diff --git a/api/server/server.go b/api/server/server.go
index d7ec2d47d7..0b7fa916d2 100644
--- a/api/server/server.go
+++ b/api/server/server.go
@@ -894,6 +894,7 @@ func (s *Server) postContainersCreate(version version.Version, w http.ResponseWr
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	adjustCpuShares(version, hostConfig)
 
 	containerId, warnings, err := s.daemon.ContainerCreate(name, config, hostConfig)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/api/server/server_linux.go b/api/server/server_linux.go
index f1a3c88250..93dd42990a 100644
--- a/api/server/server_linux.go
+++ b/api/server/server_linux.go
@@ -8,12 +8,21 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
+	"github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/daemon"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/sockets"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/systemd"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/version"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/runconfig"
 	"github.com/docker/libnetwork/portallocator"
 )
 
+const (
+	// See http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip.git/tree/kernel/sched/sched.h?id=8cd9234c64c584432f6992fe944ca9e46ca8ea76#n269
+	linuxMinCpuShares = 2
+	linuxMaxCpuShares = 262144
+)
+
 // newServer sets up the required serverClosers and does protocol specific checking.
 func (s *Server) newServer(proto, addr string) ([]serverCloser, error) {
 	var (
@@ -96,3 +105,18 @@ func allocateDaemonPort(addr string) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func adjustCpuShares(version version.Version, hostConfig *runconfig.HostConfig) {
+	if version.LessThan("1.19") {
+		if hostConfig.CpuShares > 0 {
+			// Handle unsupported CpuShares
+			if hostConfig.CpuShares < linuxMinCpuShares {
+				logrus.Warnf("Changing requested CpuShares of %d to minimum allowed of %d", hostConfig.CpuShares, linuxMinCpuShares)
+				hostConfig.CpuShares = linuxMinCpuShares
+			} else if hostConfig.CpuShares > linuxMaxCpuShares {
+				logrus.Warnf("Changing requested CpuShares of %d to maximum allowed of %d", hostConfig.CpuShares, linuxMaxCpuShares)
+				hostConfig.CpuShares = linuxMaxCpuShares
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/api/server/server_linux_test.go b/api/server/server_linux_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..47289653eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/server/server_linux_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+// +build linux
+
+package server
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/version"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/runconfig"
+)
+
+func TestAdjustCpuSharesOldApi(t *testing.T) {
+	apiVersion := version.Version("1.18")
+	hostConfig := &runconfig.HostConfig{
+		CpuShares: linuxMinCpuShares - 1,
+	}
+	adjustCpuShares(apiVersion, hostConfig)
+	if hostConfig.CpuShares != linuxMinCpuShares {
+		t.Errorf("Expected CpuShares to be %d", linuxMinCpuShares)
+	}
+
+	hostConfig.CpuShares = linuxMaxCpuShares + 1
+	adjustCpuShares(apiVersion, hostConfig)
+	if hostConfig.CpuShares != linuxMaxCpuShares {
+		t.Errorf("Expected CpuShares to be %d", linuxMaxCpuShares)
+	}
+
+	hostConfig.CpuShares = 0
+	adjustCpuShares(apiVersion, hostConfig)
+	if hostConfig.CpuShares != 0 {
+		t.Error("Expected CpuShares to be unchanged")
+	}
+
+	hostConfig.CpuShares = 1024
+	adjustCpuShares(apiVersion, hostConfig)
+	if hostConfig.CpuShares != 1024 {
+		t.Error("Expected CpuShares to be unchanged")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAdjustCpuSharesNoAdjustment(t *testing.T) {
+	apiVersion := version.Version("1.19")
+	hostConfig := &runconfig.HostConfig{
+		CpuShares: linuxMinCpuShares - 1,
+	}
+	adjustCpuShares(apiVersion, hostConfig)
+	if hostConfig.CpuShares != linuxMinCpuShares-1 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected CpuShares to be %d", linuxMinCpuShares-1)
+	}
+
+	hostConfig.CpuShares = linuxMaxCpuShares + 1
+	adjustCpuShares(apiVersion, hostConfig)
+	if hostConfig.CpuShares != linuxMaxCpuShares+1 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected CpuShares to be %d", linuxMaxCpuShares+1)
+	}
+
+	hostConfig.CpuShares = 0
+	adjustCpuShares(apiVersion, hostConfig)
+	if hostConfig.CpuShares != 0 {
+		t.Error("Expected CpuShares to be unchanged")
+	}
+
+	hostConfig.CpuShares = 1024
+	adjustCpuShares(apiVersion, hostConfig)
+	if hostConfig.CpuShares != 1024 {
+		t.Error("Expected CpuShares to be unchanged")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/api/server/server_windows.go b/api/server/server_windows.go
index 010582f634..2e33af8d25 100644
--- a/api/server/server_windows.go
+++ b/api/server/server_windows.go
@@ -54,3 +54,6 @@ func (s *Server) AcceptConnections(d *daemon.Daemon) {
 func allocateDaemonPort(addr string) error {
 	return nil
 }
+
+func adjustCpuShares(version version.Version, hostConfig *runconfig.HostConfig) {
+}