diff --git a/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/Dockerfile b/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/Dockerfile
index 0e1e5fe6a7a5..847f3822eb6e 100644
--- a/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/Dockerfile
+++ b/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/Dockerfile
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ COPY install-snap.sh /usr/local/bin/
 
 RUN install-snap.sh core
 
+# 8.11.1 is https://api.snapcraft.io/api/v1/snaps/download/vMTKRaLjnOJQetI78HjntT37VuoyssFE_15600.snap
 RUN install-snap.sh snapcraft
 
 RUN install-snap.sh $SNAP_BASE
@@ -66,6 +67,14 @@ ENV SNAP_INSTANCE_KEY=
 ENV SNAP_INSTANCE_NAME=snapcraft
 ENV SNAPCRAFT_PLATFORM=
 
+# Bug 1985494
+#
+# The change at https://github.com/canonical/craft-application/commit/f3436a9eab1eeed3ad6d44d9d430b5f4b008f7d8
+# moved configuration query and breaks us in docker
+# This is a temporary workaround and proper fix should be done:
+#  - either there's a way to feed the configuration to avoid hitting snapctl
+#  - or we need to introduce a way to bypass that properly with upstream
+RUN sed -ri 's/debug_mode = .*/debug_mode = False/g' /snap/snapcraft/current/lib/python*/site-packages/craft_application/application.py
 RUN snapcraft --version
 
 # Snapcraft pull will need to sudo apt-get update ...
diff --git a/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/install-snap.sh b/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/install-snap.sh
index 7b7a5719b27e..fe965f28e496 100755
--- a/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/install-snap.sh
+++ b/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/install-snap.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 set -ex
 
 SNAP_TO_INSTALL=$1
+SNAP_URL=$2
 
 if [ -z "${SNAP_TO_INSTALL}" ]; then
   echo "Please give a snap name"
@@ -13,11 +14,12 @@ fi
 # place (the 'Snap-CDN: none' header allows building in restricted network
 # environments such as Launchpad builders)
 
+if [ -z "${SNAP_URL}" ]; then
+  SNAP_URL=$(curl -H 'X-Ubuntu-Series: 16' "https://api.snapcraft.io/api/v1/snaps/details/${SNAP_TO_INSTALL}?channel=stable" | jq '.download_url' -r)
+fi
+
 # shellcheck disable=SC2046
-curl -L \
-	-H 'Snap-CDN: none' \
-	$(curl -H 'X-Ubuntu-Series: 16' "https://api.snapcraft.io/api/v1/snaps/details/${SNAP_TO_INSTALL}?channel=stable" | jq '.download_url' -r) \
-	--output "${SNAP_TO_INSTALL}.snap"
+curl -L -H 'Snap-CDN: none' "$SNAP_URL" --output "${SNAP_TO_INSTALL}.snap"
 
 mkdir -p "/snap/${SNAP_TO_INSTALL}"
 
diff --git a/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/run.sh b/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/run.sh
index 4fd4a90bc6d8..03c2f9a05f85 100755
--- a/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/run.sh
+++ b/taskcluster/docker/snap-coreXX-build/run.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ MOZCONFIG=mozconfig.in
 
 USE_SNAP_FROM_STORE_OR_MC=${USE_SNAP_FROM_STORE_OR_MC:-0}
 
+sudo mkdir -p /run/user/1000 && sudo chown 1000:1000 /run/user/1000
+
 TRY=0
 if [ "${BRANCH}" = "try" ]; then
   if [ "${SOURCE_BRANCH}" = "try" ]; then