diff --git a/daemon/start.go b/daemon/start.go
index 286ee58a34..363461080f 100644
--- a/daemon/start.go
+++ b/daemon/start.go
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) ContainerStart(job *engine.Job) engine.Status {
 		return job.Errorf("No such container: %s", name)
 	}
 
+	if container.IsPaused() {
+		return job.Errorf("Cannot start a paused container, try unpause instead.")
+	}
+
 	if container.IsRunning() {
 		return job.Errorf("Container already started")
 	}
diff --git a/integration-cli/docker_cli_start_test.go b/integration-cli/docker_cli_start_test.go
index 05a262ba51..3b0617f09e 100644
--- a/integration-cli/docker_cli_start_test.go
+++ b/integration-cli/docker_cli_start_test.go
@@ -165,3 +165,25 @@ func TestStartVolumesFromFailsCleanly(t *testing.T) {
 
 	logDone("start - missing containers in --volumes-from did not affect subsequent runs")
 }
+
+func TestStartPausedContainer(t *testing.T) {
+	defer deleteAllContainers()
+	defer unpauseAllContainers()
+
+	runCmd := exec.Command(dockerBinary, "run", "-d", "--name", "testing", "busybox", "top")
+	if out, _, err := runCommandWithOutput(runCmd); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(out, err)
+	}
+
+	runCmd = exec.Command(dockerBinary, "pause", "testing")
+	if out, _, err := runCommandWithOutput(runCmd); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(out, err)
+	}
+
+	runCmd = exec.Command(dockerBinary, "start", "testing")
+	if out, _, err := runCommandWithOutput(runCmd); err == nil || !strings.Contains(out, "Cannot start a paused container, try unpause instead.") {
+		t.Fatalf("an error should have been shown that you cannot start paused container: %s\n%v", out, err)
+	}
+
+	logDone("start - error should show if trying to start paused container")
+}