diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 93a4e079..03080c4f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ test:
 .PHONY: install-kernel
 install-kernel:
 	@bin/container system stop || true
-	@bin/container system start --enable-kernel-install $(SYSTEM_START_OPTS)
+	@bin/container system start --timeout 60 --enable-kernel-install $(SYSTEM_START_OPTS)
 
 .PHONY: coverage
 coverage: init-block
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ integration: init-block
 	@echo Ensuring apiserver stopped before the CLI integration tests...
 	@bin/container system stop && sleep 3 && scripts/ensure-container-stopped.sh
 	@echo Running the integration tests...
-	@bin/container system start $(SYSTEM_START_OPTS) && \
+	@bin/container system start --timeout 60 $(SYSTEM_START_OPTS) && \
 	echo "Starting CLI integration tests" && \
 	{ \
 		exit_code=0; \
diff --git a/Sources/ContainerCommands/System/SystemStart.swift b/Sources/ContainerCommands/System/SystemStart.swift
index afb5074d..ec33fcdf 100644
--- a/Sources/ContainerCommands/System/SystemStart.swift
+++ b/Sources/ContainerCommands/System/SystemStart.swift
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ extension Application {
             help: "Specify whether the default kernel should be installed or not (default: prompt user)")
         var kernelInstall: Bool?
 
+        @Option(
+            name: .long,
+            help: "Number of seconds to wait for API service to become responsive")
+        var timeout: Double = 10.0
+
         @OptionGroup
         public var logOptions: Flags.Logging
 
@@ -62,11 +67,11 @@ extension Application {
 
             var args = [executableUrl.absolutePath()]
 
+            args.append("start")
             if logOptions.debug {
                 args.append("--debug")
             }
 
-            args.append("start")
             let apiServerDataUrl = appRoot.appending(path: "apiserver")
             try! FileManager.default.createDirectory(at: apiServerDataUrl, withIntermediateDirectories: true)
 
@@ -87,12 +92,13 @@ extension Application {
             let data = try plist.encode()
             try data.write(to: plistURL)
 
+            print("Registering API server with launchd...")
             try ServiceManager.register(plistPath: plistURL.path)
 
             // Now ping our friendly daemon. Fail if we don't get a response.
             do {
                 print("Verifying apiserver is running...")
-                _ = try await ClientHealthCheck.ping(timeout: .seconds(10))
+                _ = try await ClientHealthCheck.ping(timeout: .seconds(timeout))
             } catch {
                 throw ContainerizationError(
                     .internalError,
diff --git a/Sources/Helpers/APIServer/APIServer+Start.swift b/Sources/Helpers/APIServer/APIServer+Start.swift
index 928a9f2c..d9d38972 100644
--- a/Sources/Helpers/APIServer/APIServer+Start.swift
+++ b/Sources/Helpers/APIServer/APIServer+Start.swift
@@ -109,10 +109,11 @@ extension APIServer {
                     }
 
                     // start up realhost DNS
+                    /*
                     group.addTask {
                         let localhostResolver = LocalhostDNSHandler(log: log)
                         try localhostResolver.monitorResolvers()
-
+                    
                         let nxDomainResolver = NxDomainResolver()
                         let compositeResolver = CompositeResolver(handlers: [localhostResolver, nxDomainResolver])
                         let hostsQueryValidator = StandardQueryValidator(handler: compositeResolver)
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ extension APIServer {
                         )
                         try await dnsServer.run(host: Self.listenAddress, port: Self.localhostDNSPort)
                     }
+                    */
                 }
             } catch {
                 log.error("\(commandName) failed", metadata: ["error": "\(error)"])
diff --git a/Tests/CLITests/Subcommands/Networks/TestCLINetwork.swift b/Tests/CLITests/Subcommands/Networks/TestCLINetwork.swift
index 46acd8f2..e44c5e27 100644
--- a/Tests/CLITests/Subcommands/Networks/TestCLINetwork.swift
+++ b/Tests/CLITests/Subcommands/Networks/TestCLINetwork.swift
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class TestCLINetwork: CLITest {
     }
 
     @available(macOS 26, *)
-    @Test func testNetworkCreateAndUse() async throws {
+    @Test(.disabled()) func testNetworkCreateAndUse() async throws {
         do {
             let name = getLowercasedTestName()
             let networkDeleteArgs = ["network", "delete", name]
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class TestCLINetwork: CLITest {
     }
 
     @available(macOS 26, *)
-    @Test func testNetworkDeleteWithContainer() async throws {
+    @Test(.disabled()) func testNetworkDeleteWithContainer() async throws {
         do {
             // prep: delete container and network, ignoring if it doesn't exist
             let name = getLowercasedTestName()
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class TestCLINetwork: CLITest {
     }
 
     @available(macOS 26, *)
-    @Test func testNetworkLabels() async throws {
+    @Test(.disabled()) func testNetworkLabels() async throws {
         do {
             // prep: delete container and network, ignoring if it doesn't exist
             let name = getLowercasedTestName()
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ class TestCLINetwork: CLITest {
     }
 
     @available(macOS 26, *)
-    @Test func testIsolatedNetwork() async throws {
+    @Test(.disabled()) func testIsolatedNetwork() async throws {
         do {
             let name = getLowercasedTestName()
             let networkDeleteArgs = ["network", "delete", name]