diff --git a/cmd/kill b/cmd/kill
index 93ae7c2..b3e5e9c 100644
--- a/cmd/kill
+++ b/cmd/kill
@@ -9,6 +9,20 @@ USAGE="usage: ${BASENAME} -c CONFIG kill
 The \`kill\` command shuts down the running virtual machine defined by the
 given \`CONFIG\` using a \`quit\` QEMU monitor command."
 
+source "${BASEDIR}/common/msgs"
+_run_sys_kill() {
+  local curr_pid=""
+  if [[ ! -f "${VMRUN}/pidfile" ]]; then
+    return 1
+  fi
+  curr_pid="$(cat "${VMRUN}/pidfile")"
+  if kill -0 "${curr_pid}" 2> /dev/null; then
+    kill -9 "${curr_pid}"
+  fi
+  rm -f "${VMRUN}/pidfile"
+  return 0
+}
+
 _kill() {
   _require_program socat
 
@@ -42,15 +56,15 @@ _kill() {
     _fatal 1 "$VMNAME does not appear to be running"
   fi
 
-  if ! _is_daemonized; then
-    _fatal 1 "$VMNAME is running interactively; attach to monitor from console using 'Ctrl-a c' and kill using 'quit'"
+  if [[ -S "${VMRUN}/monitor" ]]; then
+    local args=( "-" "UNIX-CONNECT:${VMRUN}/monitor")
+    if echo quit | socat "${args[@]}" >> "${VMLOG}/full" 2>&1; then
+      return 0
+    fi
   fi
 
-  local args=(
-    "-" "UNIX-CONNECT:${VMRUN}/monitor"
-  )
-
-  if ! echo quit | socat "${args[@]}" >> "${VMLOG}/full" 2>&1; then
-    _fatal 1 "could not power off vm; see ${VMLOG}/full"
+  if ! _run_sys_kill >> "${VMLOG}/full" ; then
+      _fatal 1 "could not power off vm; see ${VMLOG}/full"
   fi
+
 }
diff --git a/cmd/monitor b/cmd/monitor
index b5d71fc..c5ffe95 100644
--- a/cmd/monitor
+++ b/cmd/monitor
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ The \`monitor\` command is used to run commands in the QEMU monitor of a
 running virtual machine defined by the given \`CONFIG\`. If no \`COMMAND\` is
 given, attach interactively to the monitor."
 
+source "${BASEDIR}/common/msgs"
 _monitor() {
   _require_program socat
 
@@ -43,8 +44,8 @@ _monitor() {
     _fatal 1 "$VMNAME does not appear to be running"
   fi
 
-  if ! _is_daemonized; then
-    _fatal 1 "$VMNAME is running interactively; attach to monitor from console using 'Ctrl-a c'"
+  if [[ ! -S "${VMRUN}/monitor" ]]; then
+    _fatal 1 "${VMNAME}: ${MSG_CHECK_DAEMONIZED/THE COMMAND/any command}"
   fi
 
   local args=(
diff --git a/cmd/poweroff b/cmd/poweroff
index 56bafc4..b835d16 100644
--- a/cmd/poweroff
+++ b/cmd/poweroff
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ USAGE="usage: ${BASENAME} -c CONFIG poweroff
 The \`poweroff\` command gracefully shuts down the running virtual machine
 defined by the given \`CONFIG\` if supported by the machine."
 
+source "${BASEDIR}/common/msgs"
 _poweroff() {
   _require_program socat
 
@@ -42,8 +43,8 @@ _poweroff() {
     _fatal 1 "$VMNAME does not appear to be running"
   fi
 
-  if ! _is_daemonized; then
-    _fatal 1 "$VMNAME is running interactively; attach to monitor from console using 'Ctrl-a c' and type 'system_powerdown'"
+  if [[ ! -S "${VMRUN}/monitor" ]]; then
+    _fatal 1 "${VMNAME}: ${MSG_CHECK_DAEMONIZED/THE COMMAND/system_powerdown}"
   fi
 
   local args=(
@@ -54,4 +55,9 @@ _poweroff() {
   if ! echo system_powerdown | socat "${args[@]}" >> "${VMLOG}/full" 2>&1; then
     _fatal 1 "could not power off vm; see ${VMLOG}/full"
   fi
+
+  if echo "info status" | socat "${args[@]}" >> "${VMLOG}/full" 2>&1; then
+    _fatal 1 "poweroff returned success but did not execute a power off." \
+      "Try the kill command"
+  fi
 }
diff --git a/cmd/run b/cmd/run
index 2951f20..7013a74 100644
--- a/cmd/run
+++ b/cmd/run
@@ -149,9 +149,10 @@ _run() {
     QEMU_PARAMS+=("-daemonize")
 
     # serial and monitor
-    QEMU_PARAMS+=("-serial" "unix:${VMROOT}/run/${VMNAME}/console,server,nowait")
-    QEMU_PARAMS+=("-monitor" "unix:${VMROOT}/run/${VMNAME}/monitor,server,nowait")
+    QEMU_PARAMS+=("-serial" "unix:${VMRUN}/console,server,nowait")
+    QEMU_PARAMS+=("-monitor" "unix:${VMRUN}/monitor,server,nowait")
   else
+    _add_pre_cmd "rm -f ${VMRUN}/console ${VMRUN}/monitor"
     QEMU_PARAMS+=("-serial" "mon:stdio")
   fi
 
@@ -179,6 +180,10 @@ _run() {
   if [[ -v do_print ]]; then
     if [[ -v VMPRE ]]; then
       echo "Before QEMU:"
+      if command -v _pre > /dev/null; then
+        declare -f _pre
+      fi
+      echo
       for cmd in "${VMPRE[@]}"; do
         echo -n "  $cmd"
         echo
@@ -203,6 +208,9 @@ _run() {
     done
 
     echo
+    if command -v _post > /dev/null; then
+      typeset -f _post
+    fi
 
     exit 0
   fi
diff --git a/cmd/ssh b/cmd/ssh
index f0bc744..9615187 100644
--- a/cmd/ssh
+++ b/cmd/ssh
@@ -13,14 +13,13 @@ Options:
   -h, --help     display this help message and exit
   -w, --wait     wait until an ssh connection is established
   -p, --port     port to connect to (default: \"$GUEST_SSH_PORT\")
-  -l, --login    the user to log in as (default: \"$GUEST_SSH_USER\")
-  -c, --command  Execute a command and disconnect"
+  -l, --login    the user to log in as (default: \"$GUEST_SSH_USER\")"
 
 _ssh() {
   _require_program ssh
 
-  local short="+w,p:,l:,c:,h"
-  local long="wait,port:,login:,command:,help"
+  local short="+w,p:,l:,h"
+  local long="wait,port:,login:,help"
 
   if ! tmp=$(getopt -o "$short" --long "$long" -n "$BASENAME" -- "$@"); then
     exit 1
@@ -43,9 +42,6 @@ _ssh() {
       '-h' | '--help' )
         _usage "$USAGE" 0
         ;;
-      '-c' | '--command' )
-        cmd="$2"; shift 2
-        ;;
       '--' )
         shift; break
         ;;
@@ -59,7 +55,6 @@ _ssh() {
 
   : "${port:="${GUEST_SSH_PORT}"}"
   : "${user:="${GUEST_SSH_USER}"}"
-  : "${cmd:=""}"
 
   if ! _is_running; then
     _fatal 1 "$VMNAME does not appear to be running"
@@ -82,5 +77,5 @@ _ssh() {
   fi
 
   #shellcheck disable=SC2029
-  ssh "${args[@]}" localhost "$@" "${cmd}"
+  ssh "${args[@]}" localhost "$@"
 }
diff --git a/common/msgs b/common/msgs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b5e2a20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/msgs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+# Copyright (c) 2025 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# Written by Joel Granados <joel.granados@kernel.org>
+
+source "${BASEDIR}/common/shellcheck"
+
+MSG_CHECK_DAEMONIZED="The vm is most likely running interactively. \
+Try to attach monitor using 'Ctrl-a c' and type THE COMMAND. \
+Or add '-d' to vmctl command to run daemonized"
+
+
diff --git a/common/rc b/common/rc
index 5c1c7f7..85d360f 100644
--- a/common/rc
+++ b/common/rc
@@ -153,14 +153,6 @@ _is_running() {
   return 1
 }
 
-_is_daemonized() {
-  if [[ -S "${VMRUN}/monitor" ]]; then
-    return 0
-  fi
-
-  return 1
-}
-
 _add_pre_cmd() {
   VMPRE+=("$1")
 }
diff --git a/common/shellcheck b/common/shellcheck
index c585dfb..ebd54c7 100644
--- a/common/shellcheck
+++ b/common/shellcheck
@@ -10,5 +10,6 @@ _silence_sc2034() {
     $QEMU_TRACE_EVENTS \
     ${GUEST_KERNEL_CMDLINE[*]} \
     $RESET \
-    $GUEST_KERNEL_CUSTOM_DIR " > /dev/null
+    $MSG_CHECK_DAEMONIZED \
+    $GUEST_KERNEL_CUSTOM_DIR" > /dev/null
 }
diff --git a/examples/vm/nvme-aarch64.conf b/examples/vm/nvme-aarch64.conf
index 1a33d93..89df9ee 100644
--- a/examples/vm/nvme-aarch64.conf
+++ b/examples/vm/nvme-aarch64.conf
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-QEMU_SYSTEM_AARCH64=$(/usr/bin/which qemu-system-aarch64)
+QEMU_SYSTEM_AARCH64=$(/usr/bin/env which qemu-system-aarch64)
 GUEST_BOOT_BASE="img/debian-13-genericcloud-arm64.qcow2"
 
 source "aarch64-virt-base.conf"
diff --git a/examples/vm/nvme.conf b/examples/vm/nvme.conf
index c51db08..9e2a9ae 100644
--- a/examples/vm/nvme.conf
+++ b/examples/vm/nvme.conf
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-QEMU_SYSTEM_X86_64=$(/usr/bin/which qemu-system-x86_64)
+QEMU_SYSTEM_X86_64=$(/usr/bin/env which qemu-system-x86_64)
 
 source "x86_64-q35-base.conf"
 #source "x86_64-q35-noimgnix-base.conf"
diff --git a/examples/vm/x86_64-q35-base.conf b/examples/vm/x86_64-q35-base.conf
index 16d7c43..c227aa1 100644
--- a/examples/vm/x86_64-q35-base.conf
+++ b/examples/vm/x86_64-q35-base.conf
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ if [[ -f "common.conf" ]]; then
   source "common.conf"
 fi
 
-QEMU_SYSTEM_BINARY=${QEMU_SYSTEM_X86_64}
-
+: "${QEMU_SYSTEM_BINARY:="$(/usr/bin/env which qemu-system-x86_64)"}"
 : "${GUEST_DISPLAY:="0"}"
 : "${GUEST_VIOMMU:="1"}"
 : "${GUEST_VIOMMU_ARGS:="intel-iommu,intremap=on"}"
diff --git a/lib/qemu/rc b/lib/qemu/rc
index b142028..d25dd6f 100644
--- a/lib/qemu/rc
+++ b/lib/qemu/rc
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ qemu_drive_add() {
   while true; do
     case "$1" in
       '--file' )
-        local file="/$2"; shift 2
+        local file="$2"; shift 2
         ;;
 
       '--format' )
@@ -139,11 +139,9 @@ qemu_drive_add() {
   local id="$1"
 
   if [[ ! -v file ]]; then
-    local file="/state/${VMNAME}/${id}.img"
-  fi
-
-  if [[ ! -v DOCKER_IMAGE ]]; then
-    file="${VMROOT}${file}"
+    local file="${VMROOT}/state/${VMNAME}/${id}.img"
+  elif [[ "${file}" != /* ]]; then
+    file="${VMROOT}/${file}"
   fi
 
   if [[ -v do_create ]]; then