diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index d0335a1a..bb6097b0 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 language: go
 sudo: required
-dist: xenial
+dist: bionic
 
 go:
   - 1.13.x
diff --git a/integration/integration_linux_test.go b/integration/integration_linux_test.go
index 82c8d488..08b2bfaf 100644
--- a/integration/integration_linux_test.go
+++ b/integration/integration_linux_test.go
@@ -225,23 +225,22 @@ func (n Namespace) Del() {
 }
 
 func makeTcpClientInNS(netns string, address string, port int, numBytes int) {
-	message := bytes.Repeat([]byte{'a'}, numBytes)
+	payload := bytes.Repeat([]byte{'a'}, numBytes)
+	message := string(payload)
 
-	bin, err := exec.LookPath("nc")
-	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	var cmd *exec.Cmd
 	if netns != "" {
 		netns = filepath.Base(netns)
-		cmd = exec.Command("ip", "netns", "exec", netns, bin, "-v", address, strconv.Itoa(port))
+		cmd = exec.Command("ip", "netns", "exec", netns, echoClientBinaryPath, "--target", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", address, port), "--message", message)
 	} else {
-		cmd = exec.Command("nc", address, strconv.Itoa(port))
+		cmd = exec.Command(echoClientBinaryPath, "--target", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", address, port), "--message", message)
 	}
 	cmd.Stdin = bytes.NewBuffer([]byte(message))
 	cmd.Stderr = GinkgoWriter
 	out, err := cmd.Output()
 
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-	Expect(string(out)).To(Equal(string(message)))
+	Expect(string(out)).To(Equal(message))
 }
 
 func startEchoServerInNamespace(netNS Namespace) (int, *gexec.Session, error) {
diff --git a/integration/integration_suite_test.go b/integration/integration_suite_test.go
index 4cff6e28..de861c45 100644
--- a/integration/integration_suite_test.go
+++ b/integration/integration_suite_test.go
@@ -14,11 +14,10 @@
 package integration_test
 
 import (
-	"math/rand"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
-	"github.com/onsi/ginkgo/config"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 	"github.com/onsi/gomega/gexec"
 )
@@ -28,15 +27,18 @@ func TestIntegration(t *testing.T) {
 	RunSpecs(t, "integration")
 }
 
-var echoServerBinaryPath string
+var echoServerBinaryPath, echoClientBinaryPath string
 
 var _ = SynchronizedBeforeSuite(func() []byte {
-	binaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echosvr")
+	serverBinaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echo/server")
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-	return []byte(binaryPath)
+	clientBinaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echo/client")
+	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+	return []byte(strings.Join([]string{serverBinaryPath, clientBinaryPath}, ","))
 }, func(data []byte) {
-	echoServerBinaryPath = string(data)
-	rand.Seed(config.GinkgoConfig.RandomSeed + int64(GinkgoParallelNode()))
+	binaries := strings.Split(string(data), ",")
+	echoServerBinaryPath = binaries[0]
+	echoClientBinaryPath = binaries[1]
 })
 
 var _ = SynchronizedAfterSuite(func() {}, func() {
diff --git a/pkg/testutils/echo/client/client.go b/pkg/testutils/echo/client/client.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..97a8adec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/testutils/echo/client/client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	target := flag.String("target", "", "the server address")
+	payload := flag.String("message", "", "the message to send to the server")
+	flag.Parse()
+
+	if *target == "" || *payload == "" {
+		flag.Usage()
+		panic("invalid arguments")
+	}
+	conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", *target)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to open connection to [%s] %v", *target, err))
+	}
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	_, err = conn.Write([]byte(*payload))
+	if err != nil {
+		panic("Failed to send payload")
+	}
+	_, err = conn.Write([]byte("\n"))
+	if err != nil {
+		panic("Failed to send payload")
+	}
+
+	buf := make([]byte, 4)
+	for {
+		n, err := conn.Read(buf)
+		fmt.Print(string(buf[:n]))
+		if err == io.EOF {
+			break
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			panic("Failed to read from socket")
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/testutils/echo/echo_test.go b/pkg/testutils/echo/echo_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..12523a59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/testutils/echo/echo_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+package main_test
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"net"
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
+
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+	"github.com/onsi/gomega/gbytes"
+	"github.com/onsi/gomega/gexec"
+)
+
+var serverBinaryPath, clientBinaryPath string
+
+var _ = SynchronizedBeforeSuite(func() []byte {
+	serverBinaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echo/server")
+	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+	clientBinaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echo/client")
+	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+	return []byte(strings.Join([]string{serverBinaryPath, clientBinaryPath}, ","))
+}, func(data []byte) {
+	binaries := strings.Split(string(data), ",")
+	serverBinaryPath = binaries[0]
+	clientBinaryPath = binaries[1]
+})
+
+var _ = SynchronizedAfterSuite(func() {}, func() {
+	gexec.CleanupBuildArtifacts()
+})
+
+var _ = Describe("Echosvr", func() {
+	var session *gexec.Session
+	BeforeEach(func() {
+		var err error
+		cmd := exec.Command(serverBinaryPath)
+		session, err = gexec.Start(cmd, GinkgoWriter, GinkgoWriter)
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+	})
+
+	AfterEach(func() {
+		session.Kill().Wait()
+	})
+
+	Context("Server test", func() {
+		It("starts and doesn't terminate immediately", func() {
+			Consistently(session).ShouldNot(gexec.Exit())
+		})
+
+		tryConnect := func() (net.Conn, error) {
+			programOutput := session.Out.Contents()
+			addr := strings.TrimSpace(string(programOutput))
+
+			conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", addr)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			return conn, err
+		}
+
+		It("prints its listening address to stdout", func() {
+			Eventually(session.Out).Should(gbytes.Say("\n"))
+			conn, err := tryConnect()
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			conn.Close()
+		})
+
+		It("will echo data back to us", func() {
+			Eventually(session.Out).Should(gbytes.Say("\n"))
+			conn, err := tryConnect()
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			defer conn.Close()
+
+			fmt.Fprintf(conn, "hello\n")
+			Expect(ioutil.ReadAll(conn)).To(Equal([]byte("hello")))
+		})
+	})
+
+	Context("Client Server Test", func() {
+		It("starts and doesn't terminate immediately", func() {
+			Consistently(session).ShouldNot(gexec.Exit())
+		})
+
+		It("connects successfully using echo client", func() {
+			Eventually(session.Out).Should(gbytes.Say("\n"))
+			serverAddress := strings.TrimSpace(string(session.Out.Contents()))
+			fmt.Println("Server address", string(serverAddress))
+
+			cmd := exec.Command(clientBinaryPath, "-target", serverAddress, "-message", "hello")
+			clientSession, err := gexec.Start(cmd, GinkgoWriter, GinkgoWriter)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Eventually(clientSession.Out).Should(gbytes.Say("hello"))
+			Eventually(clientSession).Should(gexec.Exit())
+		})
+	})
+})
diff --git a/pkg/testutils/echosvr/init_test.go b/pkg/testutils/echo/init_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from pkg/testutils/echosvr/init_test.go
rename to pkg/testutils/echo/init_test.go
diff --git a/pkg/testutils/echosvr/main.go b/pkg/testutils/echo/server/main.go
similarity index 100%
rename from pkg/testutils/echosvr/main.go
rename to pkg/testutils/echo/server/main.go
diff --git a/pkg/testutils/echosvr/echosvr_test.go b/pkg/testutils/echosvr/echosvr_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index cca1fffb..00000000
--- a/pkg/testutils/echosvr/echosvr_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,74 +0,0 @@
-package main_test
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"io/ioutil"
-	"net"
-	"os/exec"
-	"strings"
-
-	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
-	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
-	"github.com/onsi/gomega/gbytes"
-	"github.com/onsi/gomega/gexec"
-)
-
-var binaryPath string
-
-var _ = SynchronizedBeforeSuite(func() []byte {
-	binaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echosvr")
-	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-	return []byte(binaryPath)
-}, func(data []byte) {
-	binaryPath = string(data)
-})
-
-var _ = SynchronizedAfterSuite(func() {}, func() {
-	gexec.CleanupBuildArtifacts()
-})
-
-var _ = Describe("Echosvr", func() {
-	var session *gexec.Session
-	BeforeEach(func() {
-		var err error
-		cmd := exec.Command(binaryPath)
-		session, err = gexec.Start(cmd, GinkgoWriter, GinkgoWriter)
-		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-	})
-
-	AfterEach(func() {
-		session.Kill().Wait()
-	})
-
-	It("starts and doesn't terminate immediately", func() {
-		Consistently(session).ShouldNot(gexec.Exit())
-	})
-
-	tryConnect := func() (net.Conn, error) {
-		programOutput := session.Out.Contents()
-		addr := strings.TrimSpace(string(programOutput))
-
-		conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", addr)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		return conn, err
-	}
-
-	It("prints its listening address to stdout", func() {
-		Eventually(session.Out).Should(gbytes.Say("\n"))
-		conn, err := tryConnect()
-		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		conn.Close()
-	})
-
-	It("will echo data back to us", func() {
-		Eventually(session.Out).Should(gbytes.Say("\n"))
-		conn, err := tryConnect()
-		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		defer conn.Close()
-
-		fmt.Fprintf(conn, "hello\n")
-		Expect(ioutil.ReadAll(conn)).To(Equal([]byte("hello")))
-	})
-})
diff --git a/plugins/meta/bandwidth/bandwidth_suite_test.go b/plugins/meta/bandwidth/bandwidth_suite_test.go
index 594cd9f3..a0e34ac0 100644
--- a/plugins/meta/bandwidth/bandwidth_suite_test.go
+++ b/plugins/meta/bandwidth/bandwidth_suite_test.go
@@ -39,14 +39,18 @@ func TestTBF(t *testing.T) {
 	RunSpecs(t, "plugins/meta/bandwidth")
 }
 
-var echoServerBinaryPath string
+var echoServerBinaryPath, echoClientBinaryPath string
 
 var _ = SynchronizedBeforeSuite(func() []byte {
-	binaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echosvr")
+	serverBinaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echo/server")
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-	return []byte(binaryPath)
+	clientBinaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echo/client")
+	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+	return []byte(strings.Join([]string{serverBinaryPath, clientBinaryPath}, ","))
 }, func(data []byte) {
-	echoServerBinaryPath = string(data)
+	binaries := strings.Split(string(data), ",")
+	echoServerBinaryPath = binaries[0]
+	echoClientBinaryPath = binaries[1]
 })
 
 var _ = SynchronizedAfterSuite(func() {}, func() {
@@ -84,23 +88,22 @@ func startEchoServerInNamespace(netNS ns.NetNS) (int, *gexec.Session, error) {
 }
 
 func makeTcpClientInNS(netns string, address string, port int, numBytes int) {
-	message := bytes.Repeat([]byte{'a'}, numBytes)
+	payload := bytes.Repeat([]byte{'a'}, numBytes)
+	message := string(payload)
 
-	bin, err := exec.LookPath("nc")
-	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	var cmd *exec.Cmd
 	if netns != "" {
 		netns = filepath.Base(netns)
-		cmd = exec.Command("ip", "netns", "exec", netns, bin, "-v", address, strconv.Itoa(port))
+		cmd = exec.Command("ip", "netns", "exec", netns, echoClientBinaryPath, "--target", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", address, port), "--message", message)
 	} else {
-		cmd = exec.Command("nc", address, strconv.Itoa(port))
+		cmd = exec.Command(echoClientBinaryPath, "--target", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", address, port), "--message", message)
 	}
 	cmd.Stdin = bytes.NewBuffer([]byte(message))
 	cmd.Stderr = GinkgoWriter
 	out, err := cmd.Output()
 
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-	Expect(string(out)).To(Equal(string(message)))
+	Expect(string(out)).To(Equal(message))
 }
 
 func createVeth(hostNamespace string, hostVethIfName string, containerNamespace string, containerVethIfName string, hostIP []byte, containerIP []byte, hostIfaceMTU int) {
diff --git a/plugins/meta/portmap/portmap_integ_test.go b/plugins/meta/portmap/portmap_integ_test.go
index 22a7f5bd..63d67b4e 100644
--- a/plugins/meta/portmap/portmap_integ_test.go
+++ b/plugins/meta/portmap/portmap_integ_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/containernetworking/cni/libcni"
 	"github.com/containernetworking/cni/pkg/types/current"
@@ -227,16 +226,14 @@ var _ = Describe("portmap integration tests", func() {
 
 // testEchoServer returns true if we found an echo server on the port
 func testEchoServer(address string, port int, netns string) bool {
-	message := "Aliquid melius quam pessimum optimum non est."
+	message := "'Aliquid melius quam pessimum optimum non est.'"
 
-	bin, err := exec.LookPath("nc")
-	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	var cmd *exec.Cmd
 	if netns != "" {
 		netns = filepath.Base(netns)
-		cmd = exec.Command("ip", "netns", "exec", netns, bin, "-v", address, strconv.Itoa(port))
+		cmd = exec.Command("ip", "netns", "exec", netns, echoClientBinaryPath, "--target", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", address, port), "--message", message)
 	} else {
-		cmd = exec.Command("nc", address, strconv.Itoa(port))
+		cmd = exec.Command(echoClientBinaryPath, "--target", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", address, port), "--message", message)
 	}
 	cmd.Stdin = bytes.NewBufferString(message)
 	cmd.Stderr = GinkgoWriter
diff --git a/plugins/meta/portmap/portmap_suite_test.go b/plugins/meta/portmap/portmap_suite_test.go
index 5826cfce..55aee924 100644
--- a/plugins/meta/portmap/portmap_suite_test.go
+++ b/plugins/meta/portmap/portmap_suite_test.go
@@ -40,14 +40,18 @@ func TestPortmap(t *testing.T) {
 	RunSpecs(t, "plugins/meta/portmap")
 }
 
-var echoServerBinaryPath string
+var echoServerBinaryPath, echoClientBinaryPath string
 
 var _ = SynchronizedBeforeSuite(func() []byte {
-	binaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echosvr")
+	serverBinaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echo/server")
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-	return []byte(binaryPath)
+	clientBinaryPath, err := gexec.Build("github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils/echo/client")
+	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+	return []byte(strings.Join([]string{serverBinaryPath, clientBinaryPath}, ","))
 }, func(data []byte) {
-	echoServerBinaryPath = string(data)
+	binaries := strings.Split(string(data), ",")
+	echoServerBinaryPath = binaries[0]
+	echoClientBinaryPath = binaries[1]
 })
 
 var _ = SynchronizedAfterSuite(func() {}, func() {