@@ -211,6 +211,25 @@ func (img *Image) getParentsSize(size int64) int64 {

 	return parentImage.getParentsSize(size)

 }

+// Depth returns the number of parents for a

+// current image

+func (img *Image) Depth() (int, error) {

+	var (

+		count  = 0

+		parent = img

+		err    error

+	)

+

+	for parent != nil {

+		count++

+		parent, err = parent.GetParent()

+		if err != nil {

+			return -1, err

+		}

+	}

+	return count, nil

+}

+

 // Build an Image object from raw json data

 func NewImgJSON(src []byte) (*Image, error) {

 	ret := &Image{}

@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ import (

 	"time"

 )

+// Set the max depth to the aufs restriction

+const MaxImageDepth = 42

+

 var defaultDns = []string{"8.8.8.8", "8.8.4.4"}

 type Capabilities struct {

@@ -367,6 +370,17 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) Create(config *Config, name string) (*Container, []strin

 		return nil, nil, err

 	}

+	// We add 2 layers to the depth because the container's rw and

+	// init layer add to the restriction

+	depth, err := img.Depth()

+	if err != nil {

+		return nil, nil, err

+	}

+

+	if depth+2 >= MaxImageDepth {

+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("Cannot create container with more than %d parents", MaxImageDepth)

+	}

+

 	checkDeprecatedExpose := func(config *Config) bool {

 		if config != nil {

 			if config.PortSpecs != nil {