diff --git a/pytest_container/runtime.py b/pytest_container/runtime.py
index fcaa01b..6c72333 100644
--- a/pytest_container/runtime.py
+++ b/pytest_container/runtime.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 from abc import ABC
 from abc import abstractmethod
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from dataclasses import field
 from os import getenv
 from pathlib import Path
 from subprocess import check_output
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@ def __generate_cmp(
     ) -> Callable[["Version", Any], bool]:
         def cmp(self: Version, other: Any) -> bool:
             if not isinstance(other, Version):
-                return NotImplemented
+                return NotImplemented  # type: ignore
 
             if self.major == other.major:
                 if self.minor == other.minor:
@@ -180,25 +179,28 @@ def __gt__(self, other: Any) -> bool:
         return Version.__generate_cmp(lambda m, n: m > n)(self, other)
 
 
-@dataclass(frozen=True)
-class _OciRuntimeBase:
-    #: command that builds the Dockerfile in the current working directory
-    build_command: List[str] = field(default_factory=list)
-    #: the "main" binary of this runtime, e.g. podman or docker
-    runner_binary: str = ""
-    _runtime_functional: bool = False
-
-
 class OciRuntimeABC(ABC):
     """The abstract base class defining the interface of a container runtime."""
 
-    @staticmethod
-    @abstractmethod
-    def _runtime_error_message() -> str:
-        """Returns a human readable error message why the runtime does not
-        function.
+    def __init__(self, build_command: List[str], runner_binary: str) -> None:
+        #: command that builds the Dockerfile in the current working directory
+        self._build_command = build_command
+
+        #: the "main" binary of this runtime, e.g. podman or docker
+        self._runner_binary: str = runner_binary
+
+    @property
+    def build_command(self) -> List[str]:
+        """Command that builds the :file:`Dockerfile` in the current working
+        directory.
 
         """
+        return self._build_command
+
+    @property
+    def runner_binary(self) -> str:
+        """The "main" binary of this runtime, e.g. podman or docker."""
+        return self._runner_binary
 
     def get_container_health(self, container_id: str) -> ContainerHealth:
         """Inspects the running container with the supplied id and returns its current
@@ -229,21 +231,9 @@ def supports_healthcheck_inherit_from_base(self) -> bool:
         """
 
 
-class OciRuntimeBase(_OciRuntimeBase, OciRuntimeABC, ToParamMixin):
+class OciRuntimeBase(OciRuntimeABC, ToParamMixin):
     """Base class of the Container Runtimes."""
 
-    def __post_init__(self) -> None:
-        if not self.build_command or not self.runner_binary:
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"build_command ({self.build_command}) or runner_binary "
-                f"({self.runner_binary}) were not specified"
-            )
-        if not self._runtime_functional:
-            raise RuntimeError(
-                f"The runtime {self.__class__.__name__} is not functional: "
-                + self._runtime_error_message()
-            )
-
     @staticmethod
     def get_image_id_from_iidfile(iidfile_path: str) -> str:
         """Returns the image id/hash from the iidfile that has been created by
@@ -434,7 +424,7 @@ def _get_podman_version(version_stdout: str) -> Version:
 
 
 def _get_buildah_version() -> Version:
-    version_stdout = LOCALHOST.run_expect([0], "buildah --version").stdout
+    version_stdout = LOCALHOST.check_output("buildah --version")
     build_version_begin = "buildah version "
     if not version_stdout.startswith(build_version_begin):
         raise RuntimeError(
@@ -452,21 +442,12 @@ class PodmanRuntime(OciRuntimeBase):
 
     """
 
-    _runtime_functional = LOCALHOST.run("podman ps").succeeded
-    _buildah_functional = LOCALHOST.run("buildah").succeeded
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def _runtime_error_message() -> str:
-        if PodmanRuntime._runtime_functional:
-            return ""
-
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
         podman_ps = LOCALHOST.run("podman ps")
-        assert not podman_ps.succeeded, (
-            "podman runtime is not functional, but 'podman ps' succeeded"
-        )
-        return str(podman_ps.stderr)
+        if not podman_ps.succeeded:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"`podman ps` failed with {podman_ps.stderr}")
 
-    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self._buildah_functional = LOCALHOST.run("buildah").succeeded
         super().__init__(
             build_command=(
                 ["buildah", "bud", "--layers", "--force-rm"]
@@ -474,7 +455,6 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
                 else ["podman", "build", "--layers", "--force-rm"]
             ),
             runner_binary="podman",
-            _runtime_functional=self._runtime_functional,
         )
 
     # pragma pylint: disable=used-before-assignment
@@ -558,23 +538,14 @@ class DockerRuntime(OciRuntimeBase):
     """The container runtime using :command:`docker` for building and running
     containers."""
 
-    _runtime_functional = LOCALHOST.run("docker ps").succeeded
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def _runtime_error_message() -> str:
-        if DockerRuntime._runtime_functional:
-            return ""
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
         docker_ps = LOCALHOST.run("docker ps")
-        assert not docker_ps.succeeded, (
-            "docker runtime is not functional, but 'docker ps' succeeded"
-        )
-        return str(docker_ps.stderr)
+        if not docker_ps.succeeded:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"`docker ps` failed with {docker_ps.stderr}")
 
-    def __init__(self) -> None:
         super().__init__(
             build_command=["docker", "build", "--force-rm"],
             runner_binary="docker",
-            _runtime_functional=self._runtime_functional,
         )
 
     @cached_property
diff --git a/tests/test_runtime.py b/tests/test_runtime.py
index 5ad208d..d87a0ae 100644
--- a/tests/test_runtime.py
+++ b/tests/test_runtime.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+from pytest_container.runtime import LOCALHOST
 from pytest_container.runtime import DockerRuntime
 from pytest_container.runtime import OciRuntimeBase
 from pytest_container.runtime import PodmanRuntime
@@ -36,7 +37,22 @@ def test_runtime_selection(
     # pylint: disable-next=redefined-outer-name,unused-argument
     container_runtime_envvar: None,
     runtime: OciRuntimeBase,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
 ):
+    class Succeeded:
+        @property
+        def succeeded(self) -> bool:
+            return True
+
+        @property
+        def rc(self) -> int:
+            return 0
+
+    def mock_run(*args, **kwargs):
+        return Succeeded()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(LOCALHOST, "run", mock_run)
+
     assert get_selected_runtime() == runtime