diff --git a/contrib/init/openrc/docker.initd b/contrib/init/openrc/docker.initd
index f2e1536a96..5d3160338a 100644
--- a/contrib/init/openrc/docker.initd
+++ b/contrib/init/openrc/docker.initd
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ start_pre() {
 	checkpath -f -m 0644 -o root:docker "$DOCKER_LOGFILE"
 
 	ulimit -n 1048576
-	ulimit -u 1048576
+
+	# Having non-zero limits causes performance problems due to accounting overhead
+	# in the kernel. We recommend using cgroups to do container-local accounting.
+	ulimit -u unlimited
 
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/contrib/init/systemd/docker.service b/contrib/init/systemd/docker.service
index c3f3472472..5024c96525 100644
--- a/contrib/init/systemd/docker.service
+++ b/contrib/init/systemd/docker.service
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ Type=notify
 # for containers run by docker
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/dockerd -H fd://
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -s HUP $MAINPID
+LimitNOFILE=1048576
 # Having non-zero Limit*s causes performance problems due to accounting overhead
 # in the kernel. We recommend using cgroups to do container-local accounting.
-LimitNOFILE=infinity
 LimitNPROC=infinity
 LimitCORE=infinity
 # Uncomment TasksMax if your systemd version supports it.
diff --git a/contrib/init/sysvinit-debian/docker b/contrib/init/sysvinit-debian/docker
index 047af417f3..034f9601e8 100755
--- a/contrib/init/sysvinit-debian/docker
+++ b/contrib/init/sysvinit-debian/docker
@@ -94,10 +94,13 @@ case "$1" in
 		chgrp docker "$DOCKER_LOGFILE"
 
 		ulimit -n 1048576
+
+		# Having non-zero limits causes performance problems due to accounting overhead
+		# in the kernel. We recommend using cgroups to do container-local accounting.
 		if [ "$BASH" ]; then
-			ulimit -u 1048576
+			ulimit -u unlimited
 		else
-			ulimit -p 1048576
+			ulimit -p unlimited
 		fi
 
 		log_begin_msg "Starting $DOCKER_DESC: $BASE"
diff --git a/contrib/init/upstart/docker.conf b/contrib/init/upstart/docker.conf
index b5ad74a6af..29a66de476 100644
--- a/contrib/init/upstart/docker.conf
+++ b/contrib/init/upstart/docker.conf
@@ -2,8 +2,12 @@ description "Docker daemon"
 
 start on (filesystem and net-device-up IFACE!=lo)
 stop on runlevel [!2345]
+
 limit nofile 524288 1048576
-limit nproc 524288 1048576
+
+# Having non-zero limits causes performance problems due to accounting overhead
+# in the kernel. We recommend using cgroups to do container-local accounting.
+limit nproc unlimited unlimited
 
 respawn