@@ -123,10 +123,14 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) cleanupContainer(container *container.Container, forceRemo

 		return fmt.Errorf("Unable to remove filesystem for %v: %v", container.ID, err)

 	}

-	metadata, err := daemon.layerStore.ReleaseRWLayer(container.RWLayer)

-	layer.LogReleaseMetadata(metadata)

-	if err != nil && err != layer.ErrMountDoesNotExist {

-		return fmt.Errorf("Driver %s failed to remove root filesystem %s: %s", daemon.GraphDriverName(), container.ID, err)

+	// When container creation fails and `RWLayer` has not been created yet, we

+	// do not call `ReleaseRWLayer`

+	if container.RWLayer != nil {

+		metadata, err := daemon.layerStore.ReleaseRWLayer(container.RWLayer)

+		layer.LogReleaseMetadata(metadata)

+		if err != nil && err != layer.ErrMountDoesNotExist {

+			return fmt.Errorf("Driver %s failed to remove root filesystem %s: %s", daemon.GraphDriverName(), container.ID, err)

+		}

 	}

 	return nil