diff --git a/components/engine/integration/internal/container/exec.go b/components/engine/integration/internal/container/exec.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2af0b90738
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/engine/integration/internal/container/exec.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+package container
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+
+	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/client"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/stdcopy"
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+// ExecResult represents a result returned from Exec()
+type ExecResult struct {
+	ExitCode  int
+	outBuffer *bytes.Buffer
+	errBuffer *bytes.Buffer
+}
+
+// Stdout returns stdout output of a command run by Exec()
+func (res *ExecResult) Stdout() string {
+	return res.outBuffer.String()
+}
+
+// Stderr returns stderr output of a command run by Exec()
+func (res *ExecResult) Stderr() string {
+	return res.errBuffer.String()
+}
+
+// Combined returns combined stdout and stderr output of a command run by Exec()
+func (res *ExecResult) Combined() string {
+	return res.outBuffer.String() + res.errBuffer.String()
+}
+
+// Exec executes a command inside a container, returning the result
+// containing stdout, stderr, and exit code. Note:
+//  - this is a synchronous operation;
+//  - cmd stdin is closed.
+func Exec(ctx context.Context, cli client.APIClient, id string, cmd []string) (ExecResult, error) {
+	// prepare exec
+	execConfig := types.ExecConfig{
+		AttachStdout: true,
+		AttachStderr: true,
+		Cmd:          cmd,
+	}
+	cresp, err := cli.ContainerExecCreate(ctx, id, execConfig)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExecResult{}, err
+	}
+	execID := cresp.ID
+
+	// run it, with stdout/stderr attached
+	aresp, err := cli.ContainerExecAttach(ctx, execID, types.ExecStartCheck{})
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExecResult{}, err
+	}
+	defer aresp.Close()
+
+	// read the output
+	var outBuf, errBuf bytes.Buffer
+	outputDone := make(chan error)
+
+	go func() {
+		// StdCopy demultiplexes the stream into two buffers
+		_, err = stdcopy.StdCopy(&outBuf, &errBuf, aresp.Reader)
+		outputDone <- err
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case err := <-outputDone:
+		if err != nil {
+			return ExecResult{}, err
+		}
+		break
+
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return ExecResult{}, ctx.Err()
+	}
+
+	// get the exit code
+	iresp, err := cli.ContainerExecInspect(ctx, execID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExecResult{}, err
+	}
+
+	return ExecResult{ExitCode: iresp.ExitCode, outBuffer: &outBuf, errBuffer: &errBuf}, nil
+}