diff --git a/daemon/container_operations_unix.go b/daemon/container_operations_unix.go
index bbb5e982ca..0cc9b089d8 100644
--- a/daemon/container_operations_unix.go
+++ b/daemon/container_operations_unix.go
@@ -200,7 +200,11 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) populateCommand(c *container.Container, env []string) erro
 		BlkioThrottleReadBpsDevice:  readBpsDevice,
 		BlkioThrottleWriteBpsDevice: writeBpsDevice,
 		OomKillDisable:              c.HostConfig.OomKillDisable,
-		MemorySwappiness:            *c.HostConfig.MemorySwappiness,
+		MemorySwappiness:            -1,
+	}
+
+	if c.HostConfig.MemorySwappiness != nil {
+		resources.MemorySwappiness = *c.HostConfig.MemorySwappiness
 	}
 
 	processConfig := execdriver.ProcessConfig{