diff --git a/oadadeploy b/oadadeploy
index 0902145..a83287a 100755
--- a/oadadeploy
+++ b/oadadeploy
@@ -1126,9 +1126,14 @@ require() {
 } 
 require ls sed curl docker docker-compose
 
+# Verify docker is actually running, otherwise nothing is going to work
+docker version > /dev/null 2>&1
+[ "$?" -ne 0 ] && echo -e "ERROR: docker does not appear to be running, please start it first" && exit 1
+
 # usage exits this script when done
 [ "$#" -lt 1 ] && usage
 
+
 CMD=$1
 shift
 case $CMD in 
diff --git a/src/oadadeploy b/src/oadadeploy
index e99987f..3656165 100755
--- a/src/oadadeploy
+++ b/src/oadadeploy
@@ -45,9 +45,14 @@ require() {
 } 
 require ls sed curl docker docker-compose
 
+# Verify docker is actually running, otherwise nothing is going to work
+docker version > /dev/null 2>&1
+[ "$?" -ne 0 ] && echo -e "ERROR: docker does not appear to be running, please start it first" && exit 1
+
 # usage exits this script when done
 [ "$#" -lt 1 ] && usage
 
+
 CMD=$1
 shift
 case $CMD in