diff --git a/docker/pdo_ccf_base.dockerfile b/docker/pdo_ccf_base.dockerfile
index 2ad6469b..5eabdc31 100644
--- a/docker/pdo_ccf_base.dockerfile
+++ b/docker/pdo_ccf_base.dockerfile
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ ARG ADD_APT_PKGS=
 ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND "noninteractive"
 RUN apt-get update \
     && apt-get install -y -q \
+        lsof \
         python \
         python3-dev \
         python3-venv \
diff --git a/docker/tools/start_services.sh b/docker/tools/start_services.sh
index 0c333d8c..e815fd68 100755
--- a/docker/tools/start_services.sh
+++ b/docker/tools/start_services.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ SCRIPT_NAME=$(basename ${BASH_SOURCE[-1]} )
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------
 # Process command line arguments
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------
+F_COUNT=5
 F_LOGLEVEL=
 F_MODE=build
 F_REGISTER=no
@@ -36,8 +37,8 @@ F_LEDGER_URL=
 F_USAGE='-c|--count -i|--interface [hostname] -1|--ledger [url] "
 F_USAGE+="--loglevel [debug|info|warn] -m|--mode [build|copy|skip] -r|--register'
 
-SHORT_OPTS='i:l:m:r'
-LONG_OPTS='interface:,ledger:,loglevel:,mode:,register'
+SHORT_OPTS='c:i:l:m:r'
+LONG_OPTS='count:,interface:,ledger:,loglevel:,mode:,register'
 
 TEMP=$(getopt -o ${SHORT_OPTS} --long ${LONG_OPTS} -n "${SCRIPT_NAME}" -- "$@")
 if [ $? != 0 ] ; then echo "Usage: ${SCRIPT_NAME} ${F_USAGE}" >&2 ; exit 1 ; fi
@@ -73,10 +74,11 @@ export PDO_LEDGER_ADDRESS=$(force_to_ip ${PDO_HOSTNAME})
 export PDO_LEDGER_URL=${PDO_LEDGER_URL:-http://${PDO_LEDGER_ADDRESS}:6600}
 if [ ! -z "${F_LEDGER_URL}" ] ; then
     export PDO_LEDGER_URL=${F_LEDGER_URL}
+    export PDO_LEDGER_ADDRESS=$( echo $PDO_LEDGER_URL | awk -F[/:] '{print $4}' )
 fi
 
-export no_proxy=$PDO_HOSTNAME,$no_proxy
-export NO_PROXY=$PDO_HOSTNAME,$NO_PROXY
+export no_proxy=$PDO_HOSTNAME,$PDO_LEDGER_ADDRESS,$no_proxy
+export NO_PROXY=$PDO_HOSTNAME,$PDO_LEDGER_ADDRESS,$NO_PROXY
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------
 # Handle the configuration of the services
@@ -84,7 +86,7 @@ export NO_PROXY=$PDO_HOSTNAME,$NO_PROXY
 if [ "${F_MODE,,}" == "build" ]; then
     yell configure services for host $PDO_HOSTNAME and ledger $PDO_LEDGER_URL
     try ${PDO_INSTALL_ROOT}/bin/pdo-configure-services -t ${PDO_SOURCE_ROOT}/build/template -o ${PDO_HOME}\
-        --count 5 5 5
+        --count ${F_COUNT} ${F_COUNT} ${F_COUNT}
 elif [ "${F_MODE,,}" == "copy" ]; then
     yell copy the configuration from xfer/services/etc and xfer/services/keys
     try mkdir -p ${PDO_HOME}/etc ${PDO_HOME}/keys