diff --git a/runsc/container/container_test.go b/runsc/container/container_test.go
index 64def7eed..598b96a08 100644
--- a/runsc/container/container_test.go
+++ b/runsc/container/container_test.go
@@ -1287,24 +1287,25 @@ func TestReadonlyMount(t *testing.T) {
 // TestAbbreviatedIDs checks that runsc supports using abbreviated container
 // IDs in place of full IDs.
 func TestAbbreviatedIDs(t *testing.T) {
+	rootDir, err := testutil.SetupRootDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error creating root dir: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(rootDir)
+
+	conf := testutil.TestConfigWithRoot(rootDir)
+
 	cids := []string{
 		"foo-" + testutil.UniqueContainerID(),
 		"bar-" + testutil.UniqueContainerID(),
 		"baz-" + testutil.UniqueContainerID(),
 	}
-
-	rootDir, err := testutil.SetupRootDir()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("error creating root dir: %v", err)
-	}
 	for _, cid := range cids {
 		spec := testutil.NewSpecWithArgs("sleep", "100")
-		conf := testutil.TestConfig()
-		bundleDir, err := testutil.SetupContainerInRoot(rootDir, spec, conf)
+		bundleDir, err := testutil.SetupBundleDir(spec)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("error setting up container: %v", err)
 		}
-		defer os.RemoveAll(rootDir)
 		defer os.RemoveAll(bundleDir)
 
 		// Create and start the container.
diff --git a/runsc/container/multi_container_test.go b/runsc/container/multi_container_test.go
index 8af3d535d..d1fe687a9 100644
--- a/runsc/container/multi_container_test.go
+++ b/runsc/container/multi_container_test.go
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ func startContainers(conf *boot.Config, specs []*specs.Spec, ids []string) ([]*C
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating root dir: %v", err)
 	}
+	conf.RootDir = rootDir
 
 	var containers []*Container
 	var bundles []string
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ func startContainers(conf *boot.Config, specs []*specs.Spec, ids []string) ([]*C
 		os.RemoveAll(rootDir)
 	}
 	for i, spec := range specs {
-		bundleDir, err := testutil.SetupContainerInRoot(rootDir, spec, conf)
+		bundleDir, err := testutil.SetupBundleDir(spec)
 		if err != nil {
 			cleanup()
 			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("error setting up container: %v", err)
@@ -617,16 +618,16 @@ func TestMultiContainerDestroyNotStarted(t *testing.T) {
 	specs, ids := createSpecs(
 		[]string{"/bin/sleep", "100"},
 		[]string{"/bin/sleep", "100"})
-	conf := testutil.TestConfig()
-
 	rootDir, err := testutil.SetupRootDir()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("error creating root dir: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer os.RemoveAll(rootDir)
 
+	conf := testutil.TestConfigWithRoot(rootDir)
+
 	// Create and start root container.
-	rootBundleDir, err := testutil.SetupContainerInRoot(rootDir, specs[0], conf)
+	rootBundleDir, err := testutil.SetupBundleDir(specs[0])
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("error setting up container: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -642,7 +643,7 @@ func TestMultiContainerDestroyNotStarted(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Create and destroy sub-container.
-	bundleDir, err := testutil.SetupContainerInRoot(rootDir, specs[1], conf)
+	bundleDir, err := testutil.SetupBundleDir(specs[1])
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("error setting up container: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -667,7 +668,6 @@ func TestMultiContainerDestroyStarting(t *testing.T) {
 		cmds[i] = []string{"/bin/sleep", "100"}
 	}
 	specs, ids := createSpecs(cmds...)
-	conf := testutil.TestConfig()
 
 	rootDir, err := testutil.SetupRootDir()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -675,8 +675,10 @@ func TestMultiContainerDestroyStarting(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer os.RemoveAll(rootDir)
 
+	conf := testutil.TestConfigWithRoot(rootDir)
+
 	// Create and start root container.
-	rootBundleDir, err := testutil.SetupContainerInRoot(rootDir, specs[0], conf)
+	rootBundleDir, err := testutil.SetupBundleDir(specs[0])
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("error setting up container: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -697,7 +699,7 @@ func TestMultiContainerDestroyStarting(t *testing.T) {
 			continue // skip root container
 		}
 
-		bundleDir, err := testutil.SetupContainerInRoot(rootDir, specs[i], conf)
+		bundleDir, err := testutil.SetupBundleDir(specs[i])
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("error setting up container: %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/runsc/test/testutil/testutil.go b/runsc/test/testutil/testutil.go
index 59dc55887..3490bd11e 100644
--- a/runsc/test/testutil/testutil.go
+++ b/runsc/test/testutil/testutil.go
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ func FindFile(path string) (string, error) {
 	return matches[0], nil
 }
 
-// TestConfig return the default configuration to use in tests.
+// TestConfig returns the default configuration to use in tests. Note that
+// 'RootDir' must be set by caller if required.
 func TestConfig() *boot.Config {
 	return &boot.Config{
 		Debug:      true,
@@ -117,6 +118,13 @@ func TestConfig() *boot.Config {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestConfigWithRoot returns the default configuration to use in tests.
+func TestConfigWithRoot(rootDir string) *boot.Config {
+	conf := TestConfig()
+	conf.RootDir = rootDir
+	return conf
+}
+
 // NewSpecWithArgs creates a simple spec with the given args suitable for use
 // in tests.
 func NewSpecWithArgs(args ...string) *specs.Spec {
@@ -162,13 +170,13 @@ func SetupContainer(spec *specs.Spec, conf *boot.Config) (rootDir, bundleDir str
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", "", err
 	}
-	bundleDir, err = SetupContainerInRoot(rootDir, spec, conf)
+	conf.RootDir = rootDir
+	bundleDir, err = SetupBundleDir(spec)
 	return rootDir, bundleDir, err
 }
 
-// SetupContainerInRoot creates a bundle for the container, generates a test
-// config, and writes the spec to config.json in the bundle dir.
-func SetupContainerInRoot(rootDir string, spec *specs.Spec, conf *boot.Config) (bundleDir string, err error) {
+// SetupBundleDir creates a bundle dir and writes the spec to config.json.
+func SetupBundleDir(spec *specs.Spec) (bundleDir string, err error) {
 	bundleDir, err = ioutil.TempDir(TmpDir(), "bundle")
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("error creating bundle dir: %v", err)
@@ -177,8 +185,6 @@ func SetupContainerInRoot(rootDir string, spec *specs.Spec, conf *boot.Config) (
 	if err = writeSpec(bundleDir, spec); err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("error writing spec: %v", err)
 	}
-
-	conf.RootDir = rootDir
 	return bundleDir, nil
 }