@@ -93,6 +93,12 @@ func newDaemonCLI(opts *daemonOptions) (*daemonCLI, error) {

 		return nil, err

 	}

+	// Verify platform-specific requirements.

+	// This is checked early so that `dockerd --validate` also validates system requirements.

+	if err := daemon.CheckSystem(); err != nil {

+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("system requirements not met: %w", err)

+	}

+

 	return &daemonCLI{

 		Config:       cfg,

 		configFile:   &opts.configFile,

@@ -114,11 +120,6 @@ func (cli *daemonCLI) start(ctx context.Context) (err error) {

 		debug.Enable()

 	}

-	// Verify platform-specific requirements before proceeding with daemon initialization

-	if err := daemon.CheckSystem(); err != nil {

-		return fmt.Errorf("system requirements not met: %w", err)

-	}

-

 	if rootless.RunningWithRootlessKit() && !cli.Config.IsRootless() {

 		return errors.New("rootless mode needs to be enabled for running with RootlessKit")

 	}