diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index ddbd6bc4a89..c1f234a1065 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ pipeline {
 
   options {
     ansiColor('xterm')
-    parallelsAlwaysFailFast()
   }
 
   environment {
-    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml'
+    // include selenium while smoke is running locally
+    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml:docker-compose.new-jenkins-selenium.yml'
     GERRIT_PORT = '29418'
     GERRIT_URL = "$GERRIT_HOST:$GERRIT_PORT"
 
@@ -154,7 +154,8 @@ pipeline {
         stage('Smoke Test') {
           steps {
             timeout(time: 10) {
-              sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh'
+              sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh'
+              sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-migrate-database.sh'
               sh 'build/new-jenkins/smoke-test.sh'
             }
           }
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.contract-tests b/Jenkinsfile.contract-tests
index b81d95130dc..ad1790b61cb 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.contract-tests
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.contract-tests
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ pipeline {
       steps {
         timeout(time: 60) {
           sh 'printenv | sort'
-          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-migrate-database.sh'
           // todo create contract tests script
           // sh 'build/new-jenkins/.sh'
         }
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.linters-js b/Jenkinsfile.linters-js
index ddb25c9e767..cc2b315bdea 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.linters-js
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.linters-js
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ pipeline {
       steps {
         timeout(time: 60) {
           sh 'printenv | sort'
-          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh'
           // Todo: create linters-js script
           // sh 'build/new-jenkins/.sh'
         }
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.rspec b/Jenkinsfile.rspec
index a236cbb7361..dc112ba3ffa 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.rspec
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.rspec
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ pipeline {
       steps {
         timeout(time: 60) {
           sh 'printenv | sort'
-          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-migrate-database.sh'
           // Todo: create script for rspec tests
           // sh 'build/new-jenkins/rspec-tests.sh'
         }
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.selenium.chrome b/Jenkinsfile.selenium.chrome
index deac552224e..60a03d4d68b 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.selenium.chrome
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.selenium.chrome
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pipeline {
   }
 
   environment {
-    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml'
+    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml:docker-compose.new-jenkins-selenium.yml'
     // 'refs/changes/63/181863/8' -> '63.181863.8'
     NAME = "${env.GERRIT_REFSPEC}".minus('refs/changes/').replaceAll('/','.')
   }
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ pipeline {
           steps {
             timeout(time: 60) {
               sh 'printenv | sort'
-              sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh'
+              sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh'
+              sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-migrate-database.sh'
               // Todo: create script for selenium tests
               sh 'build/new-jenkins/smoke-test.sh'
             }
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.selenium.performance.chrome b/Jenkinsfile.selenium.performance.chrome
index d2423c09f1a..a06d738a680 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.selenium.performance.chrome
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.selenium.performance.chrome
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pipeline {
   }
 
   environment {
-    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml'
+    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml:docker-compose.new-jenkins-selenium.yml'
     // 'refs/changes/63/181863/8' -> '63.181863.8'
     NAME = "${env.GERRIT_REFSPEC}".minus('refs/changes/').replaceAll('/','.')
   }
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ pipeline {
       steps {
         timeout(time: 60) {
           sh 'printenv | sort'
-          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-migrate-database.sh'
           // Todo: create selenium performance chrome script
           // sh 'build/new-jenkins/.sh'
         }
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.vendored-gems b/Jenkinsfile.vendored-gems
index 3550db8de66..c90fcd2759d 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.vendored-gems
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.vendored-gems
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pipeline {
   }
 
   environment {
-    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-vendored-gems.yml'
+    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml'
     // 'refs/changes/63/181863/8' -> '63.181863.8'
     NAME = "${env.GERRIT_REFSPEC}".minus('refs/changes/').replaceAll('/','.')
   }
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ pipeline {
       steps {
         timeout(time: 60) {
           sh 'printenv | sort'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-database.sh'
           sh 'build/new-jenkins/test-gems.sh'
         }
       }
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.xbrowser b/Jenkinsfile.xbrowser
index 45a0fcd8cdd..6a62e6d3616 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.xbrowser
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.xbrowser
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pipeline {
   }
 
   environment {
-    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml'
+    COMPOSE_FILE = 'docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml:docker-compose.new-jenkins-selenium.yml'
     // 'refs/changes/63/181863/8' -> '63.181863.8'
     NAME = "${env.GERRIT_REFSPEC}".minus('refs/changes/').replaceAll('/','.')
   }
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ pipeline {
       steps {
         timeout(time: 60) {
           sh 'printenv | sort'
-          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh'
+          sh 'build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-migrate-database.sh'
           sh 'build/new-jenkins/xbrowser-test.sh'
         }
       }
diff --git a/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh b/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..0883886a39d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build-up.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+docker-compose build
+docker-compose up -d
diff --git a/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh b/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 68c407dd2e6..00000000000
--- a/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-build.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-export COMPOSE_FILE=docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml
-
-docker-compose build
-docker-compose up -d
-docker-compose run web bundle exec rails db:create db:migrate
diff --git a/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-database.sh b/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-database.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..1da342f6822
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-database.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+docker-compose exec -T web bundle exec rails db:create
diff --git a/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-migrate-database.sh b/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-migrate-database.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..f32ff191ade
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/new-jenkins/docker-compose-create-migrate-database.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+docker-compose exec -T web bundle exec rails db:create db:migrate
diff --git a/build/new-jenkins/rspec-tests.sh b/build/new-jenkins/rspec-tests.sh
index aad79eb0db1..839617d4518 100755
--- a/build/new-jenkins/rspec-tests.sh
+++ b/build/new-jenkins/rspec-tests.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-export COMPOSE_FILE=docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml
-
 # Todo: build the spec list similar to how it currently is in rspect
 # spec_files=`find spec {gems,vendor}/plugins/*/spec_canvas -type f -name '*_spec.rb'|grep -v '/selenium/'|tr '\n' ' '`
 
 # Todo: run the specs in spec_files
-# docker-compose run web bundle exec rspec -f doc --format html --out results.html spec_files
+# docker-compose exec -T web bundle exec rspec -f doc --format html --out results.html spec_files
diff --git a/build/new-jenkins/smoke-test.sh b/build/new-jenkins/smoke-test.sh
index 9d447b002bf..549d953bea4 100755
--- a/build/new-jenkins/smoke-test.sh
+++ b/build/new-jenkins/smoke-test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-export COMPOSE_FILE=docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml
-
-docker-compose run --rm web bundle exec rspec spec/selenium/login_logout_spec.rb -f doc --format html --out results.html
+docker-compose exec -T web bundle exec rspec spec/selenium/login_logout_spec.rb -f doc --format html --out results.html
diff --git a/build/new-jenkins/test-gems.sh b/build/new-jenkins/test-gems.sh
index 06db2378fd3..f2624da22ce 100755
--- a/build/new-jenkins/test-gems.sh
+++ b/build/new-jenkins/test-gems.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-docker-compose build
-docker-compose up -d
-docker-compose run web bundle exec rails db:create
-
-docker-compose run -T web ./gems/test-all-gems-new-jenkins.sh
+docker-compose exec -T web ./gems/test-all-gems-new-jenkins.sh
diff --git a/build/new-jenkins/xbrowser-test.sh b/build/new-jenkins/xbrowser-test.sh
index d50586c1c50..3a3c048f003 100755
--- a/build/new-jenkins/xbrowser-test.sh
+++ b/build/new-jenkins/xbrowser-test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-export COMPOSE_FILE=docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml
-
-docker-compose run --rm web bundle exec rspec -f doc --format html --out results.html --tag xbrowser spec/selenium/
+docker-compose exec -T web bundle exec rspec -f doc --format html --out results.html --tag xbrowser spec/selenium/
diff --git a/docker-compose.new-jenkins-selenium.yml b/docker-compose.new-jenkins-selenium.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..de6ff25a908
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.new-jenkins-selenium.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# it is intended that this be used exclusive of all other docker-compose.*yml files in CI
+version: "2.1"
+services:
+  web:
+    links:
+      - selenium-chrome
+    environment:
+      remote_url: http://selenium-chrome:4444/wd/hub
+      browser: chrome
+
+  selenium-chrome:
+    build: ./docker-compose/selenium-chrome
diff --git a/docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml b/docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml
index 75b09892f8e..2b0866ddd30 100644
--- a/docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.new-jenkins.yml
@@ -7,18 +7,13 @@ services:
     links:
       - postgres
       - redis
-      - selenium-chrome
     environment:
       ENCRYPTION_KEY: 598f25a47a708a96be4bd398cc512c71df1b24114e5af4f8f9c4d2ed777c9906519a07f9452e369a6fa27f8b31e8f768da1422fa47bbf9d8fbd46620dc863002
       RAILS_ENV: test
       RAILS_DB_NAME_TEST: 'canvas_test'
       RAILS_DB_HOST: postgres
       RAILS_DB_PASSWORD: ''
-      remote_url: http://selenium-chrome:4444/wd/hub
-      browser: chrome
-
-  selenium-chrome:
-    build: ./docker-compose/selenium-chrome
+      DATABASE_URL: "postgres://postgres@postgres:5432/canvas_test"
 
   redis:
     image: redis:alpine
diff --git a/docker-compose.new-vendored-gems.yml b/docker-compose.new-vendored-gems.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 2b0866ddd30..00000000000
--- a/docker-compose.new-vendored-gems.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-# it is intended that this be used exclusive of all other docker-compose.*yml files in CI
-version: "2.1"
-services:
-  web:
-    # use master if NAME is unavailable
-    image: "starlord.inscloudgate.net/jenkins/canvas-lms:${NAME:-master}"
-    links:
-      - postgres
-      - redis
-    environment:
-      ENCRYPTION_KEY: 598f25a47a708a96be4bd398cc512c71df1b24114e5af4f8f9c4d2ed777c9906519a07f9452e369a6fa27f8b31e8f768da1422fa47bbf9d8fbd46620dc863002
-      RAILS_ENV: test
-      RAILS_DB_NAME_TEST: 'canvas_test'
-      RAILS_DB_HOST: postgres
-      RAILS_DB_PASSWORD: ''
-      DATABASE_URL: "postgres://postgres@postgres:5432/canvas_test"
-
-  redis:
-    image: redis:alpine
-
-  postgres:
-    build: ./build/docker-compose/postgres/9.5