diff --git a/xos/observers/base/SyncInstanceUsingAnsible.py b/xos/observers/base/SyncInstanceUsingAnsible.py
index 901bc97..b00648d 100644
--- a/xos/observers/base/SyncInstanceUsingAnsible.py
+++ b/xos/observers/base/SyncInstanceUsingAnsible.py
@@ -44,9 +44,11 @@
 
         return o.instance
 
-    def run_playbook(self, o, fields):
+    def run_playbook(self, o, fields, template_name=None):
+        if not template_name:
+            template_name = self.template_name
         tStart = time.time()
-        run_template_ssh(self.template_name, fields)
+        run_template_ssh(template_name, fields)
         logger.info("playbook execution time %d" % int(time.time()-tStart))
 
     def pre_sync_hook(self, o, fields):
@@ -61,14 +63,81 @@
     def prepare_record(self, o):
         pass
 
+    def get_node(self,o):
+        return o.node
+
+    def get_node_key(self, node):
+        return "/root/setup/node_key"
+
+    def get_ansible_fields(self, instance):
+        # return all of the fields that tell Ansible how to talk to the context
+        # that's setting up the container.
+
+        if (instance.isolation == "vm"):
+            # legacy where container was configured by sync_vcpetenant.py
+
+            fields = { "instance_name": instance.name,
+                       "hostname": instance.node.name,
+                       "instance_id": instance.instance_id,
+                       "username": "ubuntu",
+                     }
+            key_name = self.service_key_name
+        elif (instance.isolation == "container"):
+            # container on bare metal
+            node = self.get_node(instance)
+            hostname = node.name
+            fields = { "hostname": hostname,
+                       "baremetal_ssh": True,
+                       "instance_name": "rootcontext",
+                       "username": "root",
+                     }
+            key_name = self.get_node_key(node)
+        else:
+            # container in a VM
+            if not instance.parent:
+                raise Exception("Container-in-VM has no parent")
+            if not instance.parent.instance_id:
+                raise Exception("Container-in-VM parent is not yet instantiated")
+            if not instance.parent.slice.service:
+                raise Exception("Container-in-VM parent has no service")
+            if not instance.parent.slice.service.private_key_fn:
+                raise Exception("Container-in-VM parent service has no private_key_fn")
+            fields = { "hostname": instance.parent.node.name,
+                       "instance_name": instance.parent.name,
+                       "instance_id": instance.parent.instance_id,
+                       "username": "ubuntu",
+                       "nat_ip": instance.parent.get_ssh_ip(),
+                         }
+            key_name = instance.parent.slice.service.private_key_fn
+
+        if not os.path.exists(key_name):
+            raise Exception("Node key %s does not exist" % node_key_name)
+
+        key = file(key_name).read()
+
+        fields["private_key"] = key
+
+        # now the ceilometer stuff
+
+        cslice = ControllerSlice.objects.get(slice=instance.slice)
+        if not cslice:
+            raise Exception("Controller slice object for %s does not exist" % instance.slice.name)
+
+        cuser = ControllerUser.objects.get(user=instance.creator)
+        if not cuser:
+            raise Exception("Controller user object for %s does not exist" % instance.creator)
+
+        fields.update({"keystone_tenant_id": cslice.tenant_id,
+                       "keystone_user_id": cuser.kuser_id,
+                       "rabbit_user": instance.controller.rabbit_user,
+                       "rabbit_password": instance.controller.rabbit_password,
+                       "rabbit_host": instance.controller.rabbit_host})
+
+        return fields
+
     def sync_record(self, o):
         logger.info("sync'ing object %s" % str(o))
 
-        if not os.path.exists(self.service_key_name):
-            raise Exception("Service key %s does not exist" % self.service_key_name)
-
-        service_key = file(self.service_key_name).read()
-
         self.prepare_record(o)
 
         instance = self.get_instance(o)
@@ -92,25 +161,9 @@
                 self.defer_sync(o, "waiting on instance.instance_name")
                 return
 
-            cslice = ControllerSlice.objects.get(slice=instance.slice)
-            if not cslice:
-                raise Exception("Controller slice object for %s does not exist" % instance.slice.name)
+            fields = self.get_ansible_fields(o)
 
-            cuser = ControllerUser.objects.get(user=instance.creator)
-            if not cuser:
-                raise Exception("Controller user object for %s does not exist" % instance.creator)
-
-            fields = { "instance_name": instance.name,
-                       "hostname": instance.node.name,
-                       "instance_id": instance.instance_id,
-                       "private_key": service_key,
-                       "keystone_tenant_id": cslice.tenant_id,
-                       "keystone_user_id": cuser.kuser_id,
-                       "rabbit_user": instance.controller.rabbit_user,
-                       "rabbit_password": instance.controller.rabbit_password,
-                       "rabbit_host": instance.controller.rabbit_host,
-                       "ansible_tag": o.__class__.__name__ + "_" + str(o.id)
-                     }
+            fields["ansible_tag"] =  o.__class__.__name__ + "_" + str(o.id)
 
         # If 'o' defines a 'sync_attributes' list, then we'll copy those
         # attributes into the Ansible recipe's field list automatically.
diff --git a/xos/openstack_observer/steps/sync_container.py b/xos/openstack_observer/steps/sync_container.py
index b28453a..9dbcef2 100644
--- a/xos/openstack_observer/steps/sync_container.py
+++ b/xos/openstack_observer/steps/sync_container.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import time
 from django.db.models import F, Q
 from xos.config import Config
+from observers.base.SyncInstanceUsingAnsible import SyncInstanceUsingAnsible
 from observer.syncstep import SyncStep
 from observer.ansible import run_template_ssh
 from core.models import Service, Slice, Instance
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@
 
 logger = Logger(level=logging.INFO)
 
-class SyncContainer(SyncStep):
+class SyncContainer(SyncInstanceUsingAnsible):
     provides=[Instance]
     observes=Instance
     requested_interval=0
@@ -32,12 +33,6 @@
         objs = [x for x in objs if x.isolation in ["container", "container_vm"]]
         return objs
 
-    def get_node(self,o):
-        return o.node
-
-    def get_node_key(self, node):
-        return "/root/setup/node_key"
-
     def get_instance_port(self, container_port):
         for p in container_port.network.links.all():
             if (p.instance) and (p.instance.isolation=="vm") and (p.instance.node == container_port.instance.node) and (p.mac):
@@ -98,39 +93,7 @@
     def sync_record(self, o):
         logger.info("sync'ing object %s" % str(o))
 
-        if o.isolation=="container":
-            # container on bare metal
-            node = self.get_node(o)
-            key_name = self.get_node_key(node)
-            hostname = node.name
-            fields = { "hostname": hostname,
-                       "baremetal_ssh": True,
-                       "instance_name": "rootcontext",
-                       "username": "root",
-                     }
-        else:
-            # container in a VM
-            if not o.parent:
-                raise Exception("Container-in-VM has no parent")
-            if not o.parent.instance_id:
-                raise Exception("Container-in-VM parent is not yet instantiated")
-            if not o.parent.slice.service:
-                raise Exception("Container-in-VM parent has no service")
-            if not o.parent.slice.service.private_key_fn:
-                raise Exception("Container-in-VM parent service has no private_key_fn")
-            key_name = o.parent.slice.service.private_key_fn
-            fields = { "hostname": o.parent.node.name,
-                       "instance_name": o.parent.name,
-                       "instance_id": o.parent.instance_id,
-                       "username": "ubuntu",
-                       "nat_ip": o.parent.get_ssh_ip() }
-
-        if not os.path.exists(key_name):
-            raise Exception("Node key %s does not exist" % node_key_name)
-
-        key = file(key_name).read()
-
-        fields["private_key"] = key
+        fields = self.get_ansible_fields(o)
 
         # If 'o' defines a 'sync_attributes' list, then we'll copy those
         # attributes into the Ansible recipe's field list automatically.
diff --git a/xos/openstack_observer/templates/start-container.sh.j2 b/xos/openstack_observer/templates/start-container.sh.j2
index 967578d..ccd419a 100644
--- a/xos/openstack_observer/templates/start-container.sh.j2
+++ b/xos/openstack_observer/templates/start-container.sh.j2
@@ -25,9 +25,27 @@
 
 {% if ports %}
 {% for port in ports %}
+
+{% if port.next_hop %}
+NEXTHOP_ARG="@{{ port.next_hop }}"
+{% else %}
+NEXTHOP_ARG=""
+{% endif %}
+
+{% if port.c_tag %}
+CTAG_ARG="@{{ port.c_tax }}"
+{% else %}
+CTAG_ARG=""
+{% endif %}
+
 {% if port.src_device %}
 # container-in-VM
-docker exec $CONTAINER ifconfig {{ port.src_device }} >> /dev/null || pipework {{ port.src_device }} -i {{ port.device }} $CONTAINER {{ port.ip }}/24 {{ port.mac }}
+VLAN_ARG=""
+NEXTHOP_ARG=""
+CMD="docker exec $CONTAINER ifconfig {{ port.src_device }} >> /dev/null || pipework {{ port.src_device }} -i {{ port.device }} $CONTAINER {{ port.ip }}/24$NEXTHOP_ARG {{ port.mac }} $CTAG_ARG"
+echo $CMD
+eval $CMD
+
 {% else %}
 # container-on-metal
 IP="{{ port.ip }}"
@@ -49,7 +67,9 @@
     echo tap exists
 fi
 
-docker exec $CONTAINER ifconfig $DEVICE >> /dev/null || pipework $TAP -i $DEVICE $CONTAINER $IP/24 $MAC
+CMD="docker exec $CONTAINER ifconfig $DEVICE >> /dev/null || pipework $TAP -i $DEVICE $CONTAINER $IP/24$NEXTHOP_ARG $MAC $CTAG_ARG"
+echo $CMD
+eval $CMD
 {% endif %}
 {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}