diff --git a/.devcontainer/20_init_plugin b/.devcontainer/20_init_plugin
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..88dda7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/20_init_plugin
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -eo pipefail
+
+log-info() {
+  declare desc="Log info formatter"
+  echo "    $*" 1>&2
+}
+
+log-fail() {
+  declare desc="Log fail formatter"
+  echo "!   $*" 1>&2
+  exit 1
+}
+
+main() {
+  dokku plugin:install
+
+  # built in the Dockerfile
+  PLUGIN_NAME="$(source /tmp/.env && echo "$PLUGIN_NAME")"
+  PLUGIN_VARIABLE="$(source /tmp/.env && echo "$PLUGIN_VARIABLE")"
+  dokku config:set --global "${PLUGIN_VARIABLE}_HOST_ROOT=${SERVICE_HOST_ROOT}"
+}
+
+main "$@"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
index 4174b21..2d09be4 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
+++ b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -9,11 +9,16 @@ RUN apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y build-essential && \
   chown -R dokku:dokku /mnt/dokku/home/dokku /mnt/dokku/var/lib/dokku/config /mnt/dokku/var/lib/dokku/data /mnt/dokku/var/lib/dokku/services && \
   echo "dokku.me" > /home/dokku/VHOST
 
+ADD https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dokku/dokku/master/tests/dhparam.pem /mnt/dokku/etc/nginx/dhparam.pem
+
+COPY .devcontainer/20_init_plugin /etc/my_init.d/20_init_plugin
+
 COPY . .
 
 RUN source /tmp/config && \
   echo "export ${PLUGIN_DISABLE_PULL_VARIABLE}=true" > /tmp/.env && \
-  echo "export PLUGIN_NAME=${PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX}" >> /tmp/.env
+  echo "export PLUGIN_NAME=${PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX}" >> /tmp/.env && \
+  echo "export PLUGIN_VARIABLE=${PLUGIN_VARIABLE}" >> /tmp/.env
 
 RUN source /tmp/.env && \
   dokku plugin:install file:///tmp --name $PLUGIN_NAME && \
diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index a87e036..430d2f1 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@
     "dockerfile": "Dockerfile",
     "context": ".."
   },
-  "runArgs": ["--init"],
+  "containerEnv": {
+    "SERVICE_HOST_ROOT": "${localWorkspaceFolder}/tmp/data"
+  },
+  "initializeCommand": ["mkdir", "-p", "tmp/data"],
   "mounts": [
     "source=/var/run/docker.sock,target=/var/run/docker.sock,type=bind",
-    "source=${localWorkspaceFolder}/tmp/data/,target=/var/lib/dokku/services/redis/,type=bind"
+    "source=${localWorkspaceFolder}/tmp/data/,target=/var/lib/dokku/services/,type=bind"
   ],
-  "containerEnv": {
-    "REDIS_HOST_ROOT": "${localWorkspaceFolder}/tmp/data"
-  }
+  "overrideCommand": false,
+  "runArgs": ["--init"]
 }