diff --git a/daemon/daemon.go b/daemon/daemon.go
index ecd515e8fd..0dc5470044 100644
--- a/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -761,6 +761,12 @@ func NewDaemon(config *daemonconfig.Config, eng *engine.Engine) (*Daemon, error)
 }
 
 func NewDaemonFromDirectory(config *daemonconfig.Config, eng *engine.Engine) (*Daemon, error) {
+	if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
+		log.Fatalf("The Docker daemon is only supported on linux")
+	}
+	if os.Geteuid() != 0 {
+		log.Fatalf("The Docker daemon needs to be run as root")
+	}
 	if !config.EnableSelinuxSupport {
 		selinuxSetDisabled()
 	}
diff --git a/docker/docker.go b/docker/docker.go
index 5ffa0e2e6f..5719d6bb2a 100644
--- a/docker/docker.go
+++ b/docker/docker.go
@@ -114,13 +114,6 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	if *flDaemon {
-		if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
-			log.Fatalf("The Docker daemon is only supported on linux")
-		}
-		if os.Geteuid() != 0 {
-			log.Fatalf("The Docker daemon needs to be run as root")
-		}
-
 		if flag.NArg() != 0 {
 			flag.Usage()
 			return