diff --git a/integration-cli/docker_cli_create_test.go b/integration-cli/docker_cli_create_test.go
index 482e96f9dc..09e5ee8785 100644
--- a/integration-cli/docker_cli_create_test.go
+++ b/integration-cli/docker_cli_create_test.go
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ func (s *DockerSuite) TestCreateLabelFromImage(c *check.C) {
 	}
 
 	name := "test_create_labels_from_image"
-	expected := map[string]string{"k2": "x", "k3": "v3"}
+	expected := map[string]string{"k2": "x", "k3": "v3", "k1": "v1"}
 	dockerCmd(c, "create", "--name", name, "-l", "k2=x", "--label", "k3=v3", imageName)
 
 	actual := make(map[string]string)
diff --git a/runconfig/merge.go b/runconfig/merge.go
index 9a020a8894..0106c7ea11 100644
--- a/runconfig/merge.go
+++ b/runconfig/merge.go
@@ -47,6 +47,16 @@ func Merge(userConf, imageConf *Config) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if userConf.Labels == nil {
+		userConf.Labels = map[string]string{}
+	}
+	if imageConf.Labels != nil {
+		for l := range userConf.Labels {
+			imageConf.Labels[l] = userConf.Labels[l]
+		}
+		userConf.Labels = imageConf.Labels
+	}
+
 	if userConf.Entrypoint.Len() == 0 {
 		if userConf.Cmd.Len() == 0 {
 			userConf.Cmd = imageConf.Cmd