diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
index 9dc8d2b..382b4b1 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ ARG VPP_INSTALL_SKIP_SYSCTL=true
 ARG REPO=release
 EXPOSE 22/tcp
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get -y install curl procps tcpdump iproute2 iptables \
-  iputils-ping net-tools git python3 python3-pip vim-tiny openssh-server \
+  iputils-ping net-tools git python3 python3-pip vim-tiny nano joe openssh-server \
   mtr-tiny traceroute rsync && apt-get clean
 
 # Install VPP - sideload from local debs if --build-context vppdebs=<path> is provided,
diff --git a/docker/files/init-container.sh b/docker/files/init-container.sh
index 250cb11..73d2c3c 100755
--- a/docker/files/init-container.sh
+++ b/docker/files/init-container.sh
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 STARTUP_CONFIG=${STARTUP_CONFIG:="/config/vpp/startup.conf"}
-VPPCFG_YAML_FILE=${VPPCFG_YAML_FILE:=/config/vpp/vppcfg.yaml}
-VPPCFG_VPP_FILE=${VPPCFG_VPP_FILE:=/config/vpp/config/vppcfg.vpp}
-CLAB_VPP_FILE=${CLAB_VPP_FILE:=/config/vpp/config/clab.vpp}
+VPPCFG_YAML_FILE=${VPPCFG_YAML_FILE:="/config/vpp/vppcfg.yaml"}
+VPPCFG_VPP_FILE=${VPPCFG_VPP_FILE:="/config/vpp/config/vppcfg.vpp"}
+CLAB_VPP_FILE=${CLAB_VPP_FILE:="/config/vpp/config/clab.vpp"}
 NETNS=${NETNS:="dataplane"}
 BIRD_ENABLED=${BIRD_ENABLED:="true"}
+BIRD_CONFIG=${BIRD_CONFIG:="/config/bird/bird.conf"}
 FRR_ENABLED=${FRR_ENABLED:="false"}
+FRR_CONFIG=${FRR_CONFIG:="/config/frr/frr.conf"}
 
 echo "Creating dataplane namespace"
 /usr/bin/mkdir -p /etc/netns/$NETNS
@@ -19,26 +21,40 @@ sed -i -e 's,^#PermitRootLogin prohibit-password,PermitRootLogin yes,' /etc/ssh/
 sed -i -e 's,^root:.*,root:$y$j9T$kG8pyZEVmwLXEtXekQCRK.$9iJxq/bEx5buni1hrC8VmvkDHRy7ZMsw9wYvwrzexID:20211::::::,' /etc/shadow
 /etc/init.d/ssh start
 
-echo "Initializing /config"
-for dir in vpp bird frr; do
-  rsync -av --ignore-existing /etc/$dir/ /config/$dir/
-  rm -rf /etc/$dir/
-  ln -s /config/$dir /etc/$dir
-done
+# TODO(pim): Remove this after containerlab 0.75 is released
+if [ -r /etc/vpp/startup.conf ]; then
+  echo "Detected old containerlab binary - invoking backwards compatible behavior"
+  STARTUP_CONFIG="/etc/vpp/startup.conf"
+  VPPCFG_YAML_FILE="/etc/vpp/vppcfg.yaml"
+  VPPCFG_VPP_FILE="/config/vpp/config/vppcfg.vpp"
+  CLAB_VPP_FILE="/config/vpp/config/clab.vpp"
+  BIRD_CONFIG="/etc/bird/bird.conf"
+  FFR_CONFIG="/etc/frr/frr.conf"
+  mkdir -p /config/vpp/config/
+  echo "comment { please upgrade to containerlab 0.75+ }" > /config/vpp/config/manual-pre.vpp
+  echo "comment { please upgrade to containerlab 0.75+ }" > /config/vpp/config/manual-post.vpp
+else
+  echo "Initializing /config"
+  for dir in vpp bird frr; do
+    rsync -av --ignore-existing /etc/$dir/ /config/$dir/
+    rm -rf /etc/$dir/
+    ln -s /config/$dir /etc/$dir
+  done
+fi
 
 if [ "$BIRD_ENABLED" == "true" ]; then
   echo "Starting Bird in $NETNS"
   mkdir -p /run/bird /var/log/bird
   chown bird:bird /var/log/bird
   ROUTERID=$(ip -br a show eth0 | awk '{ print $3 }' | cut -f1 -d/)
-  sed -i -e "s,.*router id .*,router id $ROUTERID; # Set by container-init.sh," /config/bird/bird.conf
-  /usr/bin/nsenter --net=/run/netns/$NETNS /usr/sbin/bird -u bird -g vpp -c /config/bird/bird.conf
+  sed -i -e "s,.*router id .*,router id $ROUTERID; # Set by container-init.sh," $BIRD_CONFIG
+  /usr/bin/nsenter --net=/run/netns/$NETNS /usr/sbin/bird -u bird -g vpp -c $BIRD_CONFIG
 fi
 
 if [ "$FRR_ENABLED" == "true" ]; then
   echo "Starting FRRouting in $NETNS"
   ROUTERID=$(ip -br a show eth0 | awk '{ print $3 }' | cut -f1 -d/)
-  sed -i -e "s,^ip router-id .*,ip router-id $ROUTERID," /config/frr/frr.conf
+  sed -i -e "s,^ip router-id .*,ip router-id $ROUTERID," $FRR_CONFIG
   /etc/init.d/frr start
 fi
 
@@ -58,10 +74,15 @@ set interface state $IFNAME up
 EOF
 done
 
-echo "Generating $VPPCFG_YAML_FILE into $VPPCFG_VPP_FILE"
-: > $VPPCFG_VPP_FILE
-if [ -r $VPPCFG_YAML_FILE ]; then
-  vppcfg plan --novpp -c $VPPCFG_YAML_FILE -o $VPPCFG_VPP_FILE
+if [ -s $VPPCFG_YAML_FILE ]; then
+  echo "Generating $VPPCFG_YAML_FILE into $VPPCFG_VPP_FILE"
+  : > $VPPCFG_VPP_FILE
+  if [ -r $VPPCFG_YAML_FILE ]; then
+    vppcfg plan --novpp -c $VPPCFG_YAML_FILE -o $VPPCFG_VPP_FILE
+  fi
+else
+  echo "Generating empty $VPPCFG_VPP_FILE due to missing or empty $VPPCFG_YAML_FILE"
+  echo "comment { please provide a vppcfg.yaml file }" > $VPPCFG_VPP_FILE
 fi
 
 echo "Starting VPP"