diff --git a/cli/command/image/load.go b/cli/command/image/load.go
index 56145a8a34..4f88faf094 100644
--- a/cli/command/image/load.go
+++ b/cli/command/image/load.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package image
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 
@@ -49,6 +50,13 @@ func runLoad(dockerCli *command.DockerCli, opts loadOptions) error {
 		defer file.Close()
 		input = file
 	}
+
+	// To avoid getting stuck, verify that a tar file is given either in
+	// the input flag or through stdin and if not display an error message and exit.
+	if opts.input == "" && dockerCli.In().IsTerminal() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("requested load from stdin, but stdin is empty")
+	}
+
 	if !dockerCli.Out().IsTerminal() {
 		opts.quiet = true
 	}
diff --git a/integration-cli/docker_cli_save_load_unix_test.go b/integration-cli/docker_cli_save_load_unix_test.go
index 7cc1013432..22445e5bbe 100644
--- a/integration-cli/docker_cli_save_load_unix_test.go
+++ b/integration-cli/docker_cli_save_load_unix_test.go
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/integration/checker"
 	"github.com/go-check/check"
@@ -86,3 +88,22 @@ func (s *DockerSuite) TestSaveAndLoadWithProgressBar(c *check.C) {
 	expected := fmt.Sprintf("The image %s:latest already exists, renaming the old one with ID", name)
 	c.Assert(out, checker.Contains, expected)
 }
+
+// fail because load didn't receive data from stdin
+func (s *DockerSuite) TestLoadNoStdinFail(c *check.C) {
+	pty, tty, err := pty.Open()
+	c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, dockerBinary, "load")
+	cmd.Stdin = tty
+	cmd.Stdout = tty
+	cmd.Stderr = tty
+	c.Assert(cmd.Run(), check.NotNil) // docker-load should fail
+
+	buf := make([]byte, 1024)
+
+	n, err := pty.Read(buf)
+	c.Assert(err, check.IsNil) //could not read tty output
+	c.Assert(string(buf[:n]), checker.Contains, "requested load from stdin, but stdin is empty")
+}