diff --git a/app/models/execution_environment.rb b/app/models/execution_environment.rb
index 8aafa19d..863138ad 100644
--- a/app/models/execution_environment.rb
+++ b/app/models/execution_environment.rb
@@ -76,10 +76,10 @@ class ExecutionEnvironment < ApplicationRecord
   private :validate_docker_image?
 
   def working_docker_image?
-    DockerClient.pull(docker_image) if DockerClient.find_image_by_tag(docker_image).present?
-    output = DockerClient.new(execution_environment: self).execute_arbitrary_command(VALIDATION_COMMAND)
+    runner = Runner.for(author, self)
+    output = runner.execute_command(VALIDATION_COMMAND, raise_exception: true)
     errors.add(:docker_image, "error: #{output[:stderr]}") if output[:stderr].present?
-  rescue DockerClient::Error => e
+  rescue Runner::Error => e
     errors.add(:docker_image, "error: #{e}")
   end
   private :working_docker_image?
diff --git a/app/models/runner.rb b/app/models/runner.rb
index f9f30704..fbe317cd 100644
--- a/app/models/runner.rb
+++ b/app/models/runner.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class Runner < ApplicationRecord
     Time.zone.now - starting_time # execution duration
   end
 
-  def execute_command(command)
+  def execute_command(command, raise_exception: false)
     output = {}
     stdout = +''
     stderr = +''
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ class Runner < ApplicationRecord
       Rails.logger.debug { "Running command `#{command}` failed: #{e.message}" }
       output.merge!(status: :failed, container_execution_time: e.execution_duration)
     ensure
+      # We forward the exception if requested
+      raise e if raise_exception && defined?(e) && e.present?
+
       output.merge!(stdout: stdout, stderr: stderr)
     end
   end