diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker-ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/docker-ci.yaml
index 634c6e79..568df646 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker-ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker-ci.yaml
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ jobs:
           ssh root@ns.testrun.org systemctl reload nsd
 
       - name: cmdeploy test
-        run: CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2=ci-chatmail.testrun.org cmdeploy test --slow
+        run: CHATMAIL_DOCKER=chatmail CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2=ci-chatmail.testrun.org cmdeploy test --slow
 
       - name: cmdeploy dns
         run: |
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ jobs:
           ssh root@ns.testrun.org systemctl reload nsd
 
       - name: cmdeploy test
-        run: CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2=ci-chatmail.testrun.org cmdeploy test --slow
+        run: CHATMAIL_DOCKER=chatmail CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2=ci-chatmail.testrun.org cmdeploy test --slow
 
       - name: cmdeploy dns
         run: |
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py
index 6a37b939..04968637 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ class SSHExec:
     FuncError = FuncError
 
     def __init__(self, host, verbose=False, python="python3", timeout=60):
+        docker_container = os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_DOCKER")
+        if docker_container:
+            python = f"docker exec -i {docker_container} python3"
         self.gateway = execnet.makegateway(f"ssh=root@{host}//python={python}")
         self._remote_cmdloop_channel = bootstrap_remote(self.gateway, remote)
         self.timeout = timeout
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py
index 34f258df..08ce9b33 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py
@@ -402,6 +402,9 @@ class Remote:
             case "@local": command = []
             case "localhost": command = []
             case _: command = ["ssh", f"root@{self.sshdomain}"]
+        docker_container = os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_DOCKER")
+        if docker_container:
+            command += ["docker", "exec", docker_container]
         [command.append(arg) for arg in getjournal.split()]
         self.popen = subprocess.Popen(
             command,