@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ import (

 	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/rcli"

 	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/term"

 	"io"

+	"io/ioutil"

 	"log"

 	"os"

 	"os/signal"

+	"strconv"

 	"syscall"

 )

@@ -54,8 +56,13 @@ func main() {

 }

 func createPidFile(pidfile string) error {

-	if _, err := os.Stat(pidfile); err == nil {

-		return fmt.Errorf("pid file found, ensure docker is not running or delete %s", pidfile)

+	if pidString, err := ioutil.ReadFile(pidfile); err == nil {

+		pid, err := strconv.Atoi(string(pidString))

+		if err == nil {

+			if _, err := os.Stat(fmt.Sprintf("/proc/%d/", pid)); err == nil {

+				return fmt.Errorf("pid file found, ensure docker is not running or delete %s", pidfile)

+			}

+		}

 	}

 	file, err := os.Create(pidfile)