diff --git a/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/Dockerfile.j2 b/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/Dockerfile.j2
index 4313d84a237d..2e11cdaea3db 100644
--- a/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/Dockerfile.j2
+++ b/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ COPY ["files/sonic_version.yml", "/etc/sonic/"]
 COPY ["port_breakout_config_db.json", "/etc/sonic/"]
 COPY ["database_config.json", "/etc/default/sonic-db/"]
 COPY ["hostname.j2", "/usr/share/sonic/templates/"]
+COPY ["init_cfg.json.j2", "/usr/share/sonic/templates/"]
 COPY ["default_chassis_cfg.json", "/etc/default/sonic-db/"]
 COPY ["asic_table.json", "/etc/sonic/"]
 COPY ["buffermgrd.sh", "/usr/bin/"]
diff --git a/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/init_cfg.json.j2 b/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/init_cfg.json.j2
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..0b2ce5124215
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/init_cfg.json.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+    "DEVICE_METADATA": {
+        "localhost": {
+            "mac": "{{ system_mac }}",
+            "buffer_model": "traditional"
+        }
+    },
+{% set features = ["swss", "bgp", "teamd", "nat", "database"] %}
+    "FEATURE": {
+{% for feature in features %}
+        "{{ feature }}": {
+            "state": "enabled"
+        }{% if not loop.last %},{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/start.sh b/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/start.sh
index b4adbc2fd341..2d771a3cc6fd 100755
--- a/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/start.sh
+++ b/platform/vs/docker-sonic-vs/start.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ mkdir -p /var/run/redis/sonic-db
 cp /etc/default/sonic-db/database_config.json /var/run/redis/sonic-db/
 
 SYSTEM_MAC_ADDRESS=$(ip link show eth0 | grep ether | awk '{print $2}')
-sonic-cfggen -a '{"DEVICE_METADATA":{"localhost": {"mac": "'$SYSTEM_MAC_ADDRESS'", "buffer_model": "traditional"}}}' $CHASS_CFG --print-data > /etc/sonic/init_cfg.json
+sonic-cfggen -t /usr/share/sonic/templates/init_cfg.json.j2 -a "{\"system_mac\": \"$SYSTEM_MAC_ADDRESS\"}" $CHASS_CFG > /etc/sonic/init_cfg.json
 
 if [ -f /etc/sonic/config_db.json ]; then
     sonic-cfggen -j /etc/sonic/init_cfg.json -j /etc/sonic/config_db.json --print-data > /tmp/config_db.json