diff --git a/bitnami/apache/test.sh b/bitnami/apache/test.sh
index b8b6e458a407..e269b2ebeaa4 100644
--- a/bitnami/apache/test.sh
+++ b/bitnami/apache/test.sh
@@ -1,83 +1,86 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
-CONTAINER_NAME=bitnami-apache-test
-IMAGE_NAME=bitnami/apache
+# source the helper script
+APP_NAME=apache
+VOL_PREFIX=/bitnami/$APP_NAME
+VOLUMES=/app:$VOL_PREFIX/conf:$VOL_PREFIX/logs
 SLEEP_TIME=2
-VOL_PREFIX=/bitnami/apache
+load tests/docker_helper
 
-cleanup_running_containers() {
-  if [ "$(docker ps -a | grep $CONTAINER_NAME)" ]; then
-    docker rm -fv $CONTAINER_NAME
-  fi
-}
-
-setup() {
-  cleanup_running_containers
+# Cleans up all running/stopped containers and host mounted volumes
+cleanup_environment() {
+  container_remove default
 }
 
+# Teardown called at the end of each test
 teardown() {
-  cleanup_running_containers
-}
-
-create_container(){
-  docker run -d --name $CONTAINER_NAME \
-   --expose 81 $IMAGE_NAME
-  sleep $SLEEP_TIME
-}
-
-add_vhost() {
-  docker exec $CONTAINER_NAME sh -c "echo 'Listen 81
-<VirtualHost *:81>
-  ServerName default
-  Redirect 405 /
-</VirtualHost>' > $VOL_PREFIX/conf/vhosts/test.conf"
+  cleanup_environment
 }
 
+# cleanup the environment before starting the tests
+cleanup_environment
 
 @test "We can connect to the port 80 and 443" {
-  create_container
-  run docker run --link $CONTAINER_NAME:apache --rm bitnami/apache curl -L -i --noproxy apache http://apache:80
-  [[ "$output" =~  "200 OK" ]]
-  [ $status = 0 ]
+  container_create default -d
 
-  run docker run --link $CONTAINER_NAME:apache --rm bitnami/apache curl -L -i --noproxy apache -k https://apache:443
+  # http connection
+  run curl_client default -i http://$APP_NAME:80
+  [[ "$output" =~  "200 OK" ]]
+
+  # https connection
+  run curl_client default -i -k https://$APP_NAME:443
   [[ "$output" =~  "200 OK" ]]
-  [ $status = 0 ]
 }
 
 @test "Returns default page" {
-  create_container
-  run docker run --link $CONTAINER_NAME:apache --rm bitnami/apache curl -L -i --noproxy apache http://apache:80
-  [[ "$output" =~  "It works!" ]]
-  [ $status = 0 ]
+  container_create default -d
 
-  run docker run --link $CONTAINER_NAME:apache --rm bitnami/apache curl -L -i --noproxy apache -k https://apache:443
+  # http connection
+  run curl_client default -i http://$APP_NAME:80
+  [[ "$output" =~  "It works!" ]]
+
+  # https connections
+  run curl_client default -i -k https://$APP_NAME:443
   [[ "$output" =~  "It works!" ]]
-  [ $status = 0 ]
 }
 
 @test "Logs to stdout" {
-  create_container
-  docker run --link $CONTAINER_NAME:apache --rm bitnami/apache curl -L -i --noproxy apache http://apache:80
-  run docker logs $CONTAINER_NAME
+  container_create default -d
+
+  # make sample request
+  curl_client default -i http://$APP_NAME:80
+
+  # check if our request is logged in the container logs
+  run container_logs default
   [[ "$output" =~  "GET / HTTP/1.1" ]]
-  [ $status = 0 ]
 }
 
 @test "All the volumes exposed" {
-  create_container
-  run docker inspect $CONTAINER_NAME
+  container_create default -d
+
+  # inspect container to check if volumes are exposed
+  run container_inspect default --format {{.Mounts}}
   [[ "$output" =~ "$VOL_PREFIX/logs" ]]
   [[ "$output" =~ "$VOL_PREFIX/conf" ]]
 }
 
 @test "Vhosts directory is imported" {
-  create_container
-  add_vhost
-  docker restart $CONTAINER_NAME
-  sleep $SLEEP_TIME
-  docker run --link $CONTAINER_NAME:apache --rm bitnami/apache curl -L -i --noproxy apache http://apache:81 | {
-    run grep "405 Method Not Allowed"
-    [ $status = 0 ]
-  }
+  # create container and exposing TCP port 81
+  container_create default -d --expose 81
+
+  # create a vhost config for accepting connections on TCP port 81
+  container_exec default sh -c "cat > $VOL_PREFIX/conf/vhosts/test.conf <<EOF
+Listen 81
+<VirtualHost *:81>
+  ServerName default
+  Redirect 405 /
+</VirtualHost>
+EOF"
+
+  # restart the container for the vhost config to take effect
+  container_restart default
+
+  # check http connections on port 81
+  run curl_client default -i http://$APP_NAME:81
+  [[ "$output" =~  "405 Method Not Allowed" ]]
 }
diff --git a/bitnami/apache/tests/docker_helper.bash b/bitnami/apache/tests/docker_helper.bash
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2458bff7ddd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bitnami/apache/tests/docker_helper.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+##
+# Reusable helper script to do docker things in your tests
+##
+# The following variables should be defined in you BATS script for this helper
+# script to work correctly.
+#
+# APP_NAME                                    - app name, also used as the link alias in container_link_and_run_command
+# CONTAINER_NAME                              - prefix for the name of containers that will be created (default: bitnami-$APP_NAME-test)
+# IMAGE_NAME                                  - the docker image name (default: bitnami/$APP_NAME)
+# SLEEP_TIME                                  - time in seconds to wait for containers to start (default: 5)
+# VOL_PREFIX                                  - prefix of volumes inside the container (default: /bitnami/$APP_NAME)
+# VOLUMES                                     - colon separated list of container volumes (default: $VOL_PREFIX/data:$VOL_PREFIX/conf:$VOL_PREFIX/logs)
+# HOST_VOL_PREFIX                             - prefix of volumes mounted from the host (default: /tmp/bitnami/$CONTAINER_NAME)
+# container_link_and_run_command_DOCKER_ARGS  - optional arguments passed to docker run in container_link_and_run_command (default: none)
+##
+
+CONTAINER_NAME=bitnami-$APP_NAME-test
+IMAGE_NAME=${IMAGE_NAME:-bitnami/$APP_NAME}
+SLEEP_TIME=${SLEEP_TIME:-5}
+VOL_PREFIX=${VOL_PREFIX:-/bitnami/$APP_NAME}
+VOLUMES=${VOLUMES:-$VOL_PREFIX/data:$VOL_PREFIX/conf:$VOL_PREFIX/logs}
+HOST_VOL_PREFIX=${HOST_VOL_PREFIX:-/tmp/bitnami/$CONTAINER_NAME}
+
+# Creates a container whose name has the prefix $CONTAINER_NAME
+# $1: name for the new container
+# ${@:2}: additional arguments for docker run while starting the container
+container_create() {
+  docker run --name $CONTAINER_NAME-$1 "${@:2}" $IMAGE_NAME
+  sleep $SLEEP_TIME
+}
+
+# Creates a container with host mounted volumes for volumes listed in VOLUMES
+# $1: name for the new container
+# ${@:2}: additional arguments for docker run while starting the container
+container_create_with_host_volumes() {
+  # populate volume mount arguments from VOLUMES variable
+  VOLUME_ARGS=
+  OLD_IFS=${IFS}
+  IFS=":"
+  for VOLUME in $VOLUMES
+  do
+    VOL_NAME=$(basename $VOLUME)
+    VOLUME_ARGS+="-v $HOST_VOL_PREFIX/$1/$VOL_NAME:$VOLUME "
+  done
+  IFS=${OLD_IFS}
+
+  container_create $1 "${@:2}" $VOLUME_ARGS
+}
+
+# Start a stopped container
+# $1: name of the container
+container_start() {
+  if docker ps -a | grep -q $CONTAINER_NAME-$1; then
+    docker start $CONTAINER_NAME-$1
+    sleep $SLEEP_TIME
+  else
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+# Stop a running container
+# $1: name of the container
+container_stop() {
+  if docker ps | grep -q $CONTAINER_NAME-$1; then
+    docker stop $CONTAINER_NAME-$1
+  else
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+# Restart a running container (stops the container and then starts it)
+# $1: name of the container
+container_restart() {
+  if docker ps | grep -q $CONTAINER_NAME-$1; then
+    docker stop $CONTAINER_NAME-$1
+    docker start $CONTAINER_NAME-$1
+    sleep $SLEEP_TIME
+  fi
+}
+
+# Remove a running/stopped container
+# $1: name of the container
+container_remove() {
+  if docker ps -a | grep -q $CONTAINER_NAME-$1; then
+    docker stop $CONTAINER_NAME-$1
+    docker rm -v $CONTAINER_NAME-$1
+  fi
+}
+
+# Remove a running/stopped container and clear host volumes
+# $1: name of the container
+container_remove_full() {
+  container_remove $1
+
+  # populate volume mount and rm arguments from VOLUMES variable
+  VOLUME_ARGS=
+  RM_ARGS=
+  OLD_IFS=${IFS}
+  IFS=":"
+  for VOLUME in $VOLUMES
+  do
+    VOL_NAME=$(basename $VOLUME)
+    VOLUME_ARGS+="-v $HOST_VOL_PREFIX/$1/$VOL_NAME:$VOLUME "
+    RM_ARGS+="$VOLUME/* $VOLUME/.[^.]* "
+  done
+  IFS=${OLD_IFS}
+
+  docker run --rm --entrypoint bash $VOLUME_ARGS \
+      $IMAGE_NAME -c "rm -rf $RM_ARGS"
+}
+
+# Get the logs of a container
+# $1: name of the container
+container_logs() {
+  if docker ps -a | grep -q $CONTAINER_NAME-$1; then
+    docker logs $CONTAINER_NAME-$1
+  else
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+# Docker inspect a container
+# $1: name of the container
+container_inspect() {
+  if docker ps -a | grep -q $CONTAINER_NAME-$1; then
+    # docker inspect "${@:2}" $CONTAINER_NAME-$1 # requires docker >= 1.9.0
+    docker inspect $CONTAINER_NAME-$1
+  else
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+# Execute a command in a running container using docker exec
+# $1: name of the container
+container_exec() {
+  if docker ps | grep -q $CONTAINER_NAME-$1; then
+    docker exec $CONTAINER_NAME-$1 "${@:2}"
+  else
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+# Execute a command in a running container using docker exec (detached)
+# $1: name of the container
+container_exec_detached() {
+  if docker ps | grep -q $CONTAINER_NAME-$1; then
+    docker exec -d $CONTAINER_NAME-$1 "${@:2}"
+  else
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+# Generates docker link parameter for linking to a container
+# $1: name of the container to link
+# $2: alias for the link
+container_link() {
+  if docker ps -a | grep -q $CONTAINER_NAME-$1; then
+    echo "--link $CONTAINER_NAME-$1:$2"
+  fi
+}
+
+# Link to container and execute command
+# $1: name of the container to link to
+# ${@:2}: command to execute
+container_link_and_run_command() {
+  # launch command as the entrypoint to skip the s6 init sequence (speeds up the tests)
+  docker run --rm $(container_link $1 $APP_NAME) $container_link_and_run_command_DOCKER_ARGS --entrypoint ${2} $IMAGE_NAME "${@:3}"
+}
+
+# Link to container and execute curl
+# $1: name of the container to link to
+# ${@:2}: arguments to curl
+curl_client() {
+  container_link_and_run_command $1 curl --noproxy $APP_NAME --retry 5 -L "${@:2}"
+}