A method is implemented by a computing device to configure and monitor a virtual application in a cloud environment. The method includes generating instructions for configuring and monitoring the virtual application based on configuration data for the virtual application, modifying an injection virtual appliance image to include the instructions for configuring and monitoring the virtual application, where the injection virtual appliance image is a template for instantiating an injection virtual appliance (e.g., a software container or unikernel) that is to configure and monitor the virtual application according to the instructions, modifying a virtual application deployment descriptor for the virtual application to indicate that the injection virtual appliance is to be injected into the virtual application, and causing the virtual application, with the injection virtual appliance, to be deployed in the cloud environment using the modified virtual application deployment descriptor.