diff --git a/test/README.md b/test/README.md
index 38ba51b0b28..9c7ee746140 100644
--- a/test/README.md
+++ b/test/README.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Integration tests are written in *bash* using the
 
 ### Containerized tests
 
-The easiest way to run integration tests is with Docker:
+The easiest way to run integration tests is with Podman:
 ```
 $ make integration
 ```
@@ -70,11 +70,16 @@ Tests on the host will run with `runc` as the default runtime.
 However you can select other OCI compatible runtimes by setting
 the `RUNTIME` environment variable.
 
-For example one could use the [Clear Containers](https://github.com/clearcontainers/runtime)
-runtime instead of `runc`:
+For example, to use [crun](https://github.com/containers/crun) instead of `runc`:
+```
+make CONTAINER_DEFAULT_RUNTIME=crun localintegration
+```
+
+If you'd like to run the tests with a runtime of a different type, you need to also specify `$RUNTIME_TYPE`
 
+For example, to use [kata](https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime) with shim v2:
 ```
-make localintegration RUNTIME=cc-runtime
+make CONTAINER_DEFAULT_RUNTIME=containerd-shim-kata-v2 RUNTIME_TYPE=vm localintegration
 ```
 
 ## Writing integration tests
diff --git a/test/config.bats b/test/config.bats
index c2a3522b215..0fb7fc1281c 100644
--- a/test/config.bats
+++ b/test/config.bats
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ function teardown() {
 
 @test "replace default runtime should succeed" {
 	# when
+	unset CONTAINER_RUNTIMES
 	RES=$("$CRIO_BINARY_PATH" -d "$TESTDATA"/50-crun-default.conf config 2>&1)
 
 	# then
diff --git a/test/devices.bats b/test/devices.bats
index b0073cb96c9..369947e75ab 100644
--- a/test/devices.bats
+++ b/test/devices.bats
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function create_device_runtime() {
 [crio.runtime]
 default_runtime = "device"
 [crio.runtime.runtimes.device]
-runtime_path = "$RUNTIME_BINARY"
+runtime_path = "$RUNTIME_BINARY_PATH"
 runtime_root = "$RUNTIME_ROOT"
 runtime_type = "$RUNTIME_TYPE"
 allowed_annotations = ["io.kubernetes.cri-o.Devices"]
diff --git a/test/drop_infra.bats b/test/drop_infra.bats
index 96b8bf96134..db01c950ed9 100644
--- a/test/drop_infra.bats
+++ b/test/drop_infra.bats
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function teardown() {
 		"$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json > "$TESTDIR"/sandbox_no_infra.json
 	pod_id=$(crictl runp "$TESTDIR"/sandbox_no_infra.json)
 
-	output=$("$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list)
+	output=$(runtime list)
 	[[ ! "$output" = *"$pod_id"* ]]
 }
 
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@ function teardown() {
 		"$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json > "$TESTDIR"/sandbox_no_infra.json
 	pod_id=$(crictl runp "$TESTDIR"/sandbox_no_infra.json)
 
-	output=$("$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list)
+	output=$(runtime list)
 	[[ "$output" = *"$pod_id"* ]]
 }
diff --git a/test/helpers.bash b/test/helpers.bash
index 5f831bd7470..cf3aa199e8d 100644
--- a/test/helpers.bash
+++ b/test/helpers.bash
@@ -35,16 +35,9 @@ CONTAINER_UID_MAPPINGS=${CONTAINER_UID_MAPPINGS:-}
 CONTAINER_GID_MAPPINGS=${CONTAINER_GID_MAPPINGS:-}
 OVERRIDE_OPTIONS=${OVERRIDE_OPTIONS:-}
 # Runtime
-CONTAINER_RUNTIME=${CONTAINER_RUNTIME:-runc}
 CONTAINER_DEFAULT_RUNTIME=${CONTAINER_DEFAULT_RUNTIME:-runc}
-RUNTIME_NAME=${RUNTIME_NAME:-runc}
-RUNTIME_PATH=$(command -v "$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" || true)
-RUNTIME_BINARY=${RUNTIME_PATH:-$(command -v runc)}
+RUNTIME_BINARY_PATH=$(command -v "$CONTAINER_DEFAULT_RUNTIME")
 RUNTIME_TYPE=${RUNTIME_TYPE:-oci}
-if [[ $CONTAINER_RUNTIME == "kata-runtime" ]]; then
-    export RUNTIME_NAME="$CONTAINER_RUNTIME"
-    export CONTAINER_DEFAULT_RUNTIME="$RUNTIME_NAME"
-fi
 # Path of the apparmor_parser binary.
 APPARMOR_PARSER_BINARY=${APPARMOR_PARSER_BINARY:-/sbin/apparmor_parser}
 # Path of the apparmor profile for test.
@@ -198,6 +191,11 @@ function crictl() {
     "$CRICTL_BINARY" -r "unix://$CRIO_SOCKET" -i "unix://$CRIO_SOCKET" "$@"
 }
 
+# Run the runtime binary with the specified RUNTIME_ROOT
+function runtime() {
+    "$RUNTIME_BINARY_PATH" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" "$@"
+}
+
 # Communicate with Docker on the host machine.
 # Should rarely use this.
 function docker_host() {
@@ -263,12 +261,9 @@ function setup_crio() {
     CNI_DEFAULT_NETWORK=${CNI_DEFAULT_NETWORK:-crio}
     CNI_TYPE=${CNI_TYPE:-bridge}
 
-    # Workaround for https://github.com/containers/crun/pull/531.
-    # TODO: remove once crun > 0.15 is released and used here.
-    if $RUNTIME_BINARY --version | grep -q '^crun '; then
-        OVERRIDE_OPTIONS="$OVERRIDE_OPTIONS --selinux=false"
-    fi
-    RUNTIME_ROOT="$TESTDIR/crio-runtime-root"
+    RUNTIME_ROOT=${RUNTIME_ROOT:-"$TESTDIR/crio-runtime-root"}
+    # export here so direct calls to crio later inherit the variable
+    export CONTAINER_RUNTIMES=${CONTAINER_RUNTIMES:-$CONTAINER_DEFAULT_RUNTIME:$RUNTIME_BINARY_PATH:$RUNTIME_ROOT:$RUNTIME_TYPE}
 
     # shellcheck disable=SC2086
     "$CRIO_BINARY_PATH" \
@@ -279,7 +274,6 @@ function setup_crio() {
         --listen "$CRIO_SOCKET" \
         --registry "quay.io" \
         --registry "docker.io" \
-        --runtimes "$RUNTIME_NAME:$RUNTIME_BINARY:$RUNTIME_ROOT:$RUNTIME_TYPE" \
         -r "$TESTDIR/crio" \
         --runroot "$TESTDIR/crio-run" \
         --cni-default-network "$CNI_DEFAULT_NETWORK" \
diff --git a/test/restore.bats b/test/restore.bats
index 57c16b49cd9..cffd461b101 100644
--- a/test/restore.bats
+++ b/test/restore.bats
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	stop_crio
 
 	# simulate reboot with runc state going away
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" delete -f "$pod_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$pod_id"
 
 	start_crio
 
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ function teardown() {
 	stop_crio
 
 	# simulate reboot with runc state going away
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" delete -f "$pod_id"
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" delete -f "$ctr_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$pod_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$ctr_id"
 
 	start_crio
 
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ function teardown() {
 	stop_crio
 
 	# simulate reboot with runc state going away
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" delete -f "$pod_id"
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" delete -f "$ctr_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$pod_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$ctr_id"
 
 	start_crio
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	stop_crio
 
 	# simulate reboot with runc state going away
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" delete -f "$pod_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$pod_id"
 
 	start_crio
 
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ function teardown() {
 	stop_crio
 
 	# simulate reboot with runc state going away
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" delete -f "$pod_id"
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" delete -f "$ctr_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$pod_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$ctr_id"
 
 	start_crio
 	output=$(crictl pods --quiet)
@@ -171,8 +171,8 @@ function teardown() {
 	stop_crio
 
 	# simulate reboot with runtime state and config.json going away
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" delete -f "$pod_id"
-	"$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" delete -f "$ctr_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$pod_id"
+	runtime delete -f "$ctr_id"
 	find "$TESTDIR"/ -name config.json -exec rm \{\} \;
 	find "$TESTDIR"/ -name shm -exec umount -l \{\} \;
 
diff --git a/test/shm_size.bats b/test/shm_size.bats
index 59c9bc8683b..b6dc7c75438 100644
--- a/test/shm_size.bats
+++ b/test/shm_size.bats
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function create_shmsize_runtime() {
 [crio.runtime]
 default_runtime = "shmsize"
 [crio.runtime.runtimes.shmsize]
-runtime_path = "$RUNTIME_BINARY"
+runtime_path = "$RUNTIME_BINARY_PATH"
 runtime_root = "$RUNTIME_ROOT"
 runtime_type = "$RUNTIME_TYPE"
 allowed_annotations = ["io.kubernetes.cri-o.ShmSize"]
diff --git a/test/timeout.bats b/test/timeout.bats
index 309c4fdff37..bbdfe79b304 100644
--- a/test/timeout.bats
+++ b/test/timeout.bats
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 	pods=$(crictl pods -q)
 	[[ -z "$pods" ]]
 
-	created_ctr_id=$("$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q)
+	created_ctr_id=$(runtime list -q)
 	[ -n "$created_ctr_id" ]
 
 	output=$(crictl runp "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json)
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 	[[ -z "$ctrs" ]]
 
 	# cri-o should have created a container
-	created_ctr_id=$("$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q | grep -v "$pod_id")
+	created_ctr_id=$(runtime list -q | grep -v "$pod_id")
 	[ -n "$created_ctr_id" ]
 
 	output=$(crictl create "$pod_id" "$TESTDATA"/container_config.json "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json)
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 
 	wait_create
 
-	created_ctr_id=$("$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q)
+	created_ctr_id=$(runtime list -q)
 	[ -n "$created_ctr_id" ]
 
 	# we should create a new pod and not reuse the old one
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 	wait_clean
 
 	# the old, timed out container should have been removed
-	! "$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q | grep "$created_ctr_id"
+	! runtime list -q | grep "$created_ctr_id"
 }
 
 @test "should clean up container after timeout if request changes" {
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 	wait_create
 
 	# cri-o should have created a container
-	created_ctr_id=$("$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q | grep -v "$pod_id")
+	created_ctr_id=$(runtime list -q | grep -v "$pod_id")
 	[ -n "$created_ctr_id" ]
 
 	# should create a new container and not reuse the old one
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 	wait_clean
 
 	# the old, timed out container should have been removed
-	! "$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q | grep "$created_ctr_id"
+	! runtime list -q | grep "$created_ctr_id"
 }
 
 @test "should clean up pod after timeout if not re-requested" {
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 	[[ -z "$pods" ]]
 
 	# pod should have been cleaned up
-	[[ -z $("$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q) ]]
+	[[ -z $(runtime list -q) ]]
 
 	# we should recreate the pod and not reuse the old one
 	crictl runp "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 	[[ -z "$ctrs" ]]
 
 	# container should have been cleaned up
-	! "$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q | grep -v "$pod_id"
+	! runtime list -q | grep -v "$pod_id"
 
 	# we should recreate the container and not reuse the old one
 	crictl create "$pod_id" "$TESTDATA"/container_config.json "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 	wait_create
 
 	# container should not have been cleaned up
-	created_ctr_id=$("$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q)
+	created_ctr_id=$(runtime list -q)
 	[ -n "$created_ctr_id" ]
 
 	! crictl create "$created_ctr_id" "$TESTDATA"/container_config.json "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ function wait_clean() {
 	wait_create
 
 	# cri-o should have created a container
-	created_ctr_id=$("$CONTAINER_RUNTIME" --root "$RUNTIME_ROOT" list -q | grep -v "$pod_id")
+	created_ctr_id=$(runtime list -q | grep -v "$pod_id")
 	[ -n "$created_ctr_id" ]
 
 	! crictl start "$created_ctr_id"