diff --git a/daemon/execdriver/lxc/driver.go b/daemon/execdriver/lxc/driver.go
index f45c21445f..a9c214c213 100644
--- a/daemon/execdriver/lxc/driver.go
+++ b/daemon/execdriver/lxc/driver.go
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ type activeContainer struct {
 }
 
 func NewDriver(root, initPath string, apparmor bool) (*driver, error) {
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(root, 0700); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	// setup unconfined symlink
 	if err := linkLxcStart(root); err != nil {
 		return nil, err