diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1d7b49433f..f5e5ef2ce0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -546,33 +546,33 @@ docker-isolated:
 	else \
 		docker exec "tools_isolated_1" bash -c "mkdir -p /root/.ssh && rm -f /root/.ssh/authorized_keys && echo $$(docker exec -t tools_awx_1 cat /root/.ssh/id_rsa.pub) >> /root/.ssh/authorized_keys"; \
 	fi
-	TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose.yml -f tools/docker-isolated-override.yml up
+	CURRENT_UID=$(shell id -u) TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose.yml -f tools/docker-isolated-override.yml up
 
 # Docker Compose Development environment
 docker-compose: docker-auth
-	TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose.yml up --no-recreate awx
+	CURRENT_UID=$(shell id -u) TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose.yml up --no-recreate awx
 
 docker-compose-cluster: docker-auth
-	TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose-cluster.yml up
+	CURRENT_UID=$(shell id -u) TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose-cluster.yml up
 
 docker-compose-test: docker-auth
-	cd tools && TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose run --rm --service-ports awx /bin/bash
+	cd tools && CURRENT_UID=$(shell id -u) TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose run --rm --service-ports awx /bin/bash
 
 docker-compose-runtest:
-	cd tools && TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose run --user=$(shell id -u) --rm --service-ports awx /start_tests.sh
+	cd tools && CURRENT_UID=$(shell id -u) TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose run --rm --service-ports awx /start_tests.sh
 
 docker-compose-build-swagger:
-	cd tools && TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose run --user=$(shell id -u) --rm --service-ports awx /start_tests.sh swagger
+	cd tools && CURRENT_UID=$(shell id -u) TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose run --rm --service-ports awx /start_tests.sh swagger
 
 docker-compose-clean:
-	cd tools && TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose run --rm -w /awx_devel --service-ports awx make clean
+	cd tools && CURRENT_UID=$(shell id -u) TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose run --rm -w /awx_devel --service-ports awx make clean
 	cd tools && TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose rm -sf
 
 docker-compose-build: awx-devel-build
 
 # Base development image build
 awx-devel-build:
-	docker build -t ansible/awx_devel --build-arg UID=$(shell id -u) -f tools/docker-compose/Dockerfile .
+	docker build -t ansible/awx_devel -f tools/docker-compose/Dockerfile .
 	docker tag ansible/awx_devel $(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE)/awx_devel:$(COMPOSE_TAG)
 	#docker push $(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE)/awx_devel:$(COMPOSE_TAG)
 
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ docker-refresh: docker-clean docker-compose
 
 # Docker Development Environment with Elastic Stack Connected
 docker-compose-elk: docker-auth
-	TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.logstash-link.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.elastic-override.yml up --no-recreate
+	CURRENT_UID=$(shell id -u) TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.logstash-link.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.elastic-override.yml up --no-recreate
 
 docker-compose-cluster-elk: docker-auth
 	TAG=$(COMPOSE_TAG) DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=$(DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE) docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose-cluster.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.logstash-link-cluster.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.elastic-override.yml up --no-recreate
diff --git a/tools/docker-compose.yml b/tools/docker-compose.yml
index 5fbb610631..021f890e52 100644
--- a/tools/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/tools/docker-compose.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ version: '2'
 services:
   # Primary AWX Development Container
   awx:
+    user: ${CURRENT_UID}
     image: ${DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE}/awx_devel:${TAG}
     hostname: awx
     environment:
diff --git a/tools/docker-compose/Dockerfile b/tools/docker-compose/Dockerfile
index 9244c26e1f..5c84245ba1 100644
--- a/tools/docker-compose/Dockerfile
+++ b/tools/docker-compose/Dockerfile
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ EXPOSE 8043 8013 8080 22
 ENTRYPOINT ["/tini", "--"]
 CMD /start_development.sh
 
-RUN touch /venv/awx/lib/python2.7/site-packages/awx.egg-link
-RUN chmod g+rwx /venv/awx/lib/python2.7/site-packages/awx.egg-link
+# Pre-create things that we need to write to
+RUN for dir in /var/lib/awx/ /projects /.ansible /var/log/nginx /var/lib/nginx /.local; \
+  do mkdir -p $dir; chmod -R g+rwx $dir; chgrp -R root $dir; done
 
-RUN chmod g+w /etc/passwd
-RUN mkdir -p /projects && chmod g+w /projects
-
-USER ${UID}
+RUN for file in /etc/passwd /supervisor.conf \
+  /venv/awx/lib/python2.7/site-packages/awx.egg-link /var/run/nginx.pid; \
+  do touch $file; chmod -R g+rwx $file; chgrp -R root $file; done
diff --git a/tools/docker-compose/bootstrap_development.sh b/tools/docker-compose/bootstrap_development.sh
index b8cd8521dc..0a4d27ee0b 100755
--- a/tools/docker-compose/bootstrap_development.sh
+++ b/tools/docker-compose/bootstrap_development.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set +x
 
+if [ `id -u` -ge 500 ] || [ -z "${CURRENT_UID}" ]; then
+    echo "awx:x:`id -u`:`id -g`:,,,:/tmp:/bin/bash" >> /tmp/passwd
+    cat /tmp/passwd > /etc/passwd
+    rm /tmp/passwd
+fi
+
 # Wait for the databases to come up
 ansible -i "127.0.0.1," -c local -v -m wait_for -a "host=postgres port=5432" all
 ansible -i "127.0.0.1," -c local -v -m wait_for -a "host=memcached port=11211" all
diff --git a/tools/docker-compose/nginx.conf b/tools/docker-compose/nginx.conf
index 9c9b7510e1..83bded03e2 100644
--- a/tools/docker-compose/nginx.conf
+++ b/tools/docker-compose/nginx.conf
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-user  nginx;
 worker_processes  1;
 
 error_log  /var/log/nginx/error.log warn;
diff --git a/tools/docker-compose/start_development.sh b/tools/docker-compose/start_development.sh
index 36c5628b60..b6455de131 100755
--- a/tools/docker-compose/start_development.sh
+++ b/tools/docker-compose/start_development.sh
@@ -1,12 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set +x
 
-if [ `id -u` -ge 500 ]; then
-    echo "awx:x:`id -u`:`id -g`:,,,:/tmp:/bin/bash" >> /tmp/passwd
-    cat /tmp/passwd > /etc/passwd
-    rm /tmp/passwd
-fi
-
 /bootstrap_development.sh
 
 cd /awx_devel
diff --git a/tools/docker-compose/start_tests.sh b/tools/docker-compose/start_tests.sh
index 4ca74743fb..627d9be111 100755
--- a/tools/docker-compose/start_tests.sh
+++ b/tools/docker-compose/start_tests.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set +x
 
-if [ `id -u` -ge 500 ]; then
+if [ `id -u` -ge 500 ] || [ -z "${CURRENT_UID}" ]; then
     echo "awx:x:`id -u`:`id -g`:,,,:/tmp:/bin/bash" >> /tmp/passwd
     cat /tmp/passwd > /etc/passwd
     rm /tmp/passwd