diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
index f373af9..9dc8d2b 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ 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 \
-  mtr-tiny traceroute && apt-get clean
+  mtr-tiny traceroute rsync && apt-get clean
 
 # Install VPP - sideload from local debs if --build-context vppdebs=<path> is provided,
 # otherwise install from packagecloud. Debs are bind-mounted and never stored in a layer.
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ RUN curl -s -o /usr/share/keyrings/cznic-labs-pkg.gpg https://pkg.labs.nic.cz/gp
 
 # Config files
 COPY files/etc/ /etc/
-RUN mkdir /config \
-    && for i in vpp bird frr; do mv /etc/$i /config/$i; ln -sf /config/$i /etc/$i; done
 COPY files/init-container.sh /sbin/
 RUN chmod 755 /sbin/init-container.sh
 CMD ["/sbin/init-container.sh"]
diff --git a/docker/files/etc/vpp/bootstrap.vpp b/docker/files/etc/vpp/bootstrap.vpp
index 6b5ab70..5f45a81 100644
--- a/docker/files/etc/vpp/bootstrap.vpp
+++ b/docker/files/etc/vpp/bootstrap.vpp
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 mpls table add 0
 set ip neighbor-config ip4 age 900
 set ip neighbor-config ip6 age 900
-lcp lcp-auto-subint off
+lcp default netns dataplane
 lcp lcp-sync on
 lcp lcp-sync-unnumbered on
 lcp param del-static-on-link-down on
 lcp param del-dynamic-on-link-down on
-exec /etc/vpp/config/manual-pre.vpp
-exec /etc/vpp/config/clab.vpp
-exec /etc/vpp/config/vppcfg.vpp
-exec /etc/vpp/config/manual-post.vpp
+lcp lcp-auto-subint off
+exec /config/vpp/config/manual-pre.vpp
+exec /config/vpp/config/clab.vpp
+exec /config/vpp/config/vppcfg.vpp
+exec /config/vpp/config/manual-post.vpp
diff --git a/docker/files/etc/vpp/startup.conf b/docker/files/etc/vpp/startup.conf
index bcb6ee3..3301540 100644
--- a/docker/files/etc/vpp/startup.conf
+++ b/docker/files/etc/vpp/startup.conf
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ unix {
   cli-prompt vpp-clab#
   cli-no-pager
   poll-sleep-usec 100
-  exec /etc/vpp/bootstrap.vpp
+  exec /config/vpp/bootstrap.vpp
 }
 
 api-trace {
diff --git a/docker/files/init-container.sh b/docker/files/init-container.sh
index 66a545b..250cb11 100755
--- a/docker/files/init-container.sh
+++ b/docker/files/init-container.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ 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/$dir
+done
+
 if [ "$BIRD_ENABLED" == "true" ]; then
   echo "Starting Bird in $NETNS"
   mkdir -p /run/bird /var/log/bird
diff --git a/vpp-bird.clab.yml b/vpp-bird.clab.yml
index 2515c8a..28b1c8a 100644
--- a/vpp-bird.clab.yml
+++ b/vpp-bird.clab.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ topology:
       image: git.ipng.ch/ipng/vpp-containerlab:latest
       startup-config: config/__clabNodeName__/vppcfg.yaml
       binds:
-        - config/__clabNodeName__/bird-local.conf:/etc/bird/bird-local.conf:ro
+        - config/__clabNodeName__/bird-local.conf:/config/bird/bird-local.conf:ro
     linux:
       image: ghcr.io/srl-labs/network-multitool:latest
 
diff --git a/vpp-frr.clab.yml b/vpp-frr.clab.yml
index 068fe06..c75fd2a 100644
--- a/vpp-frr.clab.yml
+++ b/vpp-frr.clab.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ topology:
       image: git.ipng.ch/ipng/vpp-containerlab:latest
       startup-config: config/__clabNodeName__/vppcfg.yaml
       binds:
-        - config/__clabNodeName__/frr.conf:/etc/frr/frr.conf
+        - config/__clabNodeName__/frr.conf:/config/frr/frr.conf
       env-files:
         - config/lab-frr.env
     linux: