diff --git a/tox_docker/config.py b/tox_docker/config.py
index 6ec0118..8ae71f6 100644
--- a/tox_docker/config.py
+++ b/tox_docker/config.py
@@ -101,6 +101,19 @@ def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return repr(str(self))
 
 
+class ContainerVar:
+    def __init__(self, config_line: str) -> None:
+        if not ENV_VAR.match(config_line):
+            raise ValueError(f"{config_line!r} is not a valid environment variable")
+        self.container_var = config_line
+
+    def __str__(self) -> str:
+        return self.container_var
+
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        return repr(str(self))
+
+
 class Link:
     def __init__(self, config_line: str) -> None:
         target, sep, alias = config_line.partition(":")
@@ -128,6 +141,8 @@ def __init__(self, config_line: str) -> None:
         volume_type, mode, outside, inside = parts
         if not os.path.isabs(outside):
             raise ValueError(f"Volume source {outside!r} must be an absolute path")
+        elif not os.path.exists(outside) and parts[1] == "rw":
+            os.makedirs(outside, exist_ok=True)
         if not os.path.isabs(inside):
             raise ValueError(f"Mount point {inside!r} must be an absolute path")
 
@@ -155,6 +170,7 @@ def __init__(
         healthcheck_retries: Optional[int] = None,
         expose: Optional[Collection[ExposedPort]] = None,
         host_var: Optional[HostVar] = None,
+        container_var: Optional[ContainerVar] = None,
         links: Optional[Collection[Link]] = None,
         volumes: Optional[Collection[Volume]] = None,
     ) -> None:
@@ -167,6 +183,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.environment: Mapping[str, str] = environment or {}
         self.expose: Collection[ExposedPort] = expose or []
         self.host_var = str(host_var) if host_var else ""
+        self.container_var = str(container_var) if container_var else ""
         self.links: Collection[Link] = links or []
         self.mounts: Collection[Mount] = [v.docker_mount for v in volumes or ()]
 
@@ -234,6 +251,12 @@ def register_config(self) -> None:
             default=None,
             desc="environment variable to pass hostname or IP of container to testenv",
         )
+        self.add_config(
+            keys=["container_var"],
+            of_type=Optional[ContainerVar],
+            default=None,
+            desc="environment variable to pass the name of the container to testenv",
+        )
         self.add_config(
             keys=["links"],
             of_type=List[Link],
diff --git a/tox_docker/plugin.py b/tox_docker/plugin.py
index b6e38c4..d7e84f1 100644
--- a/tox_docker/plugin.py
+++ b/tox_docker/plugin.py
@@ -83,6 +83,13 @@ def get_host_env_var(container_config: ContainerConfig) -> str:
     return escape_env_var(f"{container_config.name}_HOST")
 
 
+def get_container_env_var(container_config: ContainerConfig) -> str:
+    if container_config.container_var:
+        return container_config.container_var
+
+    return escape_env_var(f"{container_config.name}_CONTAINER")
+
+
 def get_env_vars(
     container_config: ContainerConfig, container: Container
 ) -> Mapping[str, str]:
@@ -102,7 +109,8 @@ def get_env_vars(
     gateway_ip = get_gateway_ip(container)
     env_var = get_host_env_var(container_config)
     env[env_var] = gateway_ip
-
+    env_var = get_container_env_var(container_config)
+    env[env_var] = container_config.runas_name
     return env
 
 
diff --git a/tox_docker/tests/test_volumes.py b/tox_docker/tests/test_volumes.py
index 1828152..b7b614f 100644
--- a/tox_docker/tests/test_volumes.py
+++ b/tox_docker/tests/test_volumes.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import os
+import tempfile
+
+from tox_docker.config import Volume
 
 
 def test_the_image_is_healthy() -> None:
@@ -7,3 +10,15 @@ def test_the_image_is_healthy() -> None:
     # and thus the bind mount worked as expected
     volume = os.environ["VOLUME_DIR"]
     assert "healthy" in os.listdir(volume)
+
+
+def test_volume_creation() -> None:
+    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as f:
+        source = f"{f.name}/test"
+        assert not os.path.exists(source)
+        volume = Volume(f"bind:ro:{source}:/tmp/test")
+        assert volume.docker_mount.source == source
+        assert volume.docker_mount.target == "/tmp/test"
+        assert volume.docker_mount.type == "bind"
+        assert volume.docker_mount.readonly is True
+        assert os.path.isfile(source)