diff --git a/runtime.go b/runtime.go
index 1eaa11c184..10ab7a249f 100644
--- a/runtime.go
+++ b/runtime.go
@@ -265,7 +265,10 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) restore() error {
 	// Any containers that are left over do not exist in the graph
 	for _, container := range containers {
 		// Try to set the default name for a container if it exists prior to links
-		name := generateRandomName(runtime)
+		name, err := generateRandomName(runtime)
+		if err != nil {
+			container.Name = container.ShortID()
+		}
 		container.Name = name
 
 		if _, err := runtime.containerGraph.Set(name, container.ID); err != nil {
@@ -356,7 +359,10 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) Create(config *Config, name string) (*Container, []strin
 	id := GenerateID()
 
 	if name == "" {
-		name = generateRandomName(runtime)
+		name, err = generateRandomName(runtime)
+		if err != nil {
+			name = utils.TruncateID(id)
+		}
 	}
 	if name[0] != '/' {
 		name = "/" + name
diff --git a/utils.go b/utils.go
index 8043b16d47..c71c95ba32 100644
--- a/utils.go
+++ b/utils.go
@@ -304,10 +304,6 @@ func (c *checker) Exists(name string) bool {
 }
 
 // Generate a random and unique name
-func generateRandomName(runtime *Runtime) string {
-	n, err := namesgenerator.GenerateRandomName(&checker{runtime})
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
-	return n
+func generateRandomName(runtime *Runtime) (string, error) {
+	return namesgenerator.GenerateRandomName(&checker{runtime})
 }