diff --git a/drivers/mock/driver.go b/drivers/mock/driver.go
index 734ae61f8..68bfb0335 100644
--- a/drivers/mock/driver.go
+++ b/drivers/mock/driver.go
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ var (
 	taskConfigSpec = hclspec.NewObject(map[string]*hclspec.Spec{
 		"start_error":             hclspec.NewAttr("start_error", "string", false),
 		"start_error_recoverable": hclspec.NewAttr("start_error_recoverable", "bool", false),
-		"start_block_for":         hclspec.NewAttr("start_block_for", "number", false),
-		"kill_after":              hclspec.NewAttr("kill_after", "number", false),
-		"run_for":                 hclspec.NewAttr("run_for", "number", false),
+		"start_block_for":         hclspec.NewAttr("start_block_for", "string", false),
+		"kill_after":              hclspec.NewAttr("kill_after", "string", false),
+		"run_for":                 hclspec.NewAttr("run_for", "string", false),
 		"exit_code":               hclspec.NewAttr("exit_code", "number", false),
 		"exit_signal":             hclspec.NewAttr("exit_signal", "number", false),
 		"exit_err_msg":            hclspec.NewAttr("exit_err_msg", "string", false),
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ var (
 		"driver_port_map":         hclspec.NewAttr("driver_port_map", "string", false),
 		"stdout_string":           hclspec.NewAttr("stdout_string", "string", false),
 		"stdout_repeat":           hclspec.NewAttr("stdout_repeat", "number", false),
-		"stdout_repeat_duration":  hclspec.NewAttr("stdout_repeat_duration", "number", false),
+		"stdout_repeat_duration":  hclspec.NewAttr("stdout_repeat_duration", "string", false),
 	})
 
 	// capabilities is returned by the Capabilities RPC and indicates what
@@ -152,16 +152,16 @@ type TaskConfig struct {
 	StartErrRecoverable bool `codec:"start_error_recoverable"`
 
 	// StartBlockFor specifies a duration in which to block before returning
-	StartBlockFor time.Duration `codec:"start_block_for"`
+	StartBlockFor string `codec:"start_block_for"`
 
 	// KillAfter is the duration after which the mock driver indicates the task
 	// has exited after getting the initial SIGINT signal
-	KillAfter time.Duration `codec:"kill_after"`
+	KillAfter string `codec:"kill_after"`
 
 	// RunFor is the duration for which the fake task runs for. After this
 	// period the MockDriver responds to the task running indicating that the
 	// task has terminated
-	RunFor time.Duration `codec:"run_for"`
+	RunFor string `codec:"run_for"`
 
 	// ExitCode is the exit code with which the MockDriver indicates the task
 	// has exited
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ type TaskConfig struct {
 	StdoutRepeat int `codec:"stdout_repeat"`
 
 	// StdoutRepeatDur is the duration between repeated outputs.
-	StdoutRepeatDur time.Duration `codec:"stdout_repeat_duration"`
+	StdoutRepeatDur string `codec:"stdout_repeat_duration"`
 }
 
 type MockTaskState struct {
@@ -298,8 +298,8 @@ func (d *Driver) StartTask(cfg *drivers.TaskConfig) (*drivers.TaskHandle, *cstru
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	if driverConfig.StartBlockFor != 0 {
-		time.Sleep(driverConfig.StartBlockFor)
+	if driverConfig.StartBlockFor != "" {
+		time.Sleep(parseDuration(driverConfig.StartBlockFor))
 	}
 
 	if driverConfig.StartErr != "" {
@@ -327,13 +327,13 @@ func (d *Driver) StartTask(cfg *drivers.TaskConfig) (*drivers.TaskHandle, *cstru
 
 	h := &taskHandle{
 		taskConfig:      cfg,
-		runFor:          driverConfig.RunFor,
-		killAfter:       driverConfig.KillAfter,
+		runFor:          parseDuration(driverConfig.RunFor),
+		killAfter:       parseDuration(driverConfig.KillAfter),
 		exitCode:        driverConfig.ExitCode,
 		exitSignal:      driverConfig.ExitSignal,
 		stdoutString:    driverConfig.StdoutString,
 		stdoutRepeat:    driverConfig.StdoutRepeat,
-		stdoutRepeatDur: driverConfig.StdoutRepeatDur,
+		stdoutRepeatDur: parseDuration(driverConfig.StdoutRepeatDur),
 		logger:          d.logger.With("task_name", cfg.Name),
 		waitCh:          make(chan struct{}),
 		killCh:          killCtx.Done(),
@@ -455,3 +455,21 @@ func (d *Driver) ExecTask(taskID string, cmd []string, timeout time.Duration) (*
 	}
 	return &res, nil
 }
+
+func parseDuration(s string) time.Duration {
+	if s == "" {
+		return time.Duration(0)
+	}
+
+	// check if it's an int64
+	if v, err := strconv.ParseInt(s, 10, 64); err == nil {
+		return time.Duration(v)
+	}
+
+	// try to parse it as duration
+	if v, err := time.ParseDuration(s); err == nil {
+		return v
+	}
+
+	panic(fmt.Errorf("value is not a duration: %v", s))
+}
diff --git a/drivers/mock/handle.go b/drivers/mock/handle.go
index 67297c8f0..44ad4932e 100644
--- a/drivers/mock/handle.go
+++ b/drivers/mock/handle.go
@@ -114,6 +114,11 @@ func (h *taskHandle) handleLogging(errCh chan<- error) {
 		errCh <- err
 		return
 	}
+	if _, err := io.WriteString(stdout, h.stdoutString); err != nil {
+		h.logger.Error("failed to write to stdout", "error", err)
+		errCh <- err
+		return
+	}
 
 	for i := 0; i < h.stdoutRepeat; i++ {
 		select {