diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 0e8e5cd37..c7d79c7d0 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ workflows:
       - test-machine:
           name: "test-docker"
           test_packages: "./drivers/docker"
+          # docker is misbehaving in docker-machine-recent image
+          # and we get unexpected failures
+          # e.g. https://circleci.com/gh/hashicorp/nomad/3854
+          executor: go-machine
           <<: *IGNORE_FOR_UI_BRANCHES
       - test-machine:
           name: "test-exec"
@@ -158,7 +162,7 @@ jobs:
           path: /tmp/test-reports
 
   test-machine:
-    executor: go-machine
+    executor: "<< parameters.executor >>"
     parameters:
       test_packages:
         type: string
@@ -166,6 +170,9 @@ jobs:
       exclude_packages:
         type: string
         default: ""
+      executor:
+        type: string
+        default: "go-machine-recent"
     environment:
       <<: *COMMON_ENVS
       GOTEST_PKGS_EXCLUDE: "<< parameters.exclude_packages >>"