Unprivileged containers without the download template ===================================================== As a non-privileged user: $ cd .local/share/lxc $ mkdir mmdebstrap-unpriv/rootfs -p $ mmdebstrap --mode=unshare --components="main contrib non-free" --variant=important buster mmdebstrap-unpriv/rootfs --variant=important can be replaced by --variant=minbase --include=systemd-sysv In the container you should change /etc/hostname If you rely on a btrfs subvolume or partition, remember creating it before, and mounting it on mmdebstrap-unpriv/rootfs.