diff --git a/test/e2e/libpod_suite_test.go b/test/e2e/libpod_suite_test.go
index 4b4baa93c8..33e05b8729 100644
--- a/test/e2e/libpod_suite_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/libpod_suite_test.go
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ func (p *PodmanTestIntegration) Podman(args []string) *PodmanSessionIntegration
 }
 
 // PodmanAsUser is the exec call to podman on the filesystem with the specified uid/gid and environment
-func (p *PodmanTestIntegration) PodmanAsUser(args []string, uid, gid uint32, env []string) *PodmanSessionIntegration {
-	podmanSession := p.PodmanAsUserBase(args, uid, gid, env)
+func (p *PodmanTestIntegration) PodmanAsUser(args []string, uid, gid uint32, cwd string, env []string) *PodmanSessionIntegration {
+	podmanSession := p.PodmanAsUserBase(args, uid, gid, cwd, env)
 	return &PodmanSessionIntegration{podmanSession}
 }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/rootless_test.go b/test/e2e/rootless_test.go
index 2b84d34c93..aa8ed6faa7 100644
--- a/test/e2e/rootless_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/rootless_test.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman rootless", func() {
 		for _, v := range commands {
 			env := os.Environ()
 			env = append(env, "USER=foo")
-			cmd := podmanTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{v}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd := podmanTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{v}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 		}
@@ -128,13 +128,13 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman rootless", func() {
 			env = append(env, "PODMAN_ALLOW_SINGLE_ID_MAPPING_IN_USERNS=1")
 			env = append(env, "USER=foo")
 
-			cmd := rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"pod", "create", "--infra=false"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd := rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"pod", "create", "--infra=false"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 			podId := cmd.OutputToString()
 
 			args := []string{"run", "--pod", podId, "--rootfs", mountPath, "echo", "hello"}
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser(args, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser(args, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 			Expect(cmd.LineInOutputContains("hello")).To(BeTrue())
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman rootless", func() {
 		env = append(env, fmt.Sprintf("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=%s", xdgRuntimeDir))
 		env = append(env, fmt.Sprintf("HOME=%s", home))
 		env = append(env, "USER=foo")
-		cmd := podmanTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"search", "docker.io/busybox"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+		cmd := podmanTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"search", "docker.io/busybox"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 		cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 		Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 	})
@@ -175,65 +175,65 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman rootless", func() {
 
 			allArgs := append([]string{"run"}, args...)
 			allArgs = append(allArgs, "--rootfs", mountPath, "echo", "hello")
-			cmd := rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser(allArgs, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd := rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser(allArgs, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 			Expect(cmd.LineInOutputContains("hello")).To(BeTrue())
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"rm", "-l", "-f"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"rm", "-l", "-f"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
 			allArgs = append([]string{"run", "-d"}, args...)
 			allArgs = append(allArgs, "--security-opt", "seccomp=unconfined", "--rootfs", mountPath, "top")
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser(allArgs, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser(allArgs, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"restart", "-l", "-t", "0"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"restart", "-l", "-t", "0"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
 			canUseExec := canExec()
 
 			if canUseExec {
-				cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"top", "-l"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+				cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"top", "-l"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 				cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 				Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 			}
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"rm", "-l", "-f"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"rm", "-l", "-f"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
 			allArgs = append([]string{"run", "-d"}, args...)
 			allArgs = append(allArgs, "--security-opt", "seccomp=unconfined", "--rootfs", mountPath, "unshare", "-r", "unshare", "-r", "top")
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser(allArgs, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser(allArgs, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"stop", "-l", "-t", "0"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"stop", "-l", "-t", "0"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"inspect", "-l", "--type", "container", "--format", "{{ .State.Status }}"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"inspect", "-l", "--type", "container", "--format", "{{ .State.Status }}"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.LineInOutputContains("exited")).To(BeTrue())
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"start", "-l"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"start", "-l"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"stop", "-l", "-t", "0"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"stop", "-l", "-t", "0"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"start", "-l"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"start", "-l"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
 			if len(args) == 0 {
-				cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"inspect", "-l"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+				cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"inspect", "-l"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 				cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 				Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 				data := cmd.InspectContainerToJSON()
@@ -244,24 +244,23 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman rootless", func() {
 				Skip("ioctl(NS_GET_PARENT) not supported.")
 			}
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"exec", "-l", "echo", "hello"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"exec", "-l", "echo", "hello"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 			Expect(cmd.LineInOutputContains("hello")).To(BeTrue())
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"ps", "-l", "-q"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"ps", "-l", "-q"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 			cid := cmd.OutputToString()
 
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"exec", "-l", "sh", "-c", "echo SeCreTMessage > /file"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"exec", "-l", "sh", "-c", "echo SeCreTMessage > /file"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 			Expect(cmd.ExitCode()).To(Equal(0))
 
-			path := filepath.Join(home, "export.tar")
-			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"export", "-o", path, cid}, 1000, 1000, env)
+			cmd = rootlessTest.PodmanAsUser([]string{"export", "-o", "export.tar", cid}, 1000, 1000, home, env)
 			cmd.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
-			content, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
+			content, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(home, "export.tar"))
 			Expect(err).To(BeNil())
 			Expect(strings.Contains(string(content), "SeCreTMessage")).To(BeTrue())
 		}
diff --git a/test/utils/podmantest_test.go b/test/utils/podmantest_test.go
index 60e3e2a973..28f294a947 100644
--- a/test/utils/podmantest_test.go
+++ b/test/utils/podmantest_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var _ = Describe("PodmanTest test", func() {
 		FakeOutputs["check"] = []string{"check"}
 		os.Setenv("HOOK_OPTION", "hook_option")
 		env := os.Environ()
-		session := podmanTest.PodmanAsUserBase([]string{"check"}, 1000, 1000, env)
+		session := podmanTest.PodmanAsUserBase([]string{"check"}, 1000, 1000, "", env)
 		os.Unsetenv("HOOK_OPTION")
 		session.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 		Expect(session.Command.Process).ShouldNot(BeNil())
diff --git a/test/utils/utils.go b/test/utils/utils.go
index aace018cdb..098779321e 100644
--- a/test/utils/utils.go
+++ b/test/utils/utils.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func (p *PodmanTest) MakeOptions(args []string) []string {
 
 // PodmanAsUserBase exec podman as user. uid and gid is set for credentials useage. env is used
 // to record the env for debugging
-func (p *PodmanTest) PodmanAsUserBase(args []string, uid, gid uint32, env []string) *PodmanSession {
+func (p *PodmanTest) PodmanAsUserBase(args []string, uid, gid uint32, cwd string, env []string) *PodmanSession {
 	var command *exec.Cmd
 	podmanOptions := p.MakeOptions(args)
 	podmanBinary := p.PodmanBinary
@@ -74,14 +74,18 @@ func (p *PodmanTest) PodmanAsUserBase(args []string, uid, gid uint32, env []stri
 		fmt.Printf("Running: (env: %v) %s %s\n", env, podmanBinary, strings.Join(podmanOptions, " "))
 	}
 	if uid != 0 || gid != 0 {
-		nsEnterOpts := append([]string{"--userspec", fmt.Sprintf("%d:%d", uid, gid), "/", podmanBinary}, podmanOptions...)
-		command = exec.Command("chroot", nsEnterOpts...)
+		pythonCmd := fmt.Sprintf("import os; import sys; uid = %d; gid = %d; cwd = '%s'; os.setgid(gid); os.setuid(uid); os.chdir(cwd) if len(cwd)>0 else True; os.execv(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[1:])", gid, uid, cwd)
+		nsEnterOpts := append([]string{"-c", pythonCmd, podmanBinary}, podmanOptions...)
+		command = exec.Command("python", nsEnterOpts...)
 	} else {
 		command = exec.Command(podmanBinary, podmanOptions...)
 	}
 	if env != nil {
 		command.Env = env
 	}
+	if cwd != "" {
+		command.Dir = cwd
+	}
 
 	session, err := gexec.Start(command, GinkgoWriter, GinkgoWriter)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -92,7 +96,7 @@ func (p *PodmanTest) PodmanAsUserBase(args []string, uid, gid uint32, env []stri
 
 // PodmanBase exec podman with default env.
 func (p *PodmanTest) PodmanBase(args []string) *PodmanSession {
-	return p.PodmanAsUserBase(args, 0, 0, nil)
+	return p.PodmanAsUserBase(args, 0, 0, "", nil)
 }
 
 // WaitForContainer waits on a started container