diff --git a/api/agent/agent.go b/api/agent/agent.go
index 8802ca02c..2644bb017 100644
--- a/api/agent/agent.go
+++ b/api/agent/agent.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/fnproject/fn/api/agent/drivers"
 	"github.com/fnproject/fn/api/agent/drivers/docker"
+	"github.com/fnproject/fn/api/agent/drivers/mock"
 	"github.com/fnproject/fn/api/agent/protocol"
 	"github.com/fnproject/fn/api/common"
 	"github.com/fnproject/fn/api/id"
@@ -111,14 +112,13 @@ type agent struct {
 }
 
 func New(da DataAccess) Agent {
-	a := NewSyncOnly(da).(*agent)
+	a := createAgent(da, true).(*agent)
 	a.wg.Add(1)
 	go a.asyncDequeue() // safe shutdown can nanny this fine
 	return a
 }
 
-func NewSyncOnly(da DataAccess) Agent {
-
+func createAgent(da DataAccess, withDocker bool) Agent {
 	cfg, err := NewAgentConfig()
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.WithError(err).Fatalf("error in agent config cfg=%+v", cfg)
@@ -126,9 +126,14 @@ func NewSyncOnly(da DataAccess) Agent {
 	logrus.Infof("agent starting cfg=%+v", cfg)
 
 	// TODO: Create drivers.New(runnerConfig)
-	driver := docker.NewDocker(drivers.Config{
-		ServerVersion: cfg.MinDockerVersion,
-	})
+	var driver drivers.Driver
+	if withDocker {
+		driver = docker.NewDocker(drivers.Config{
+			ServerVersion: cfg.MinDockerVersion,
+		})
+	} else {
+		driver = mock.New()
+	}
 
 	a := &agent{
 		cfg:       *cfg,
diff --git a/api/agent/lb_agent.go b/api/agent/lb_agent.go
index e5c3be4f1..77cecc55d 100644
--- a/api/agent/lb_agent.go
+++ b/api/agent/lb_agent.go
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ type lbAgent struct {
 	shutdown chan struct{}
 }
 
-func NewLBAgent(agent Agent, rp pool.RunnerPool, p pool.Placer) (Agent, error) {
+func NewLBAgent(da DataAccess, rp pool.RunnerPool, p pool.Placer) (Agent, error) {
+	agent := createAgent(da, false)
 	a := &lbAgent{
 		delegatedAgent: agent,
 		rp:             rp,
diff --git a/api/agent/pure_runner.go b/api/agent/pure_runner.go
index 4da91ebb5..6c1c35259 100644
--- a/api/agent/pure_runner.go
+++ b/api/agent/pure_runner.go
@@ -546,15 +546,16 @@ func (pr *pureRunner) Start() error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func UnsecuredPureRunner(cancel context.CancelFunc, addr string, a Agent) (*pureRunner, error) {
-	return NewPureRunner(cancel, addr, a, "", "", "", nil)
+func UnsecuredPureRunner(cancel context.CancelFunc, addr string, da DataAccess) (*pureRunner, error) {
+	return NewPureRunner(cancel, addr, da, "", "", "", nil)
 }
 
-func DefaultPureRunner(cancel context.CancelFunc, addr string, a Agent, cert string, key string, ca string) (*pureRunner, error) {
-	return NewPureRunner(cancel, addr, a, cert, key, ca, nil)
+func DefaultPureRunner(cancel context.CancelFunc, addr string, da DataAccess, cert string, key string, ca string) (*pureRunner, error) {
+	return NewPureRunner(cancel, addr, da, cert, key, ca, nil)
 }
 
-func NewPureRunner(cancel context.CancelFunc, addr string, a Agent, cert string, key string, ca string, gate CapacityGate) (*pureRunner, error) {
+func NewPureRunner(cancel context.CancelFunc, addr string, da DataAccess, cert string, key string, ca string, gate CapacityGate) (*pureRunner, error) {
+	a := createAgent(da, true)
 	var pr *pureRunner
 	var err error
 	if cert != "" && key != "" && ca != "" {
diff --git a/api/server/server.go b/api/server/server.go
index 26774ef0d..28745b7b6 100644
--- a/api/server/server.go
+++ b/api/server/server.go
@@ -416,9 +416,8 @@ func WithAgentFromEnv() ServerOption {
 				return err
 			}
 			grpcAddr := fmt.Sprintf(":%d", s.grpcListenPort)
-			delegatedAgent := agent.NewSyncOnly(agent.NewCachedDataAccess(ds))
 			cancelCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
-			prAgent, err := agent.DefaultPureRunner(cancel, grpcAddr, delegatedAgent, s.cert, s.certKey, s.certAuthority)
+			prAgent, err := agent.DefaultPureRunner(cancel, grpcAddr, ds, s.cert, s.certKey, s.certAuthority)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -441,7 +440,6 @@ func WithAgentFromEnv() ServerOption {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			delegatedAgent := agent.New(agent.NewCachedDataAccess(cl))
 
 			runnerPool, err := s.defaultRunnerPool()
 			if err != nil {
@@ -449,7 +447,7 @@ func WithAgentFromEnv() ServerOption {
 			}
 			placer := s.defaultPlacer()
 
-			s.agent, err = agent.NewLBAgent(delegatedAgent, runnerPool, placer)
+			s.agent, err = agent.NewLBAgent(agent.NewCachedDataAccess(cl), runnerPool, placer)
 			if err != nil {
 				return errors.New("LBAgent creation failed")
 			}
diff --git a/test/fn-system-tests/system_test.go b/test/fn-system-tests/system_test.go
index efbdf85a6..efae61be0 100644
--- a/test/fn-system-tests/system_test.go
+++ b/test/fn-system-tests/system_test.go
@@ -141,13 +141,12 @@ func SetUpLBNode(ctx context.Context) (*server.Server, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	delegatedAgent := agent.New(agent.NewCachedDataAccess(cl))
 	nodePool, err := NewSystemTestNodePool()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	placer := agent.NewNaivePlacer()
-	agent, err := agent.NewLBAgent(delegatedAgent, nodePool, placer)
+	agent, err := agent.NewLBAgent(agent.NewCachedDataAccess(cl), nodePool, placer)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -207,9 +206,8 @@ func SetUpPureRunnerNode(ctx context.Context, nodeNum int) (*server.Server, erro
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	grpcAddr := fmt.Sprintf(":%d", 9190+nodeNum)
-	delegatedAgent := agent.NewSyncOnly(agent.NewCachedDataAccess(ds))
 	cancelCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
-	prAgent, err := agent.NewPureRunner(cancel, grpcAddr, delegatedAgent, "", "", "", &testCapacityGate{runnerNumber: nodeNum})
+	prAgent, err := agent.NewPureRunner(cancel, grpcAddr, ds, "", "", "", &testCapacityGate{runnerNumber: nodeNum})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}