diff --git a/sysinit/sysinit.go b/sysinit/sysinit.go
index 2dc5967dc6..ad97439450 100644
--- a/sysinit/sysinit.go
+++ b/sysinit/sysinit.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func setupHostname(args *DockerInitArgs) error {
 	if hostname == "" {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return syscall.Sethostname([]byte(hostname))
+	return setHostname(hostname)
 }
 
 // Setup networking
diff --git a/sysinit/sysinit_darwin.go b/sysinit/sysinit_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..64566afb3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sysinit/sysinit_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package sysinit
+
+func setHostname(hostname string) error {
+	panic("Not supported on darwin")
+}
diff --git a/sysinit/sysinit_linux.go b/sysinit/sysinit_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d18d2fab8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sysinit/sysinit_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package sysinit
+
+import (
+	"syscall"
+)
+
+func setHostname(hostname string) error {
+	return syscall.Sethostname([]byte(hostname))
+}