diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 531f44f0..6ea7446b 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Find the latest documentation on `dcermak.github.io/pytest_container
 <https://dcermak.github.io/pytest_container/>`_.
 
 ``pytest_container`` is a `pytest <https://pytest.org>`_ plugin
-to test container images via pytest fixtures and `testinfra
+to test container images via pytest fixtures and optionally `testinfra
 <https://testinfra.readthedocs.io/en/latest/>`_. It takes care of all the boring
 tasks, like spinning up containers, finding free ports and cleaning up after
 tests, and allows you to focus on implementing the actual tests.
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ instantiating a ``Container`` and parametrizing a test function with the
 The fixture automatically pulls and spins up the container, stops it and removes
 it after the test is completed. Your test function receives an instance of
 ``ContainerData`` with the ``ContainerData.connection`` attribute. The
-``ContainerData.connection`` attribute is a `testinfra
-<https://testinfra.readthedocs.io/en/latest/>`_ connection object. It can be
+``ContainerData.connection`` attribute is a shell connection object. It can be
 used to run basic tests inside the container itself. For example, you can check
 whether files are present, packages are installed, etc.
 
diff --git a/pytest_container/container.py b/pytest_container/container.py
index 961fdd74..8bac9ae8 100644
--- a/pytest_container/container.py
+++ b/pytest_container/container.py
@@ -43,10 +43,10 @@
 import _pytest.mark
 import deprecation
 import pytest
-import testinfra
 from filelock import BaseFileLock
 from filelock import FileLock
 
+from pytest_container import helpers
 from pytest_container.helpers import get_always_pull_option
 from pytest_container.helpers import get_extra_build_args
 from pytest_container.helpers import get_extra_run_args
@@ -877,7 +877,7 @@ def prepare_container(
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class ContainerData:
     """Class returned by the ``*container*`` fixtures to the test function. It
-    contains information about the launched container and the testinfra
+    contains information about the launched container and its shell connection
     :py:attr:`connection` to the running container.
 
     """
@@ -887,7 +887,7 @@ class ContainerData:
     image_url_or_id: str
     #: ID of the started container
     container_id: str
-    #: the testinfra connection to the running container
+    #: the shell connection to the running container
     connection: Any
     #: the container data class that has been used in this test
     container: Union[Container, DerivedContainer]
@@ -1013,6 +1013,28 @@ def container_from_pytest_param(
     raise ValueError(f"Invalid pytest.param values: {param.values}")
 
 
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class ContainerRemoteEndpoint:
+    _container_id: str
+    _runtime: OciRuntimeBase
+
+    def __post_init__(self) -> None:
+        assert self._container_id, "Container ID must not be empty"
+
+    def check_output(self, cmd: str, strip: bool = True) -> str:
+        """Run a command in the container and return its output."""
+        return helpers.run_command(
+            [
+                self._runtime.runner_binary,
+                "exec",
+                self._container_id,
+                "/bin/sh",
+                "-c",
+                cmd,
+            ],
+        )[1]
+
+
 @dataclass
 class ContainerLauncher:
     """Helper context manager to setup, start and teardown a container including
@@ -1174,12 +1196,22 @@ def container_data(self) -> ContainerData:
         """
         if not self._container_id:
             raise RuntimeError(f"Container {self.container} has not started")
+        connection: Any = None
+        try:
+            import testinfra
+
+            connection = testinfra.get_host(
+                f"{self.container_runtime.runner_binary}://{self._container_id}"
+            )
+        except ImportError:
+            connection = ContainerRemoteEndpoint(
+                self._container_id, self.container_runtime
+            )
+
         return ContainerData(
             image_url_or_id=self.container.url or self.container.container_id,
             container_id=self._container_id,
-            connection=testinfra.get_host(
-                f"{self.container_runtime.runner_binary}://{self._container_id}"
-            ),
+            connection=connection,
             container=self.container,
             forwarded_ports=self._new_port_forwards,
             _container_runtime=self.container_runtime,
diff --git a/pytest_container/helpers.py b/pytest_container/helpers.py
index 073549f7..f1e47ab2 100644
--- a/pytest_container/helpers.py
+++ b/pytest_container/helpers.py
@@ -6,12 +6,15 @@
 
 import logging
 import os
+import subprocess
 from typing import List
+from typing import Tuple
 
 from _pytest.config import Config
 from _pytest.config.argparsing import Parser
 from _pytest.python import Metafunc
 
+from pytest_container.logging import _logger
 from pytest_container.logging import set_internal_logging_level
 
 
@@ -157,3 +160,26 @@ def get_always_pull_option() -> bool:
 
     """
     return bool(int(os.getenv("PULL_ALWAYS", "1")))
+
+
+def run_command(
+    cmd: List[str],
+    ignore_errors=True,
+) -> Tuple[int, str, str]:
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            cmd,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            check=not ignore_errors,
+        )
+
+        _logger.debug(
+            f"RUN CMD: {cmd} RC: {result.returncode} STDOUT: {result.stdout} STDERR:{result.stderr}"
+        )
+        return result.returncode, result.stdout, result.stderr
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as exc:
+        _logger.debug(
+            f"RUN(Failed) CMD: {cmd} RC: {exc.returncode} STDOUT:{exc.stdout} STDERR:{exc.stderr}"
+        )
+        raise exc
diff --git a/pytest_container/runtime.py b/pytest_container/runtime.py
index 6c72333b..798478fd 100644
--- a/pytest_container/runtime.py
+++ b/pytest_container/runtime.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 import json
 import re
+import shutil
 import sys
 from abc import ABC
 from abc import abstractmethod
@@ -20,10 +21,10 @@
 from typing import Optional
 from typing import Union
 
-import testinfra
 from _pytest.mark.structures import ParameterSet
 from pytest import param
 
+from pytest_container import helpers
 from pytest_container.inspect import BindMount
 from pytest_container.inspect import Config
 from pytest_container.inspect import ContainerHealth
@@ -411,9 +412,6 @@ def __str__(self) -> str:
         return self.__class__.__name__
 
 
-LOCALHOST = testinfra.host.get_host("local://")
-
-
 def _get_podman_version(version_stdout: str) -> Version:
     if version_stdout[:15] != "podman version ":
         raise RuntimeError(
@@ -424,7 +422,7 @@ def _get_podman_version(version_stdout: str) -> Version:
 
 
 def _get_buildah_version() -> Version:
-    version_stdout = LOCALHOST.check_output("buildah --version")
+    version_stdout = helpers.run_command(["buildah", "--version"])[1]
     build_version_begin = "buildah version "
     if not version_stdout.startswith(build_version_begin):
         raise RuntimeError(
@@ -443,11 +441,11 @@ class PodmanRuntime(OciRuntimeBase):
     """
 
     def __init__(self) -> None:
-        podman_ps = LOCALHOST.run("podman ps")
-        if not podman_ps.succeeded:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"`podman ps` failed with {podman_ps.stderr}")
+        podman_ps = helpers.run_command(["podman", "ps"])
+        if not podman_ps[0] == 0:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"`podman ps` failed with {podman_ps[2]}")
 
-        self._buildah_functional = LOCALHOST.run("buildah").succeeded
+        self._buildah_functional = helpers.run_command(["buildah"])[0] == 0
         super().__init__(
             build_command=(
                 ["buildah", "bud", "--layers", "--force-rm"]
@@ -461,8 +459,11 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
     @cached_property
     def version(self) -> Version:
         """Returns the version of podman installed on the system"""
+
         return _get_podman_version(
-            LOCALHOST.run_expect([0], "podman --version").stdout
+            helpers.run_command(["podman", "--version"], ignore_errors=False)[
+                1
+            ]
         )
 
     @cached_property
@@ -539,9 +540,9 @@ class DockerRuntime(OciRuntimeBase):
     containers."""
 
     def __init__(self) -> None:
-        docker_ps = LOCALHOST.run("docker ps")
-        if not docker_ps.succeeded:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"`docker ps` failed with {docker_ps.stderr}")
+        docker_ps = helpers.run_command(["docker", "ps"])
+        if not docker_ps[0] == 0:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"`docker ps` failed with {docker_ps[2]}")
 
         super().__init__(
             build_command=["docker", "build", "--force-rm"],
@@ -552,7 +553,9 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
     def version(self) -> Version:
         """Returns the version of docker installed on this system"""
         return _get_docker_version(
-            LOCALHOST.run_expect([0], "docker --version").stdout
+            helpers.run_command(["docker", "--version"], ignore_errors=False)[
+                1
+            ]
         )
 
     @property
@@ -613,8 +616,8 @@ def get_selected_runtime() -> OciRuntimeBase:
 
     If neither docker nor podman are available, then a ValueError is raised.
     """
-    podman_exists = LOCALHOST.exists("podman")
-    docker_exists = LOCALHOST.exists("docker")
+    podman_exists = shutil.which("podman")
+    docker_exists = shutil.which("docker")
 
     runtime_choice = getenv("CONTAINER_RUNTIME", "podman").lower()
     if runtime_choice not in ("podman", "docker"):
diff --git a/test-requirements.txt b/test-requirements.txt
index 323c791d..c5a01c15 100644
--- a/test-requirements.txt
+++ b/test-requirements.txt
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ pytest-xdist
 coverage
 pytest-rerunfailures
 typeguard
+ifaddr
 .
diff --git a/tests/test_container_build.py b/tests/test_container_build.py
index 155ee7af..66f13451 100644
--- a/tests/test_container_build.py
+++ b/tests/test_container_build.py
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
 from pytest_container.container import ContainerData
 from pytest_container.container import ContainerLauncher
 from pytest_container.container import EntrypointSelection
+from pytest_container.helpers import run_command
 from pytest_container.inspect import PortForwarding
-from pytest_container.runtime import LOCALHOST
 from pytest_container.runtime import OciRuntimeBase
 
 from .images import LEAP
@@ -285,9 +285,9 @@ def test_multistage_build_target(
         extra_build_args=get_extra_build_args(pytestconfig),
     )
     assert (
-        LOCALHOST.check_output(
-            f"{container_runtime.runner_binary} run --rm {first_target}",
-        ).strip()
+        run_command(
+            [container_runtime.runner_binary, "run", "--rm", first_target]
+        )[1].strip()
         == "foobar"
     )
 
@@ -301,9 +301,15 @@ def test_multistage_build_target(
 
     assert first_target != second_target
     assert (
-        LOCALHOST.check_output(
-            f"{container_runtime.runner_binary} run --rm {second_target} /bin/test.sh",
-        ).strip()
+        run_command(
+            [
+                container_runtime.runner_binary,
+                "run",
+                "--rm",
+                second_target,
+                "/bin/test.sh",
+            ]
+        )[1].strip()
         == "foobar"
     )
 
@@ -313,10 +319,17 @@ def test_multistage_build_target(
     ):
         assert (
             distro
-            in LOCALHOST.check_output(
-                f"{container_runtime.runner_binary} run --rm --entrypoint= {target} "
-                "cat /etc/os-release",
-            ).strip()
+            in run_command(
+                [
+                    container_runtime.runner_binary,
+                    "run",
+                    "--rm",
+                    "--entrypoint=",
+                    target,
+                    "cat",
+                    "/etc/os-release",
+                ]
+            )[1].strip()
         )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_launcher.py b/tests/test_launcher.py
index 3814cd4d..cb5aedc3 100644
--- a/tests/test_launcher.py
+++ b/tests/test_launcher.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 from pytest_container.container import ContainerVolume
 from pytest_container.container import DerivedContainer
 from pytest_container.container import EntrypointSelection
-from pytest_container.runtime import LOCALHOST
+from pytest_container.helpers import run_command
 from pytest_container.runtime import OciRuntimeBase
 
 from .images import CMDLINE_APP_CONTAINER
@@ -101,9 +101,17 @@ def test_launcher_creates_and_cleanes_up_volumes(
                 assert vol.host_path and os.path.exists(vol.host_path)
             elif isinstance(vol, ContainerVolume):
                 assert vol.volume_id
-                assert LOCALHOST.run_expect(
-                    [0],
-                    f"{container_runtime.runner_binary} volume inspect {vol.volume_id}",
+                assert (
+                    run_command(
+                        [
+                            container_runtime.runner_binary,
+                            "volume",
+                            "inspect",
+                            vol.volume_id,
+                        ],
+                        ignore_errors=False,
+                    )[0]
+                    == 0
                 )
             else:
                 assert False, f"invalid volume type {type(vol)}"
diff --git a/tests/test_port_forwarding.py b/tests/test_port_forwarding.py
index e37fbef9..4756abce 100644
--- a/tests/test_port_forwarding.py
+++ b/tests/test_port_forwarding.py
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 :py:attr:`~pytest_container.container.ContainerBase.forwarded_ports`."""
 
 # pylint: disable=missing-function-docstring
-import itertools
+import re
 import socket
 from typing import List
 
+import ifaddr
 import pytest
 
 from pytest_container.container import ContainerData
@@ -13,10 +14,10 @@
 from pytest_container.container import DerivedContainer
 from pytest_container.container import PortForwarding
 from pytest_container.container import lock_host_port_search
+from pytest_container.helpers import run_command
 from pytest_container.inspect import NetworkProtocol
 from pytest_container.pod import Pod
 from pytest_container.pod import PodLauncher
-from pytest_container.runtime import LOCALHOST
 from pytest_container.runtime import OciRuntimeBase
 from pytest_container.runtime import Version
 
@@ -65,8 +66,12 @@ def _create_nginx_container(number: int) -> DerivedContainer:
 
 CONTAINER_IMAGES = [WEB_SERVER]
 
+curl_version_string = run_command(["curl", "--version"])[1]
+pattern = r"curl\s+(\d+(?:\.\d+)+)"
+match = re.search(pattern, curl_version_string)
+assert match is not None, "Curl version not found"
+_curl_version = Version.parse(match.group(1))
 
-_curl_version = Version.parse(LOCALHOST.package("curl").version)
 
 #: curl cli with additional retries as a single curl sometimes fails with docker
 #: with ``curl: (56) Recv failure: Connection reset by peer`` for reasons…
@@ -175,18 +180,18 @@ def test_multiple_open_ports(container: ContainerData, number: int, host):
     )
 
 
-_INTERFACES = [
-    name
-    for name in LOCALHOST.interface.names()
-    if name[:2] in ("en", "et", "wl")
-]
-_ADDRESSES = [
-    addr
-    for addr in itertools.chain.from_iterable(
-        LOCALHOST.interface(interface).addresses for interface in _INTERFACES
-    )
-    if not addr.startswith("169.254.") and not addr.startswith("fe80:")
-]
+def _find_all_usable_ips():
+    for adapter in ifaddr.get_adapters():
+        if not adapter.name.startswith(("en", "et", "wl")):
+            continue
+        for addr in adapter.ips:
+            if addr.is_IPv4 and not addr.ip.startswith("169.254."):
+                yield str(addr.ip)
+            elif addr.is_IPv6 and not addr.ip[0].startswith("fe80:"):
+                yield addr.ip[0]
+
+
+_ADDRESSES = list(_find_all_usable_ips())
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
diff --git a/tests/test_runtime.py b/tests/test_runtime.py
index b9955f4f..4d15c622 100644
--- a/tests/test_runtime.py
+++ b/tests/test_runtime.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # pylint: disable=missing-function-docstring,missing-module-docstring
 import os
+import shutil
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable
 from typing import Type
@@ -8,7 +9,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from pytest_container.runtime import LOCALHOST
+from pytest_container import helpers
 from pytest_container.runtime import DockerRuntime
 from pytest_container.runtime import OciRuntimeBase
 from pytest_container.runtime import PodmanRuntime
@@ -27,45 +28,6 @@ def container_runtime_envvar(request):
         yield
 
 
-# pylint: disable-next=unused-argument
-def _mock_run_success(*args, **kwargs):
-    class Succeeded:
-        """Class that mocks the returned object of `testinfra`'s `run`."""
-
-        @property
-        def succeeded(self) -> bool:
-            return True
-
-        @property
-        def rc(self) -> int:
-            return 0
-
-    return Succeeded()
-
-
-def generate_mock_fail(*, rc: int = 1, stderr: str = "failure!!"):
-    # pylint: disable-next=unused-argument
-    def mock_run_fail(cmd: str):
-        class Failure:
-            """Class that mocks the returned object of `testinfra`'s `run`."""
-
-            @property
-            def succeeded(self) -> bool:
-                return False
-
-            @property
-            def rc(self) -> int:
-                return rc
-
-            @property
-            def stderr(self) -> str:
-                return stderr
-
-        return Failure()
-
-    return mock_run_fail
-
-
 def _create_mock_exists(
     podman_should_exist: bool, docker_should_exist: bool
 ) -> Callable[[str], bool]:
@@ -96,8 +58,7 @@ def test_runtime_selection(
     runtime: OciRuntimeBase,
     monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
 ):
-    monkeypatch.setattr(LOCALHOST, "run", _mock_run_success)
-    monkeypatch.setattr(LOCALHOST, "exists", _create_mock_exists(True, True))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(shutil, "which", _create_mock_exists(True, True))
 
     assert get_selected_runtime() == runtime
 
@@ -107,7 +68,7 @@ def test_value_err_when_docker_and_podman_missing(
     runtime: str, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
 ) -> None:
     monkeypatch.setenv("CONTAINER_RUNTIME", runtime)
-    monkeypatch.setattr(LOCALHOST, "exists", _create_mock_exists(False, False))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(shutil, "which", _create_mock_exists(False, False))
     with pytest.raises(ValueError) as val_err_ctx:
         get_selected_runtime()
 
@@ -125,7 +86,11 @@ def test_runtime_construction_fails_if_ps_fails(
     monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
 ) -> None:
     stderr = "container runtime failed"
-    monkeypatch.setattr(LOCALHOST, "run", generate_mock_fail(stderr=stderr))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        helpers,
+        "run_command",
+        lambda _: (1, "", stderr),
+    )
     with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as rt_err_ctx:
         cls()
 
@@ -145,7 +110,9 @@ def test_buildah_version_parsing(
     monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
 ) -> None:
     monkeypatch.setattr(
-        LOCALHOST, "check_output", lambda _: f"buildah version {version_str}"
+        helpers,
+        "run_command",
+        lambda _: (0, f"buildah version {version_str}", ""),
     )
 
     assert _get_buildah_version() == expected_version
@@ -154,7 +121,7 @@ def test_buildah_version_parsing(
 def test_get_buildah_version_fails_on_unexpected_stdout(
     monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
 ) -> None:
-    monkeypatch.setattr(LOCALHOST, "check_output", lambda _: "foobar")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(helpers, "run_command", lambda _: (0, "foobar", ""))
     with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as rt_err_ctx:
         _get_buildah_version()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_volumes.py b/tests/test_volumes.py
index a4360b63..675ec0a5 100644
--- a/tests/test_volumes.py
+++ b/tests/test_volumes.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import os
 from os.path import abspath
 from os.path import join
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import List
 
 import pytest
@@ -14,7 +15,6 @@
 from pytest_container.container import DerivedContainer
 from pytest_container.container import VolumeFlag
 from pytest_container.container import get_volume_creator
-from pytest_container.runtime import LOCALHOST
 from pytest_container.runtime import OciRuntimeBase
 
 from .images import LEAP_URL
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ def test_container_host_volumes(container_per_test: ContainerData):
     for vol in container_per_test.container.volume_mounts:
         assert isinstance(vol, BindMount)
         assert vol.host_path
-        dir_on_host = LOCALHOST.file(vol.host_path)
-        assert dir_on_host.exists and dir_on_host.is_directory
+        dir_on_host = Path(vol.host_path)
+        assert dir_on_host.is_dir()
 
         dir_in_container = container_per_test.connection.file(
             vol.container_path
@@ -142,8 +142,8 @@ def test_container_volume_host_writing(container_per_test: ContainerData):
     assert isinstance(vol, BindMount)
     assert vol.host_path
 
-    host_dir = LOCALHOST.file(vol.host_path)
-    assert not host_dir.listdir()
+    host_dir = Path(vol.host_path)
+    assert not list(host_dir.iterdir())
 
     container_dir = container_per_test.connection.file(vol.container_path)
     assert not container_dir.listdir()
@@ -265,9 +265,14 @@ def test_concurrent_container_volumes(container_per_test: ContainerData):
 def test_bind_mount_cwd(container: ContainerData):
     vol = container.container.volume_mounts[0]
     assert isinstance(vol, BindMount)
+    assert vol.host_path is not None
+
     assert container.connection.file("/src/").exists and sorted(
         container.connection.file("/src/").listdir()
-    ) == sorted(LOCALHOST.file(vol.host_path).listdir())
+    ) == sorted(
+        str(p.relative_to(vol.host_path))
+        for p in Path(vol.host_path).iterdir()
+    )
 
 
 def test_bind_mount_fails_when_host_path_not_present() -> None: