diff --git a/docker/docker.go b/docker/docker.go
index 85bfc8e551..d38d67216c 100644
--- a/docker/docker.go
+++ b/docker/docker.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func main() {
 	if *bridgeName != "" {
 		docker.NetworkBridgeIface = *bridgeName
 	} else {
-		docker.NetworkBridgeIface = "lxcbr0"
+		docker.NetworkBridgeIface = docker.DefaultNetworkBridge
 	}
 	if *flDebug {
 		os.Setenv("DEBUG", "1")
diff --git a/network.go b/network.go
index cde78e7aa6..105c0056f5 100644
--- a/network.go
+++ b/network.go
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ import (
 var NetworkBridgeIface string
 
 const (
-	portRangeStart = 49153
-	portRangeEnd   = 65535
+	DefaultNetworkBridge = "lxcbr0"
+	portRangeStart       = 49153
+	portRangeEnd         = 65535
 )
 
 // Calculates the first and last IP addresses in an IPNet
diff --git a/runtime.go b/runtime.go
index 97752a2ab5..0e5bcbfc69 100644
--- a/runtime.go
+++ b/runtime.go
@@ -267,6 +267,9 @@ func NewRuntimeFromDirectory(root string) (*Runtime, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Couldn't create Tag store: %s", err)
 	}
+	if NetworkBridgeIface == "" {
+		NetworkBridgeIface = DefaultNetworkBridge
+	}
 	netManager, err := newNetworkManager(NetworkBridgeIface)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err