diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/test-k8s-deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/test-k8s-deploy.yml
index b3aabb02..84cce91a 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/test-k8s-deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/test-k8s-deploy.yml
@@ -10,10 +10,14 @@ on:
     paths-ignore:
       - '.gitea/workflows/triggers/*'
 
+# Needed until we can incorporate docker startup into the executor container
+env:
+  DOCKER_HOST: unix:///var/run/dind.sock
+
 jobs:
   test:
-    name: "Run deploy test suite on kind/k8s"
-    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04-with-syn-ethdb
+    name: "Run deploy test suite"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: "Clone project repository"
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -37,9 +41,15 @@ jobs:
         run: ./scripts/create_build_tag_file.sh
       - name: "Build local shiv package"
         run: ./scripts/build_shiv_package.sh
-      - name: "Install kind"
-        run: ./tests/scripts/install-kind.sh
-      - name: "Install Kubectl"
-        run: ./tests/scripts/install-kubectl.sh
-      - name: "Run k8s deployment test"
-        run: ./tests/k8s-deploy/run-deploy-test.sh
+      - name: Start dockerd # Also needed until we can incorporate into the executor
+        run: |
+          dockerd -H $DOCKER_HOST --userland-proxy=false &
+          sleep 5
+      - name: "Install Go"
+        uses: actions/setup-go@v4
+        with:
+          go-version: '1.21'
+      - name: "Install Kind"
+        run: go install sigs.k8s.io/kind@v0.20.0
+      - name: "Debug Kind"
+        run: kind create cluster --retain && docker logs kind-control-plane
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/data/compose/docker-compose-grafana.yml b/stack_orchestrator/data/compose/docker-compose-grafana.yml
index 4aa8d1e1..6d32e37b 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/data/compose/docker-compose-grafana.yml
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/data/compose/docker-compose-grafana.yml
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ version: "3.7"
 
 services:
   grafana:
-    image: grafana/grafana
+    image: grafana/grafana:10.2.2
     restart: always
+    environment:
+      GF_SERVER_ROOT_URL: ${GF_SERVER_ROOT_URL}
     volumes:
       - ../config/monitoring/grafana/provisioning:/etc/grafana/provisioning
       - ../config/monitoring/grafana/dashboards:/etc/grafana/dashboards
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/data/compose/docker-compose-prom-server.yml b/stack_orchestrator/data/compose/docker-compose-prom-server.yml
index b085e295..9095b6dc 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/data/compose/docker-compose-prom-server.yml
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/data/compose/docker-compose-prom-server.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ version: "3.7"
 
 services:
   prometheus:
-    image: prom/prometheus
+    image: prom/prometheus:v2.49.1
     restart: always
     volumes:
       - ../config/monitoring/prometheus:/etc/prometheus
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/data/config/monitoring/watcher-alert-rules.yml b/stack_orchestrator/data/config/monitoring/watcher-alert-rules.yml
index 7e26ba14..9df9472f 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/data/config/monitoring/watcher-alert-rules.yml
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/data/config/monitoring/watcher-alert-rules.yml
@@ -95,14 +95,10 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
       - uid: censures_diff_external
@@ -191,14 +187,10 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
       - uid: claims_diff_external
@@ -287,14 +279,10 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
       - uid: conditional_star_release_diff_external
@@ -383,14 +371,10 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
       - uid: delegated_sending_diff_external
@@ -479,14 +463,10 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
       - uid: ecliptic_diff_external
@@ -575,14 +555,10 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
       - uid: linear_star_release_diff_external
@@ -671,14 +647,10 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
       - uid: polls_diff_external
@@ -767,14 +739,10 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
 
@@ -865,14 +833,10 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
       - uid: merkl_sushiswap_diff_external
@@ -961,13 +925,9 @@ groups:
               maxDataPoints: 43200
               refId: condition
               type: math
-        dashboardUid: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-        panelId: 24
         noDataState: Alerting
         execErrState: Alerting
         for: 15m
         annotations:
-          __dashboardUid__: cb9b746a-9abc-482e-9214-5231e0dd75ca
-          __panelId__: "24"
           summary: Watcher {{ index $labels "instance" }} of group {{ index $labels "job" }} is falling behind external head by {{ index $values "diff" }}
         isPaused: false
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/data/stacks/monitoring/README.md b/stack_orchestrator/data/stacks/monitoring/README.md
index 7b410478..74b1bff8 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/data/stacks/monitoring/README.md
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/data/stacks/monitoring/README.md
@@ -140,6 +140,10 @@ Set the following env variables in the deployment env config file (`monitoring-d
   # External ETH RPC endpoint (filecoin)
   # (Optional, default: https://api.node.glif.io/rpc/v1)
   CERC_FIL_RPC_ENDPOINT=
+
+  # Grafana server host URL (used in various links in alerts, etc.)
+  # (Optional, default: http://localhost:3000)
+  GF_SERVER_ROOT_URL=
   ```
 
 ## Start the stack
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/data/stacks/monitoring/monitoring-watchers.md b/stack_orchestrator/data/stacks/monitoring/monitoring-watchers.md
index 3673b530..bce2d84b 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/data/stacks/monitoring/monitoring-watchers.md
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/data/stacks/monitoring/monitoring-watchers.md
@@ -130,6 +130,10 @@ Set the following env variables in the deployment env config file (`monitoring-w
   ```bash
   # Infura key to be used
   CERC_INFURA_KEY=
+
+  # Grafana server host URL to be used
+  # (Optional, default: http://localhost:3000)
+  GF_SERVER_ROOT_URL=
   ```
 
 ## Start the stack
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/cluster_info.py b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/cluster_info.py
index 85fd63a8..7718c777 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/cluster_info.py
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/cluster_info.py
@@ -168,8 +168,8 @@ class ClusterInfo:
             result.append(pv)
         return result
 
-    # TODO: put things like image pull policy into an object-scope struct
-    def get_deployment(self, image_pull_policy: str = None):
+    # to suit the deployment, and also annotate the container specs to point at said volumes
+    def get_deployment(self):
         containers = []
         for pod_name in self.parsed_pod_yaml_map:
             pod = self.parsed_pod_yaml_map[pod_name]
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ class ClusterInfo:
                 container = client.V1Container(
                     name=container_name,
                     image=image_to_use,
-                    image_pull_policy=image_pull_policy,
+                    image_pull_policy="Always",
                     env=envs_from_environment_variables_map(self.environment_variables.map),
                     ports=[client.V1ContainerPort(container_port=port)],
                     volume_mounts=volume_mounts,
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py
index 0a339fe9..bf82ebdf 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class K8sDeployer(Deployer):
                 print("PVCs created:")
                 print(f"{pvc_resp}")
         # Process compose files into a Deployment
-        deployment = self.cluster_info.get_deployment(image_pull_policy=None if self.is_kind() else "Always")
+        deployment = self.cluster_info.get_deployment()
         # Create the k8s objects
         if opts.o.debug:
             print(f"Sending this deployment: {deployment}")
@@ -132,18 +132,18 @@ class K8sDeployer(Deployer):
             print("Service created:")
             print(f"{service_resp}")
 
-        if not self.is_kind():
-            ingress: client.V1Ingress = self.cluster_info.get_ingress()
+        # TODO: disable ingress for kind
+        ingress: client.V1Ingress = self.cluster_info.get_ingress()
 
-            if opts.o.debug:
-                print(f"Sending this ingress: {ingress}")
-            ingress_resp = self.networking_api.create_namespaced_ingress(
-                namespace=self.k8s_namespace,
-                body=ingress
-            )
-            if opts.o.debug:
-                print("Ingress created:")
-                print(f"{ingress_resp}")
+        if opts.o.debug:
+            print(f"Sending this ingress: {ingress}")
+        ingress_resp = self.networking_api.create_namespaced_ingress(
+            namespace=self.k8s_namespace,
+            body=ingress
+        )
+        if opts.o.debug:
+            print("Ingress created:")
+            print(f"{ingress_resp}")
 
     def down(self, timeout, volumes):
         self.connect_api()
@@ -196,16 +196,16 @@ class K8sDeployer(Deployer):
         except client.exceptions.ApiException as e:
             _check_delete_exception(e)
 
-        if not self.is_kind():
-            ingress: client.V1Ingress = self.cluster_info.get_ingress()
-            if opts.o.debug:
-                print(f"Deleting this ingress: {ingress}")
-            try:
-                self.networking_api.delete_namespaced_ingress(
-                    name=ingress.metadata.name, namespace=self.k8s_namespace
-                )
-            except client.exceptions.ApiException as e:
-                _check_delete_exception(e)
+        # TODO: disable ingress for kind
+        ingress: client.V1Ingress = self.cluster_info.get_ingress()
+        if opts.o.debug:
+            print(f"Deleting this ingress: {ingress}")
+        try:
+            self.networking_api.delete_namespaced_ingress(
+                name=ingress.metadata.name, namespace=self.k8s_namespace
+            )
+        except client.exceptions.ApiException as e:
+            _check_delete_exception(e)
 
         if self.is_kind():
             # Destroy the kind cluster
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class K8sDeployer(Deployer):
 
         if all_pods.items:
             for p in all_pods.items:
-                if f"{self.cluster_info.app_name}-deployment" in p.metadata.name:
+                if self.cluster_info.app_name in p.metadata.name:
                     pods.append(p)
 
         if not pods:
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ class K8sDeployer(Deployer):
         ret = []
 
         for p in pods.items:
-            if f"{self.cluster_info.app_name}-deployment" in p.metadata.name:
+            if self.cluster_info.app_name in p.metadata.name:
                 pod_ip = p.status.pod_ip
                 ports = AttrDict()
                 for c in p.spec.containers:
@@ -299,20 +299,11 @@ class K8sDeployer(Deployer):
 
     def logs(self, services, tail, follow, stream):
         self.connect_api()
-        pods = pods_in_deployment(self.core_api, self.cluster_info.app_name)
+        pods = pods_in_deployment(self.core_api, "test-deployment")
         if len(pods) > 1:
             print("Warning: more than one pod in the deployment")
-        if len(pods) == 0:
-            log_data = "******* Pods not running ********\n"
-        else:
-            k8s_pod_name = pods[0]
-            # If the pod is not yet started, the logs request below will throw an exception
-            try:
-                log_data = self.core_api.read_namespaced_pod_log(k8s_pod_name, namespace="default", container="test")
-            except client.exceptions.ApiException as e:
-                if opts.o.debug:
-                    print(f"Error from read_namespaced_pod_log: {e}")
-                log_data = "******* No logs available ********\n"
+        k8s_pod_name = pods[0]
+        log_data = self.core_api.read_namespaced_pod_log(k8s_pod_name, namespace="default", container="test")
         return log_stream_from_string(log_data)
 
     def update(self):
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/helpers.py b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/helpers.py
index 62545dfd..9f968dbf 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/helpers.py
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/helpers.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ from typing import Set, Mapping, List
 
 from stack_orchestrator.opts import opts
 from stack_orchestrator.deploy.deploy_util import parsed_pod_files_map_from_file_names
-from stack_orchestrator.deploy.deployer import DeployerException
 
 
 def _run_command(command: str):
@@ -30,13 +29,10 @@ def _run_command(command: str):
     result = subprocess.run(command, shell=True)
     if opts.o.debug:
         print(f"Result: {result}")
-    return result
 
 
 def create_cluster(name: str, config_file: str):
-    result = _run_command(f"kind create cluster --name {name} --config {config_file}")
-    if result.returncode != 0:
-        raise DeployerException(f"kind create cluster failed: {result}")
+    _run_command(f"kind create cluster --name {name} --config {config_file}")
 
 
 def destroy_cluster(name: str):
@@ -45,14 +41,12 @@ def destroy_cluster(name: str):
 
 def load_images_into_kind(kind_cluster_name: str, image_set: Set[str]):
     for image in image_set:
-        result = _run_command(f"kind load docker-image {image} --name {kind_cluster_name}")
-        if result.returncode != 0:
-            raise DeployerException(f"kind create cluster failed: {result}")
+        _run_command(f"kind load docker-image {image} --name {kind_cluster_name}")
 
 
 def pods_in_deployment(core_api: client.CoreV1Api, deployment_name: str):
     pods = []
-    pod_response = core_api.list_namespaced_pod(namespace="default", label_selector=f"app={deployment_name}")
+    pod_response = core_api.list_namespaced_pod(namespace="default", label_selector="app=test-app")
     if opts.o.debug:
         print(f"pod_response: {pod_response}")
     for pod_info in pod_response.items:
diff --git a/tests/k8s-deploy/run-deploy-test.sh b/tests/k8s-deploy/run-deploy-test.sh
index 15eb2d3b..b7ee9dd0 100755
--- a/tests/k8s-deploy/run-deploy-test.sh
+++ b/tests/k8s-deploy/run-deploy-test.sh
@@ -1,59 +1,14 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -e
 if [ -n "$CERC_SCRIPT_DEBUG" ]; then
-    set -x
-    # Dump environment variables for debugging
-    echo "Environment variables:"
-    env
+  set -x
 fi
-
-# Helper functions: TODO move into a separate file
-wait_for_pods_started () {
-    for i in {1..5}
-    do
-        local ps_output=$( $TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir ps )
-
-        if [[ "$ps_output" == *"Running containers:"* ]]; then
-            # if ready, return
-            return
-        else
-            # if not ready, wait
-            sleep 5
-        fi
-    done
-    # Timed out, error exit
-    echo "waiting for pods to start: FAILED"
-    delete_cluster_exit
-}
-
-wait_for_log_output () {
-    for i in {1..5}
-    do
-
-        local log_output=$( $TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir logs )
-
-        if [[ ! -z "$log_output" ]]; then
-            # if ready, return
-            return
-        else
-            # if not ready, wait
-            sleep 5
-        fi
-    done
-    # Timed out, error exit
-    echo "waiting for pods log content: FAILED"
-    delete_cluster_exit
-}
-
-
-delete_cluster_exit () {
-    $TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir stop --delete-volumes
-    exit 1
-}
-
 # Note: eventually this test should be folded into ../deploy/
 # but keeping it separate for now for convenience
 TEST_TARGET_SO=$( ls -t1 ./package/laconic-so* | head -1 )
+# Dump environment variables for debugging
+echo "Environment variables:"
+env
 # Set a non-default repo dir
 export CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR=~/stack-orchestrator-test/repo-base-dir
 echo "Testing this package: $TEST_TARGET_SO"
@@ -63,9 +18,7 @@ echo "Version reported is: ${reported_version_string}"
 echo "Cloning repositories into: $CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR"
 rm -rf $CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR
 mkdir -p $CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR
-$TEST_TARGET_SO --stack test setup-repositories
-$TEST_TARGET_SO --stack test build-containers
-# Test basic stack-orchestrator deploy to k8s
+# Test basic stack-orchestrator deploy
 test_deployment_dir=$CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR/test-deployment-dir
 test_deployment_spec=$CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR/test-deployment-spec.yml
 $TEST_TARGET_SO --stack test deploy --deploy-to k8s-kind init --output $test_deployment_spec --config CERC_TEST_PARAM_1=PASSED
@@ -100,36 +53,23 @@ fi
 echo "deploy create output file test: passed"
 # Try to start the deployment
 $TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir start
-wait_for_pods_started
+# TODO: add a check to see if the container is up
+# Sleep because k8s not up yet
+sleep 30
 # Check logs command works
-wait_for_log_output
 log_output_3=$( $TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir logs )
 if [[ "$log_output_3" == *"Filesystem is fresh"* ]]; then
     echo "deployment logs test: passed"
 else
     echo "deployment logs test: FAILED"
-    delete_cluster_exit
+    exit 1
 fi
 # Check the config variable CERC_TEST_PARAM_1 was passed correctly
 if [[ "$log_output_3" == *"Test-param-1: PASSED"* ]]; then
     echo "deployment config test: passed"
 else
     echo "deployment config test: FAILED"
-    delete_cluster_exit
-fi
-# Stop then start again and check the volume was preserved
-$TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir stop
-# Sleep a bit just in case
-sleep 2
-$TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir start
-wait_for_pods_started
-wait_for_log_output
-log_output_4=$( $TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir logs )
-if [[ "$log_output_4" == *"Filesystem is old"* ]]; then
-    echo "Retain volumes test: passed"
-else
-    echo "Retain volumes test: FAILED"
-    delete_cluster_exit
+    exit 1
 fi
 # Stop and clean up
 $TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir stop --delete-volumes
diff --git a/tests/scripts/install-kind.sh b/tests/scripts/install-kind.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 254c3288..00000000
--- a/tests/scripts/install-kind.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-# TODO: handle ARM
-curl --silent -Lo ./kind https://kind.sigs.k8s.io/dl/v0.20.0/kind-linux-amd64
-chmod +x ./kind
-mv ./kind /usr/local/bin
diff --git a/tests/scripts/install-kubectl.sh b/tests/scripts/install-kubectl.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 7a5062fe..00000000
--- a/tests/scripts/install-kubectl.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-# TODO: handle ARM
-curl --silent -LO "https://dl.k8s.io/release/$(curl -L -s https://dl.k8s.io/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl"
-chmod +x ./kubectl
-mv ./kubectl /usr/local/bin