diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_interop_tests.py b/tools/run_tests/run_interop_tests.py
index edbdf05e2a2..81ba729d315 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_interop_tests.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_interop_tests.py
@@ -465,7 +465,8 @@ def cloud_to_prod_jobspec(language, test_case, server_host_name,
           flake_retries=5 if args.allow_flakes else 0,
           timeout_retries=2 if args.allow_flakes else 0,
           kill_handler=_job_kill_handler)
-  test_job.container_name = container_name
+  if docker_image:
+    test_job.container_name = container_name
   return test_job
 
 
@@ -501,7 +502,8 @@ def cloud_to_cloud_jobspec(language, test_case, server_name, server_host,
           flake_retries=5 if args.allow_flakes else 0,
           timeout_retries=2 if args.allow_flakes else 0,
           kill_handler=_job_kill_handler)
-  test_job.container_name = container_name
+  if docker_image:
+    test_job.container_name = container_name
   return test_job