diff --git a/daemon/top_unix.go b/daemon/top_unix.go
index 28cfb370d8..7854d2376f 100644
--- a/daemon/top_unix.go
+++ b/daemon/top_unix.go
@@ -113,6 +113,20 @@ func parsePSOutput(output []byte, procs []uint32) (*container.ContainerTopOKBody
 	return procList, nil
 }
 
+// psPidsArg converts a slice of PIDs to a string consisting
+// of comma-separated list of PIDs prepended by "-q".
+// For example, psPidsArg([]uint32{1,2,3}) returns "-q1,2,3".
+func psPidsArg(pids []uint32) string {
+	b := []byte{'-', 'q'}
+	for i, p := range pids {
+		b = strconv.AppendUint(b, uint64(p), 10)
+		if i < len(pids)-1 {
+			b = append(b, ',')
+		}
+	}
+	return string(b)
+}
+
 // ContainerTop lists the processes running inside of the given
 // container by calling ps with the given args, or with the flags
 // "-ef" if no args are given.  An error is returned if the container
@@ -145,9 +159,16 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) ContainerTop(name string, psArgs string) (*container.Conta
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	output, err := exec.Command("ps", strings.Split(psArgs, " ")...).Output()
+	args := strings.Split(psArgs, " ")
+	pids := psPidsArg(procs)
+	output, err := exec.Command("ps", append(args, pids)...).Output()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error running ps: %v", err)
+		// some ps options (such as f) can't be used together with q,
+		// so retry without it
+		output, err = exec.Command("ps", args...).Output()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error running ps: %v", err)
+		}
 	}
 	procList, err := parsePSOutput(output, procs)
 	if err != nil {