diff --git a/src/container.c b/src/container.c
index 2849188..6ef2ad1 100644
--- a/src/container.c
+++ b/src/container.c
@@ -391,22 +391,12 @@ static int container_setup_workdir(struct hyper_container *container)
 {
 	if (container->initialize) {
 		// create workdir
-		hyper_mkdir(container->exec.workdir);
-	}
-
-	if (container->exec.workdir && chdir(container->exec.workdir) < 0) {
-		perror("change work directory failed");
-		return -1;
+		return hyper_mkdir(container->exec.workdir);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int container_setup_tty(struct hyper_container *container)
-{
-	return hyper_dup_exec_tty(&container->exec);
-}
-
 static int hyper_rescan_scsi(void)
 {
 	struct dirent **list;
@@ -605,34 +595,8 @@ static int hyper_container_init(void *data)
 		goto fail;
 	}
 
-	if (hyper_setup_exec_user(&container->exec) < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "setup exec user failed\n");
-		goto fail;
-	}
-
-	// set the container env
-	if (hyper_setup_env(container->exec.envs, container->exec.envs_num) < 0) {
-		fprintf(stdout, "setup env failed\n");
-		goto fail;
-	}
-
 	hyper_send_type(arg->pipe[1], READY);
-	fflush(stdout);
-
-	if (container_setup_tty(container) < 0) {
-		fprintf(stdout, "setup tty failed\n");
-		goto fail;
-	}
-
-	execvp(container->exec.argv[0], container->exec.argv);
-	perror("exec container command failed");
-
-	 /* the exit codes follow the `chroot` standard,
-	    see docker/docs/reference/run.md#exit-status */
-	if (errno == ENOENT)
-		_exit(127);
-	else if (errno == EACCES)
-		_exit(126);
+	hyper_exec_process(&container->exec);
 
 fail:
 	hyper_send_type(arg->pipe[1], ERROR);
diff --git a/src/exec.c b/src/exec.c
index 4237d01..8cab953 100644
--- a/src/exec.c
+++ b/src/exec.c
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ int hyper_watch_exec_pty(struct hyper_exec *exec, struct hyper_pod *pod)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int hyper_enter_container(struct hyper_pod *pod,
+static int hyper_enter_container(struct hyper_pod *pod,
 			  struct hyper_exec *exec)
 {
 	int ipcns, utsns, mntns, ret;
@@ -519,9 +519,8 @@ int hyper_enter_container(struct hyper_pod *pod,
 	/* TODO: wait for container finishing setup root */
 	chdir("/");
 
-	if (hyper_setup_env(c->exec.envs, c->exec.envs_num) < 0)
-		goto out;
-	ret = hyper_setup_env(exec->envs, exec->envs_num);
+	// TODO: let the hyperd do it (merging the env) when needed.
+	ret = hyper_setup_env(c->exec.envs, c->exec.envs_num);
 out:
 	close(ipcns);
 	close(utsns);
@@ -586,11 +585,34 @@ static int hyper_do_exec_cmd(void *data)
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
+	hyper_exec_process(exec);
+
+exit:
+	_exit(125);
+out:
+	hyper_send_type(arg->pipe[1], ret ? ERROR : READY);
+	_exit(ret);
+}
+
+// do the exec, no return
+void hyper_exec_process(struct hyper_exec *exec)
+{
+	if (exec->workdir && chdir(exec->workdir) < 0) {
+		perror("change work directory failed");
+		goto exit;
+	}
+
 	if (hyper_setup_exec_user(exec) < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "setup exec user failed\n");
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
+	// set the container env
+	if (hyper_setup_env(exec->envs, exec->envs_num) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "setup env failed\n");
+		goto exit;
+	}
+
 	if (hyper_dup_exec_tty(exec) < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "dup pts to exec stdio failed\n");
 		goto exit;
@@ -608,10 +630,8 @@ static int hyper_do_exec_cmd(void *data)
 	}
 
 exit:
+	fflush(stdout);
 	_exit(125);
-out:
-	hyper_send_type(arg->pipe[1], ret ? ERROR : READY);
-	_exit(ret);
 }
 
 static void hyper_free_exec(struct hyper_exec *exec)
diff --git a/src/exec.h b/src/exec.h
index 589668a..f176262 100644
--- a/src/exec.h
+++ b/src/exec.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ int hyper_release_exec(struct hyper_exec *, struct hyper_pod *);
 int hyper_container_execcmd(struct hyper_pod *pod);
 int hyper_setup_exec_tty(struct hyper_exec *e);
 int hyper_dup_exec_tty(struct hyper_exec *e);
+void hyper_exec_process(struct hyper_exec *e);
 struct hyper_exec *hyper_find_exec_by_pid(struct list_head *head, int pid);
 struct hyper_exec *hyper_find_exec_by_seq(struct hyper_pod *pod, uint64_t seq);
 int hyper_setup_exec_user(struct hyper_exec *e);