diff --git a/.github/workflows/go.yml b/.github/workflows/go.yml
index 56321f21..caffbc9f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ on: [pull_request]
 jobs:
 
   build:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
     steps:
     - name: install test dependencies
       run: |
diff --git a/test/Makefile b/test/Makefile
index f7df3e92..ece7b56f 100644
--- a/test/Makefile
+++ b/test/Makefile
@@ -37,17 +37,22 @@ $(footloose):
 	rm -f .ssh/identity
 	ssh-keygen -t $(KEY_TYPE) -b $(KEY_SIZE) -f .ssh/identity -N $(KEY_PASSPHRASE)
 
+.PHONY: docker-network
+docker-network:
+	docker network inspect footloose-cluster || docker network create footloose-cluster --subnet 172.16.86.0/24 --gateway 172.16.86.1 --attachable
+
 footloose.yaml: .ssh/identity $(footloose)
 	$(footloose) config create \
 		--config footloose.yaml \
 	  --image quay.io/footloose/ubuntu18.04 \
 		--name rigtest \
 	  --key .ssh/identity \
-		--replicas $(REPLICAS) \
-    --override
+		--networks footloose-cluster \
+    --override \
+		--replicas $(REPLICAS)
 
 .PHONY: create-host
-create-host: footloose.yaml
+create-host: footloose.yaml docker-network
 	$(footloose) create -c footloose.yaml
 
 .PHONY: delete-host
@@ -58,6 +63,7 @@ delete-host: footloose.yaml
 clean: delete-host
 	rm -f footloose.yaml identity rigtest
 	rm -rf .ssh
+	docker network rm footloose-cluster || true
 
 .PHONY: sshport
 sshport:
diff --git a/test/test.sh b/test/test.sh
index b3f40055..f7942498 100755
--- a/test/test.sh
+++ b/test/test.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,26 @@ ssh_port() {
 	footloose show $1 -o json|grep hostPort|grep -oE "[0-9]+"
 }
 
+sanity_check() {
+  color_echo "- Testing footloose machine connection"
+  make create-host
+  echo "* Footloose status"
+  footloose status
+  echo "* Docker ps"
+  docker ps
+  echo "* SSH port: $(ssh_port node0)"
+  echo "* Testing stock ssh"
+  ssh -vvv -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null -i .ssh/identity -p $(ssh_port node0) root@127.0.0.1 echo "test-conn"
+  set +e
+  echo "* Testing footloose ssh"
+  footloose ssh root@node0 echo test-conn | grep -q test-conn
+  local exit_code=$?
+  set -e
+  make clean
+  return $exit_code
+}
+
+
 rig_test_agent_with_public_key() {
   color_echo "- Testing connection using agent and providing a path to public key"
   make create-host
@@ -28,12 +48,12 @@ rig_test_agent_with_public_key() {
 
 rig_test_agent_with_private_key() {
   color_echo "- Testing connection using agent and providing a path to protected private key"
-  make create-host KEY_PASSPHRASE=foo
+  make create-host KEY_PASSPHRASE=testPhrase
   eval $(ssh-agent -s)
   expect -c '
     spawn ssh-add .ssh/identity
     expect "?:"
-    send "foo\n"
+    send "testPhrase\n"
     expect eof"
   '
   set +e
@@ -90,7 +110,7 @@ rig_test_key_from_path() {
 
 rig_test_protected_key_from_path() {
   color_echo "- Testing regular keypath to encrypted key, two hosts"
-  make create-host KEY_PASSPHRASE=foo REPLICAS=2
+  make create-host KEY_PASSPHRASE=testPhrase REPLICAS=2
   set +e
   ssh_port node0 > .ssh/port_A
   ssh_port node1 > .ssh/port_B
@@ -105,7 +125,7 @@ rig_test_protected_key_from_path() {
 
     spawn ./rigtest -host 127.0.0.1:$PORTA,127.0.0.1:$PORTB -user root -keypath .ssh/identity -askpass true
     expect "Password:"
-    send "foo\n"
+    send "testPhrase\n"
     expect eof"
   ' $port1 $port2
   local exit_code=$?
@@ -113,6 +133,11 @@ rig_test_protected_key_from_path() {
   return $exit_code
 }
 
+if ! sanity_check; then
+  echo "Sanity check failed"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 for test in $(declare -F|grep rig_test_|cut -d" " -f3); do
   if [ "$FOCUS" != "" ] && [ "$FOCUS" != "$test" ]; then
     continue