@@ -156,6 +156,13 @@ func (cli *DockerCli) hijack(method, path string, setRawTerminal bool, in io.Rea

 	req.Host = cli.addr

 	dial, err := cli.dial()

+	if err != nil {

+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "connection refused") {

+			return fmt.Errorf("Cannot connect to the Docker daemon. Is 'docker daemon' running on this host?")

+		}

+		return err

+	}

+

 	// When we set up a TCP connection for hijack, there could be long periods

 	// of inactivity (a long running command with no output) that in certain

 	// network setups may cause ECONNTIMEOUT, leaving the client in an unknown

@@ -165,12 +172,7 @@ func (cli *DockerCli) hijack(method, path string, setRawTerminal bool, in io.Rea

 		tcpConn.SetKeepAlive(true)

 		tcpConn.SetKeepAlivePeriod(30 * time.Second)

 	}

-	if err != nil {

-		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "connection refused") {

-			return fmt.Errorf("Cannot connect to the Docker daemon. Is 'docker daemon' running on this host?")

-		}

-		return err

-	}

+

 	clientconn := httputil.NewClientConn(dial, nil)

 	defer clientconn.Close()