diff --git a/container/image.bzl b/container/image.bzl
index 99b6c5069..37ba26a4b 100644
--- a/container/image.bzl
+++ b/container/image.bzl
@@ -312,7 +312,6 @@ def _impl(
         workdir = None,
         null_cmd = None,
         null_entrypoint = None,
-        docker_run_flags = "",
         commit = False,
         commit_output = None,
         extract = False,
@@ -351,7 +350,6 @@ def _impl(
     workdir: str, overrides ctx.attr.workdir
     null_cmd: bool, overrides ctx.attr.null_cmd
     null_entrypoint: bool, overrides ctx.attr.null_entrypoint
-    docker_run_flags: str List, flags to pass to docker when running the container
     commit: bool, whether to run the container and commit the result
     commit_output: File to use as output for the committed container
     extract: bool, whether to run the container and extract a file from it
@@ -382,16 +380,17 @@ def _impl(
     # We do not use the default argument of attrs.string() in order to distinguish between
     # an image using the default and an image intentionally overriding the base's run flags.
     # Since this is a string attribute, the default value is the empty string.
-    if docker_run_flags == "":
-        if ctx.attr.docker_run_flags != "":
-            docker_run_flags = ctx.attr.docker_run_flags
-        elif ctx.attr.base and ImageInfo in ctx.attr.base:
-            docker_run_flags = ctx.attr.base[ImageInfo].docker_run_flags
-        else:
-            # Run the container using host networking, so that the service is
-            # available to the developer without having to poke around with
-            # docker inspect.
-            docker_run_flags = "-i --rm --network=host"
+    docker_run_flags_are_default = False
+    if ctx.attr.docker_run_flags != "":
+        docker_run_flags = ctx.attr.docker_run_flags
+    elif ctx.attr.base and ImageInfo in ctx.attr.base:
+        docker_run_flags = ctx.attr.base[ImageInfo].docker_run_flags
+    elif not commit and not extract:
+        docker_run_flags_are_default = True
+        # Run the container using host networking, so that the service is
+        # available to the developer without having to poke around with
+        # docker inspect.
+        docker_run_flags = "-i --rm --network=host"
 
     if ctx.attr.launcher:
         if not file_map:
@@ -546,7 +545,7 @@ def _impl(
         ImageInfo(
             container_parts = container_parts,
             legacy_run_behavior = ctx.attr.legacy_run_behavior,
-            docker_run_flags = docker_run_flags,
+            docker_run_flags = "" if docker_run_flags_are_default else docker_run_flags,
         ),
         DefaultInfo(
             executable = build_executable,
diff --git a/container/layer_tools.bzl b/container/layer_tools.bzl
index 64024d00a..893146a5e 100644
--- a/container/layer_tools.bzl
+++ b/container/layer_tools.bzl
@@ -226,7 +226,11 @@ def incremental_load(
     # Default to interactively launching the container,
     # and cleaning up when it exits.
 
-    run_flags = run_flags or "-i --rm"
+    if not run_flags:
+        if commit or extract:
+            run_flags = ""
+        else:
+            run_flags = "-i --rm"
 
     if len(images) > 1 and run:
         fail("Bazel run does not currently support execution of " +
@@ -289,6 +293,9 @@ def incremental_load(
                 image["config_digest"].path if action_run else _get_runfile_path(ctx, image["config_digest"]),
             ),
         ]
+        if commit or extract:
+            if not "-d" in run_flags and not "--detach" in run_flags:
+                run_flags += " -d"
         if run or commit or extract:
             # Args are embedded into the image, so omitted here.
             run_statements += [
diff --git a/docker/util/run.bzl b/docker/util/run.bzl
index ce9797f8a..ef147e4bc 100644
--- a/docker/util/run.bzl
+++ b/docker/util/run.bzl
@@ -24,9 +24,8 @@ load("//container:image.bzl", _image = "image")
 def _extract_impl(
         ctx,
         name = "",
-        image = None,
-        commands = None,
-        docker_run_flags = None,
+        base = None,
+        cmd = None,
         extract_file = "",
         output_file = "",
         script_file = "",
@@ -40,9 +39,8 @@ def _extract_impl(
     Args:
         ctx: The bazel rule context
         name: String, overrides ctx.label.name
-        image: File, overrides ctx.file.image_tar
-        commands: String list, overrides ctx.attr.commands
-        docker_run_flags: String list, overrides ctx.attr.docker_run_flags
+        base: File, overrides ctx.attr.base
+        cmd: str List, overrides ctx.attr.cmd
         extract_file: File, overrides ctx.outputs.out
         output_file: File, overrides ctx.outputs.output_file
         script_file: File, overrides ctx.output.script_file
@@ -52,9 +50,6 @@ def _extract_impl(
                     by another action.
     """
     name = name or ctx.label.name
-    image = image or ctx.file.image
-    commands = commands or ctx.attr.commands
-    docker_run_flags = docker_run_flags or ctx.attr.docker_run_flags
     extract_file = extract_file or ctx.attr.extract_file
     output_file = output_file or ctx.outputs.out
     script_file = script_file or ctx.outputs.script
@@ -63,20 +58,16 @@ def _extract_impl(
     output_config = ctx.actions.declare_file(name + ".config")
     output_layer = ctx.actions.declare_file(name + ".layer")
 
-    if not "-d" in docker_run_flags:
-        docker_run_flags = docker_run_flags + ["-d"]
-
     image_result = _image.implementation(
         ctx,
         name,
-        image,
-        cmd = _process_commands(commands),
+        base = base,
+        cmd = cmd,
         output_executable = script_file,
         output_tarball = output_tarball,
         output_digest = output_digest,
         output_config = output_config,
         output_layer = output_layer,
-        docker_run_flags = " ".join(docker_run_flags),
         extract = True,
         extract_path = extract_file,
         extract_output = output_file,
@@ -86,7 +77,7 @@ def _extract_impl(
     ctx.actions.run(
         executable = script_file,
         tools = image_result[1].default_runfiles.files,
-        inputs = [image],
+        inputs = [base] if base else [],
         outputs = [output_file],
         use_default_shell_env = True,
     )
@@ -98,26 +89,10 @@ def _extract_impl(
     ]
 
 _extract_attrs = dicts.add(_image.attrs, {
-    "commands": attr.string_list(
-        doc = "A list of commands to run (sequentially) in the container.",
-        mandatory = True,
-        allow_empty = False,
-    ),
-    "docker_run_flags": attr.string_list(
-        doc = "Extra flags to pass to the docker run command.",
-        mandatory = False,
-    ),
     "extract_file": attr.string(
         doc = "Path to file to extract from container.",
         mandatory = True,
     ),
-    "image": attr.label(
-        executable = True,
-        doc = "The image to run the commands in.",
-        mandatory = True,
-        allow_single_file = True,
-        cfg = "target",
-    ),
 })
 
 _extract_outputs = {
@@ -145,9 +120,8 @@ container_run_and_extract = rule(
 def _commit_impl(
         ctx,
         name = None,
-        image = None,
-        commands = None,
-        docker_run_flags = None,
+        base = None,
+        cmd = None,
         output_image_tar = None):
     """Implementation for the container_run_and_commit rule.
 
@@ -157,23 +131,16 @@ def _commit_impl(
     Args:
         ctx: The bazel rule context
         name: A unique name for this rule.
-        image: The input image tarball
-        commands: The commands to run in the input imnage container
-        docker_run_flags: String list, overrides ctx.attr.docker_run_flags
+        base: The input image
+        cmd: str List, overrides ctx.attr.cmd
         output_image_tar: The output image obtained as a result of running
                           the commands on the input image
     """
 
     name = name or ctx.attr.name
-    image = image or ctx.file.image
-    commands = commands or ctx.attr.commands
-    docker_run_flags = docker_run_flags or ctx.attr.docker_run_flags
     script = ctx.outputs.build
     output_image_tar = output_image_tar or ctx.outputs.out
 
-    if not "-d" in docker_run_flags:
-        docker_run_flags = docker_run_flags + ["-d"]
-
     run_image = "%s.run" % name
     run_image_output_tarball = ctx.actions.declare_file("%s.tar" % run_image)
     run_image_output_layer = ctx.actions.declare_file("%s-layer.tar" % run_image)
@@ -183,14 +150,13 @@ def _commit_impl(
     image_result = _image.implementation(
         ctx,
         name,
-        image,
-        cmd = _process_commands(commands),
+        base = base,
+        cmd = cmd,
         output_executable = script,
         output_tarball = run_image_output_tarball,
         output_layer = run_image_output_layer,
         output_digest = run_image_output_digest,
         output_config = run_image_output_config,
-        docker_run_flags = " ".join(docker_run_flags),
         commit = True,
         commit_output = output_image_tar,
         action_run = True,
@@ -199,7 +165,7 @@ def _commit_impl(
     ctx.actions.run(
         executable = script,
         tools = image_result[1].default_runfiles.files,
-        inputs = [image],
+        inputs = [base] if base else [],
         outputs = [output_image_tar],
         use_default_shell_env = True,
     )
@@ -210,23 +176,7 @@ def _commit_impl(
         ),
     ]
 
-_commit_attrs = dicts.add(_image.attrs, {
-    "commands": attr.string_list(
-        doc = "A list of commands to run (sequentially) in the container.",
-        mandatory = True,
-        allow_empty = False,
-    ),
-    "docker_run_flags": attr.string_list(
-        doc = "Extra flags to pass to the docker run command.",
-        mandatory = False,
-    ),
-    "image": attr.label(
-        doc = "The image to run the commands in.",
-        mandatory = True,
-        allow_single_file = True,
-        cfg = "target",
-    ),
-})
+_commit_attrs = _image.attrs
 _commit_outputs = {
     "out": "%{name}_commit.tar",
     "build": "%{name}.build",
@@ -249,7 +199,3 @@ commit = struct(
     outputs = _commit_outputs,
     implementation = _commit_impl,
 )
-
-def _process_commands(command_list):
-    # Use the $ to allow escape characters in string
-    return ['sh', '-c', " && ".join(command_list)]
diff --git a/tests/docker/util/BUILD b/tests/docker/util/BUILD
index 61395f23a..84534bd72 100644
--- a/tests/docker/util/BUILD
+++ b/tests/docker/util/BUILD
@@ -33,16 +33,14 @@ load(
 
 container_run_and_extract(
     name = "test_container_extract",
-    commands = [
-        "touch /foo.txt",
-        "echo 'test' > /foo.txt",
-    ],
-    docker_run_flags = [
-        "-u",
-        "root",
+    cmd = [
+        "bash",
+        "-c",
+        "touch /foo.txt && echo 'test' > /foo.txt",
     ],
+    docker_run_flags = "-u root",
     extract_file = "/foo.txt",
-    image = "@debian_base//image",
+    base = "@debian_base//image",
 )
 
 rule_test(
@@ -68,12 +66,9 @@ file_test(
 
 container_run_and_commit(
     name = "test_container_commit",
-    commands = ["touch /foo.txt"],
-    docker_run_flags = [
-        "-u",
-        "root",
-    ],
-    image = "@debian_base//image",
+    cmd = ["touch",  "/foo.txt"],
+    docker_run_flags = "-u root",
+    base = "@debian_base//image",
 )
 
 rule_test(