_hostconfig c7 default $docker_bridge_ip
+
+# Start c8 in host network mode
+proxy docker_on $HOST1 create --name=c8 $SMALL_IMAGE $CHECK_ETHWE_MISSING
+proxy docker_api_on $HOST1 POST /containers/c8/start '{"HostConfig": {"NetworkMode": "host"}}'
+check_hostconfig c8 host
+
+# Start c10 in network of host container
+proxy_start_container $HOST1 --name=c9 --net=host
+proxy docker_on $HOST1 create --name=c10 $SMALL_IMAGE $CHECK_ETHWE_MISSING
+proxy docker_api_on $HOST1 POST /containers/c10/start '{"HostConfig": {"NetworkMode": "container:c9"}}'
+check_hostconfig c10 container:c9
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/config.sh b/test/config.sh
index d6471b2f00..f50e03b556 100644
--- a/test/config.sh
+++ b/test/config.sh
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ TEST_IMAGES="$SMALL_IMAGE $DNS_IMAGE"
 
 PING="ping -nq -W 1 -c 1"
 CHECK_ETHWE_UP="grep ^1$ /sys/class/net/ethwe/carrier"
+CHECK_ETHWE_MISSING="test ! -d /sys/class/net/ethwe"
 
 DOCKER_PORT=2375