diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c7a53a7..6c6d34e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,9 +8,17 @@ This library does not provide tools to include testcontainers in your testing li
 
 
 ## Usage
+```clojure
+(require '[clj-test-containers.core :as tc])
 
-FIXME, if there is an API at all
+(def container (tc/create {:image-name "postgres:12.1" 
+                          :exposed-ports [5432] 
+                          :env-vars {"POSTGRES_PASSWORD" "verysecret"}}))
 
+(tc/start postgres)
+
+(tc/stop postgres)
+```
 
 ## License
 
diff --git a/src/clj_test_containers/core.clj b/src/clj_test_containers/core.clj
index b28127a..7858ea2 100644
--- a/src/clj_test_containers/core.clj
+++ b/src/clj_test_containers/core.clj
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 (defn create
   "Sets the properties for a testcontainer instance"
   [{image-name :image-name
-
     exposed-ports :exposed-ports
     env-vars :env-vars
     command :command}]
@@ -35,5 +34,8 @@
 
 (defn stop 
   "Stops the underlying container"
-  [{container :container}]
-  (.stop container))
+  [container-conf]
+  (.stop (:container container-conf))
+  (-> container-conf
+      (dissoc :id)
+      (dissoc :mapped-ports)))
diff --git a/test/clj_test_containers/core_test.clj b/test/clj_test_containers/core_test.clj
index 360d7b7..2ff3bd1 100644
--- a/test/clj_test_containers/core_test.clj
+++ b/test/clj_test_containers/core_test.clj
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@
                              :exposed-ports [5432] 
                              :env-vars {"POSTGRES_PASSWORD" "pw"}})
           initialized-container (start container)
-          container-id (:id initialized-container)
-          mapped-ports (:mapped-ports initialized-container)]
-      (is (some? container-id))
-      (is (some? mapped-ports))
-      (is (some? (get mapped-ports 5432)))
-      (stop container))))
+          stopped-container (stop container)]
+      (is (some? (:id initialized-container)))
+      (is (some? (:mapped-ports initialized-container)))
+      (is (some? (get (:mapped-ports initialized-container) 5432)))
+      (is (nil? (:id stopped-container)))
+      (is (nil? (:mapped-ports stopped-container))))))