@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) ContainerStats(ctx context.Context, prefixOrName string, c

 	// Engine API version (used for backwards compatibility)

 	apiVersion := config.Version

+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" && versions.LessThan(apiVersion, "1.21") {

+		return errors.New("API versions pre v1.21 do not support stats on Windows")

+	}

+

 	container, err := daemon.GetContainer(prefixOrName)

 	if err != nil {

 		return err

@@ -70,9 +74,6 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) ContainerStats(ctx context.Context, prefixOrName string, c

 			var statsJSON interface{}

 			statsJSONPost120 := getStatJSON(v)

 			if versions.LessThan(apiVersion, "1.21") {

-				if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {

-					return errors.New("API versions pre v1.21 do not support stats on Windows")

-				}

 				var (

 					rxBytes   uint64

 					rxPackets uint64