diff --git a/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile
index 67ede050773..53422e845e1 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
-RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.8.phar && \
-  mv phpunit-8.5.8.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && \
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
 
 
diff --git a/src/php/docker/centos7/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/centos7/Dockerfile
index 9c5278e982e..c9fefa7c1ac 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/centos7/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/centos7/Dockerfile
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
-RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.8.phar && \
-  mv phpunit-8.5.8.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && \
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
 
 
diff --git a/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile
index 137724bd3ad..605105ea56f 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
-RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.8.phar && \
-  mv phpunit-8.5.8.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && \
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
 
 
diff --git a/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile
index bd3acc1caf5..edcd6692e36 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
-RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.8.phar && \
-  mv phpunit-8.5.8.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && \
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
 
 
diff --git a/src/php/docker/i386/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/i386/Dockerfile
index 58556032f91..90ca477dace 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/i386/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/i386/Dockerfile
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
-RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.8.phar && \
-  mv phpunit-8.5.8.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && \
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
 
 
diff --git a/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile
index 1817da14d3f..1218e4474ab 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
-RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.8.phar && \
-  mv phpunit-8.5.8.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && \
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
 
 
diff --git a/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile
index f77e3dc2f7c..feb1b642ecb 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ RUN apt-get -qq update && apt-get -qq install -y \
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
-RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.8.phar && \
-  mv phpunit-8.5.8.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && \
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
 
 
diff --git a/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile
index 9889645f994..4369568a882 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
-RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.8.phar && \
-  mv phpunit-8.5.8.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && \
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
 
 
diff --git a/src/php/docker/php8/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/php8/Dockerfile
index 47ab8f61474..c12da0b31ba 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/php8/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/php8/Dockerfile
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ RUN apt-get install expect -y && \
   expect -c 'spawn php ./go-pear.phar; expect "or Enter to continue:"; send "\n"; expect "Currently used php.ini"; send "\n"; expect eof' && \
   rm go-pear.phar
 
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && \
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && \
+  chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
+
+
 WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
 COPY . .
@@ -37,4 +42,4 @@ RUN pear package && \
   find . -name grpc-*.tgz | xargs -I{} pecl install {}
 
 
-CMD php -d extension=grpc.so -r '$a = new \Grpc\Channel("dummy", []); echo get_class($a)."\n";'
+CMD ["/github/grpc/src/php/bin/run_tests.sh", "--skip-persistent-channel-tests", "--ignore-valgrind-undef-errors"]
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/download_phpunit.include b/templates/src/php/docker/download_phpunit.include
index 8d5e17f0ab4..11da1d8d0df 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/download_phpunit.include
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/download_phpunit.include
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.8.phar && ${'\\'}
-  mv phpunit-8.5.8.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && ${'\\'}
+RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-8.5.13.phar && ${'\\'}
+  mv phpunit-8.5.13.phar /usr/local/bin/phpunit && ${'\\'}
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/phpunit
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/php8/Dockerfile.template b/templates/src/php/docker/php8/Dockerfile.template
index eb00edb073e..4838c91dc08 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/php8/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/php8/Dockerfile.template
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
     expect -c 'spawn php ./go-pear.phar; expect "or Enter to continue:"; send "\n"; expect "Currently used php.ini"; send "\n"; expect eof' && ${'\\'}
     rm go-pear.phar
 
+  <%include file="../download_phpunit.include" />
+
   <%include file="../pecl_ext_build_src.include" />
 
-  CMD php -d extension=grpc.so -r '$a = new \Grpc\Channel("dummy", []); echo get_class($a)."\n";'
+  CMD ["/github/grpc/src/php/bin/run_tests.sh", "--skip-persistent-channel-tests", "--ignore-valgrind-undef-errors"]