diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0a9b69c6de..7e8af5757c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ Installing on Ubuntu 12.04 and 12.10
 
     ```bash
     cd docker-master
-    sudo ./docker run -a -i -t base /bin/bash
+    sudo ./docker run -i -t base /bin/bash
     ```
 
     Consider adding docker to your `PATH` for simplicity.
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ docker import base
 
 # Run an interactive shell in the base image,
 # allocate a tty, attach stdin and stdout
-docker run -a -i -t base /bin/bash
+docker run -i -t base /bin/bash
 ```
 
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ Starting a long-running worker process
 (docker -d || echo "Docker daemon already running") &
 
 # Start a very useful long-running process
-JOB=$(docker run base /bin/sh -c "while true; do echo Hello world; sleep 1; done")
+JOB=$(docker run -d base /bin/sh -c "while true; do echo Hello world; sleep 1; done")
 
 # Collect the output of the job so far
 docker logs $JOB
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ Expose a service on a TCP port
 
 ```bash
 # Expose port 4444 of this container, and tell netcat to listen on it
-JOB=$(docker run -p 4444 base /bin/nc -l -p 4444)
+JOB=$(docker run -d -p 4444 base /bin/nc -l -p 4444)
 
 # Which public port is NATed to my container?
 PORT=$(docker port $JOB 4444)
diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index bab2b7df71..67a782f595 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ func (srv *Server) CmdTag(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string)
 func (srv *Server) CmdRun(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string) error {
 	cmd := rcli.Subcmd(stdout, "run", "[OPTIONS] IMAGE COMMAND [ARG...]", "Run a command in a new container")
 	fl_user := cmd.String("u", "", "Username or UID")
-	fl_attach := cmd.Bool("a", false, "Attach stdin and stdout")
+	fl_detach := cmd.Bool("d", false, "Detached mode: leave the container running in the background")
 	fl_stdin := cmd.Bool("i", false, "Keep stdin open even if not attached")
 	fl_tty := cmd.Bool("t", false, "Allocate a pseudo-tty")
 	fl_memory := cmd.Int64("m", 0, "Memory limit (in bytes)")
@@ -821,7 +821,6 @@ func (srv *Server) CmdRun(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string)
 	if len(cmdline) == 0 {
 		*fl_stdin = true
 		*fl_tty = true
-		*fl_attach = true
 		cmdline = []string{"/bin/bash", "-i"}
 	}
 
@@ -843,7 +842,7 @@ func (srv *Server) CmdRun(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if *fl_attach {
+		if !*fl_detach {
 			Go(func() error {
 				_, err := io.Copy(cmd_stdin, stdin)
 				cmd_stdin.Close()
@@ -852,7 +851,7 @@ func (srv *Server) CmdRun(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string)
 		}
 	}
 	// Run the container
-	if *fl_attach {
+	if !*fl_detach {
 		cmd_stderr, err := container.StderrPipe()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err