diff --git a/minerva/docker.py b/minerva/docker.py
index d06e2a0..97eefc4 100644
--- a/minerva/docker.py
+++ b/minerva/docker.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import threading
 
 class Docker:
-    def __init__(self, machine, container, variables={}, stdout=None, stderr=None):
+    def __init__(self, container, machine=None, variables={}, stdout=None, stderr=None):
         self.machine   = machine
         self.uri       = container
         self.variables = variables
diff --git a/minerva/machine.py b/minerva/machine.py
index 1ebc513..5d7b68f 100644
--- a/minerva/machine.py
+++ b/minerva/machine.py
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ import datetime
 from fabric import Connection
 import shlex
 import threading
+import os
 import minerva
+import select
 
 class Machine:
     def __init__(self,
@@ -143,8 +145,13 @@ class Machine:
     # Unfortunately, under the hood, it's running /bin/bash -c '...'
     # You stand informed
     #
-    # This is blocking
-    def cmd(self, command, hide=True, disown=False):
+    # This creates a pseudo-TTY on the other end
+    #
+    # `watch` means it'll print the output live, else it'll wait till it's finished
+    # `disown` means it'll run in the background
+    #
+    # TODO switch this to use `self.ssh.client.exec_command()`
+    def cmd(self, command, hide=True, disown=False, watch=False):
         res = self.ssh.run(f"{self.prep_variables()}; {command}",
                            warn=True,
                            hide=hide,
@@ -152,6 +159,91 @@ class Machine:
 
         return res
 
+    # https://github.com/paramiko/paramiko/issues/593#issuecomment-145377328
+    # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23504126/do-you-have-to-check-exit-status-ready-if-you-are-going-to-check-recv-ready/32758464#32758464
+    #
+    def cmd(self, command, hide=True, disown=False, watch=False):
+        print(self.ssh)
+        print(self.ssh.client)
+
+        self.ssh.run("echo hello world", warn=True, hide=hide, disown=disown)
+
+        stdin, stdout, stderr = self.ssh.client.exec_command(command)
+
+        # this is the same for all three inputs
+        channel = stdin.channel
+
+        out_r, out_w = os.pipe()
+        err_r, err_w = os.pipe()
+
+        # https://stackoverflow.com/a/78765054
+
+        # we do not need stdin.
+        stdin.close()
+        # indicate that we're not going to write to that channel anymore
+        channel.shutdown_write()
+
+        # read stdout/stderr to prevent read block hangs
+        stdout_chunks = []
+        stderr_chunks = []
+        stdout_chunks.append(channel.recv(len(channel.in_buffer)))
+
+        timeout = 60
+
+        def fill_buffers():
+            # perform chunked read to prevent stalls
+            while (not channel.closed
+                    or channel.recv_ready()
+                    or channel.recv_stderr_ready()):
+                # stop if channel was closed prematurely and buffers are empty
+                got_chunk = False
+                readq, _, _ = select.select([channel], [], [], timeout)
+
+                # returns three empty lists on timeout
+                if not readq:
+                    break
+                for c in readq:
+                    if c.recv_ready():
+                        stdout_chunks.append(channel.recv(len(c.in_buffer)))
+                        got_chunk = True
+                    if c.recv_stderr_ready():
+                        stderr_chunks.append(channel.recv_stderr(len(c.in_stderr_buffer)))
+                        got_chunk = True
+                # for c
+
+                """
+                1) make sure that there are at least 2 cycles with no data in the input
+                    buffers in order to not exit too early; i.e., cat on a >200k file
+                2) if no data arrived in the last loop, check if we received exit code
+                3) check if input buffers are empty
+                4) exit the loop
+                """
+                if (not got_chunk
+                        and channel.exit_status_ready()
+                        and not channel.recv_stderr_ready()
+                        and not channel.recv_ready()):
+                    # indicate that we're not going to read from this channel anymore
+                    channel.shutdown_read()
+                    # close the channel
+                    channel.close()
+                    # remote side is finished and our buffers are empty
+                    break
+                    # if
+            # while
+
+            # close the pseudofiles
+            stdout.close()
+            stderr.close()
+
+        thread = threading.Thread(target = fill_buffers)
+        thread.start()
+
+        if not disown:
+            thread.join()
+
+        return (stdout_chunks, stderr_chunks)
+        #return (os.fdopen(out_r), os.fdopen(err_r), thread)
+
 
     def write_env_file(self, variables, fname="~/env.list"):
         vals = "\n".join([f"{var}={val}" for var, val in variables.items()])
@@ -159,6 +251,11 @@ class Machine:
         return fname
 
 
+    def load_docker(self, docker):
+        docker.machine = self
+        return docker
+
+
     def aws_docker_login(self, ecr):
         return self.cmd(f"aws ecr get-login-password --region {self.pier.session.region_name} | " +
                         f"docker login --username AWS --password-stdin {ecr}"