diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0851937..cc7a44e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ The IllumiDesk docker layers for grader images are illustrated below:
 
 - **THEIA IDE**: basic version of the THEIA IDE. `THEIA` is highly configurable, refer to [their documention](https://github.com/eclipse-theia/theia#documentation) for customization options (mostly done via package.json modifications).
 - **VS Code**: this image contains the `code-server` VS Code distribution optimized for `docker`.
-- **RStudio**: uses [`binder-examples/r-conda`](https://github.com/binder-examples/r-conda) as a base image.
+- **RStudio**: uses [`illumidesk/r-conda`](https://github.com/illumidesk/r-conda) as a base image.
 
 The IllumiDesk docker layers for workspace types are illustrated below:
 
@@ -71,9 +71,7 @@ The IllumiDesk docker layers for workspace types are illustrated below:
 1. Build and tag the base image
 
 ```bash
-    docker build -t illumidesk/datascience-notebook:latest \
-      -f notebooks/Dockerfile.base \
-      notebooks/.
+    make build/base-image
 ```
 
 2. Use the base image from step 1 above as:
@@ -81,15 +79,17 @@ The IllumiDesk docker layers for workspace types are illustrated below:
   a) A base image and add additional layers to said image to create your own custom image
 
 ```
-FROM illumidesk/datascience-notebook:latest
+FROM illumidesk/base-notebook:latest
 
 RUN ...
 ```
 
+or
+
   b) A source image for files necessary to use image with the [IllumiDesk](https://github.com/IllumiDesk/illumidesk) stack.
 
 ```
-FROM illumidesk/datascience-notebook:latest AS base
+FROM illumidesk/base-notebook:latest AS base
 
 FROM acme/image:tag
 
@@ -102,6 +102,24 @@ RUN ...
 
 3. Push images to DockerHub
 
+```bash
+docker push organization/custom-image
+```
+
+## Testing
+
+Tests start the docker container(s), runs commands by emulating the  `docker exec ...` command, and asserts the outputs. You can run tests on one image or all images:
+
+```bash
+make test/base-notebook
+```
+
+or
+
+```bash
+make test-all
+```
+
 ## References
 
 These images are based on the `jupyter/docker-stacks` images. [Refer to their documentation](https://jupyter-docker-stacks.readthedocs.io/en/latest/) for the full set of configuration options.
diff --git a/base-notebook/test/test_languages.py b/base-notebook/test/test_languages.py
index a588e4b..98938f6 100644
--- a/base-notebook/test/test_languages.py
+++ b/base-notebook/test/test_languages.py
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     'language,version_output',
     [
-        ('java', ['openjdk', '11.0.7', '2020-04-14\nOpenJDK',],),
+        ('java', ['openjdk', '11.0.8', '2020-07-14\nOpenJDK',],),
         ('julia', ['julia', 'version', '1.4.1\n']),
-        ('python', ['Python', '3.7.6\n']),
+        ('python', ['Python', '3.7.8\n']),
         ('R', ['R', 'version', '3.6.3',],),
     ],
 )
diff --git a/theia/Dockerfile b/theia/Dockerfile
index 6989a4a..a7832b9 100644
--- a/theia/Dockerfile
+++ b/theia/Dockerfile
@@ -49,14 +49,11 @@ USER root
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
-# Set the SHELL to bash with pipefail option
-SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-o", "pipefail", "-c"]
-
 COPY --from=builder /theia-app/illumidesk-theia_0.0.2_all.deb /tmp/
 RUN curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_10.x | sudo -E bash - \
  && apt-get install -y /tmp/illumidesk-theia_0.0.2_all.deb \
  && rm /tmp/illumidesk-theia_0.0.2_all.deb
-
+ 
 ## NVM
 # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25899912/how-to-install-nvm-in-docker
 
@@ -71,15 +68,20 @@ RUN mkdir -p $NVM_DIR \
  && nvm alias default "${NODE_VERSION}" \
  && nvm use default
 
-USER $NB_USER
+USER "${NB_USER}"
 
-WORKDIR $HOME
+WORKDIR "${HOME}"
 
 COPY requirements.txt requirements.txt
 RUN python3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt \
- && rm requirements.txt \
- && fix-permissions "${CONDA_DIR}" \
- && fix-permissions "/home/${NB_USER}"
+ && rm requirements.txt
+
+# fix conda and home directory permissions as root
+USER root
+RUN fix-permissions "${CONDA_DIR}" \
+ && fix-permissions "${HOME}"
+
+USER "${NB_USER}"
 
 RUN jupyter serverextension enable --sys-prefix --py jupyter_server_proxy \
  && jupyter labextension install @jupyterlab/server-proxy \
diff --git a/theia/requirements.txt b/theia/requirements.txt
index 375acf4..0aa9a88 100644
--- a/theia/requirements.txt
+++ b/theia/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 autopep8==1.5.3
 flake8==3.8.3
-illumidesk-theia-proxy==0.1.3
+illumidesk-theia-proxy==0.1.5
 jupyter-server-proxy==1.5.0
 python-language-server==0.33.3