diff --git a/api/server/httputils/form.go b/api/server/httputils/form.go
index 5180b99f16..20188c12d8 100644
--- a/api/server/httputils/form.go
+++ b/api/server/httputils/form.go
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ type ArchiveOptions struct {
 // ArchiveFormValues parses form values and turns them into ArchiveOptions.
 // It fails if the archive name and path are not in the request.
 func ArchiveFormValues(r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) (ArchiveOptions, error) {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return ArchiveOptions{}, fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 	if err := ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return ArchiveOptions{}, err
 	}
diff --git a/api/server/router/local/container.go b/api/server/router/local/container.go
index d1e352dd32..9cf14367db 100644
--- a/api/server/router/local/container.go
+++ b/api/server/router/local/container.go
@@ -56,9 +56,6 @@ func (s *router) getContainersStats(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter,
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 
 	stream := httputils.BoolValueOrDefault(r, "stream", true)
 	var out io.Writer
@@ -88,9 +85,6 @@ func (s *router) getContainersLogs(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 
 	// Args are validated before the stream starts because when it starts we're
 	// sending HTTP 200 by writing an empty chunk of data to tell the client that
@@ -150,18 +144,10 @@ func (s *router) getContainersLogs(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r
 }
 
 func (s *router) getContainersExport(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	return s.daemon.ContainerExport(vars["name"], w)
 }
 
 func (s *router) postContainersStart(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	// If contentLength is -1, we can assumed chunked encoding
 	// or more technically that the length is unknown
 	// https://golang.org/src/pkg/net/http/request.go#L139
@@ -193,9 +179,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainersStop(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter,
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 
 	seconds, _ := strconv.Atoi(r.Form.Get("t"))
 
@@ -208,9 +191,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainersStop(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter,
 }
 
 func (s *router) postContainersKill(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -247,9 +227,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainersRestart(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWrite
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 
 	timeout, _ := strconv.Atoi(r.Form.Get("t"))
 
@@ -263,9 +240,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainersRestart(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWrite
 }
 
 func (s *router) postContainersPause(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -280,9 +254,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainersPause(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter,
 }
 
 func (s *router) postContainersUnpause(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -297,10 +268,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainersUnpause(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWrite
 }
 
 func (s *router) postContainersWait(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	status, err := s.daemon.ContainerWait(vars["name"], -1*time.Second)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -312,10 +279,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainersWait(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter,
 }
 
 func (s *router) getContainersChanges(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	changes, err := s.daemon.ContainerChanges(vars["name"])
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -325,10 +288,6 @@ func (s *router) getContainersChanges(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter
 }
 
 func (s *router) getContainersTop(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -345,9 +304,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainerRename(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter,
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 
 	name := vars["name"]
 	newName := r.Form.Get("name")
@@ -387,9 +343,6 @@ func (s *router) deleteContainers(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 
 	name := vars["name"]
 	config := &daemon.ContainerRmConfig{
@@ -415,9 +368,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainersResize(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 
 	height, err := strconv.Atoi(r.Form.Get("h"))
 	if err != nil {
@@ -435,9 +385,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainersAttach(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 	containerName := vars["name"]
 
 	if !s.daemon.Exists(containerName) {
@@ -477,9 +424,6 @@ func (s *router) wsContainersAttach(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter,
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 	containerName := vars["name"]
 
 	if !s.daemon.Exists(containerName) {
diff --git a/api/server/router/local/copy.go b/api/server/router/local/copy.go
index 72ceb0a44e..ff749a02eb 100644
--- a/api/server/router/local/copy.go
+++ b/api/server/router/local/copy.go
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@ import (
 
 // postContainersCopy is deprecated in favor of getContainersArchive.
 func (s *router) postContainersCopy(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	if err := httputils.CheckForJSON(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/api/server/router/local/exec.go b/api/server/router/local/exec.go
index aaafcd3e29..7d3c883e19 100644
--- a/api/server/router/local/exec.go
+++ b/api/server/router/local/exec.go
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 func (s *router) getExecByID(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter 'id'")
-	}
-
 	eConfig, err := s.daemon.ContainerExecInspect(vars["id"])
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -118,10 +114,6 @@ func (s *router) postContainerExecResize(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWri
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	height, err := strconv.Atoi(r.Form.Get("h"))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/api/server/router/local/image.go b/api/server/router/local/image.go
index dbaae16524..3b453c9818 100644
--- a/api/server/router/local/image.go
+++ b/api/server/router/local/image.go
@@ -156,10 +156,6 @@ func (s *router) postImagesCreate(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r
 }
 
 func (s *router) postImagesPush(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	metaHeaders := map[string][]string{}
 	for k, v := range r.Header {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(k, "X-Meta-") {
@@ -208,9 +204,6 @@ func (s *router) postImagesPush(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *h
 }
 
 func (s *router) getImagesGet(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -243,9 +236,6 @@ func (s *router) deleteImages(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *htt
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 
 	name := vars["name"]
 
@@ -265,10 +255,6 @@ func (s *router) deleteImages(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *htt
 }
 
 func (s *router) getImagesByName(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	imageInspect, err := s.daemon.LookupImage(vars["name"])
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -456,10 +442,6 @@ func (s *router) getImagesJSON(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *ht
 }
 
 func (s *router) getImagesHistory(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	name := vars["name"]
 	history, err := s.daemon.ImageHistory(name)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -473,10 +455,6 @@ func (s *router) postImagesTag(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *ht
 	if err := httputils.ParseForm(r); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
-
 	repo := r.Form.Get("repo")
 	tag := r.Form.Get("tag")
 	name := vars["name"]
diff --git a/api/server/router/local/inspect.go b/api/server/router/local/inspect.go
index b9bf697083..8b2a058e1a 100644
--- a/api/server/router/local/inspect.go
+++ b/api/server/router/local/inspect.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package local
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/server/httputils"
@@ -11,9 +10,6 @@ import (
 // getContainersByName inspects containers configuration and serializes it as json.
 func (s *router) getContainersByName(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
 	displaySize := httputils.BoolValue(r, "size")
-	if vars == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
-	}
 
 	var json interface{}
 	var err error
diff --git a/api/server/server.go b/api/server/server.go
index a4b9fb4c42..598fcfb2bb 100644
--- a/api/server/server.go
+++ b/api/server/server.go
@@ -153,7 +153,12 @@ func (s *Server) makeHTTPHandler(handler httputils.APIFunc) http.HandlerFunc {
 		ctx := context.Background()
 		handlerFunc := s.handleWithGlobalMiddlewares(handler)
 
-		if err := handlerFunc(ctx, w, r, mux.Vars(r)); err != nil {
+		vars := mux.Vars(r)
+		if vars == nil {
+			vars = make(map[string]string)
+		}
+
+		if err := handlerFunc(ctx, w, r, vars); err != nil {
 			logrus.Errorf("Handler for %s %s returned error: %s", r.Method, r.URL.Path, utils.GetErrorMessage(err))
 			httputils.WriteError(w, err)
 		}