diff --git a/nixos/tests/containers-imperative.nix b/nixos/tests/containers-imperative.nix
index 630bcbdf64be..bc0842189e12 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/containers-imperative.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/containers-imperative.nix
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
     {
       imports = [ ../modules/installer/cd-dvd/channel.nix ];
 
+      boot.enableContainers = true;
+
       # XXX: Sandbox setup fails while trying to hardlink files from the host's
       #      store file system into the prepared chroot directory.
       nix.settings.sandbox = false;