diff --git a/templates/tools/dockerfile/test/bazel/Dockerfile.template b/templates/tools/dockerfile/test/bazel/Dockerfile.template
deleted file mode 100644
index 82f90bef681..00000000000
--- a/templates/tools/dockerfile/test/bazel/Dockerfile.template
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,48 +0,0 @@
-%YAML 1.2
---- |
-  # Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
-  # All rights reserved.
-  #
-  # Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
-  # modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
-  # met:
-  #
-  #     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
-  # notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
-  #     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
-  # copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
-  # in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
-  # distribution.
-  #     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
-  # contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
-  # this software without specific prior written permission.
-  #
-  # THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
-  # "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
-  # LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
-  # A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
-  # OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
-  # SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
-  # LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
-  # DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
-  # THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
-  # (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
-  # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
-  
-  FROM ubuntu:15.10
-  
-  <%include file="../../apt_get_basic.include"/>
-
-  #========================
-  # Bazel installation
-  RUN apt-get install -y software-properties-common g++
-  RUN echo "deb [arch=amd64] http://storage.googleapis.com/bazel-apt stable jdk1.8" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/bazel.list
-  RUN curl https://bazel.build/bazel-release.pub.gpg | apt-key add -
-  RUN apt-get -y update
-  RUN apt-get -y install bazel
-
-  RUN mkdir -p /var/local/jenkins
-  
-  # Define the default command.
-  CMD ["bash"]
-  
diff --git a/tools/distrib/python/bazel_deps.sh b/tools/distrib/python/bazel_deps.sh
index de3ee079708..f6d42d29eb6 100755
--- a/tools/distrib/python/bazel_deps.sh
+++ b/tools/distrib/python/bazel_deps.sh
@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@ cd $(dirname $0)/../../../
 
 # First check if bazel is installed on the machine. If it is, then we don't need
 # to invoke the docker bazel.
-if [ "bazel version" ]
+if [ -x "$(command -v bazel)" ]
 then
   cd third_party/protobuf
   bazel query 'deps('$1')'
 else
-  docker build -t bazel `realpath ./tools/dockerfile/bazel/`
-  docker run -v "`realpath .`:/src/grpc/"          \
-    -w /src/grpc/third_party/protobuf              \
-    bazel                                          \
+  docker build -t bazel_local_img tools/dockerfile/test/sanity
+  docker run -v "$(realpath .):/src/grpc/:ro" \
+    -w /src/grpc/third_party/protobuf         \
+    bazel_local_img                           \
     bazel query 'deps('$1')'
 fi
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/bazel/Dockerfile b/tools/dockerfile/bazel/Dockerfile
deleted file mode 100644
index 2a80a4d4d53..00000000000
--- a/tools/dockerfile/bazel/Dockerfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-# Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
-# All rights reserved.
-#
-# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
-# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
-# met:
-#
-#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
-# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
-#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
-# copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
-# in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
-# distribution.
-#     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
-# contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
-# this software without specific prior written permission.
-#
-# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
-# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
-# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
-# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
-# OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
-# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
-# LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
-# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
-# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
-# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
-# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
-
-FROM ubuntu:wily
-RUN apt-get update
-RUN apt-get -y install software-properties-common python-software-properties
-RUN add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
-RUN apt-get update
-RUN apt-get -y install \
-	vim            \
-	wget           \
-	openjdk-8-jdk  \
-	pkg-config     \
-	zip            \
-	g++            \
-	zlib1g-dev     \
-	unzip          \
-	git
-
-RUN git clone https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel.git /bazel
-RUN cd /bazel && ./compile.sh
-
-RUN ln -s /bazel/output/bazel /bin/
-
-# ensure the installation has been extracted
-RUN bazel