diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 958dec8a99..c6bf387fed 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ install_dir | Installation directory for docker binary | String | auto-detected
 install_type | Installation type for docker ("binary", "package" or "source") | String | "package"
 options | Additional options to pass to docker. These could be flags like "-api-enable-cors". | String | nil
 registry_cmd_timeout | registry LWRP default cmd_timeout seconds | Fixnum | 60
+docker_daemon_timeout | Timeout to wait for the docker daemon to start in seconds | Fixnum | 10
 storage_type | Storage driver for docker (nil, "aufs", or "devmapper") | String | auto-detected (see attributes/default.rb)
 version | Version of docker | String | nil
 virtualization_type | Virtualization driver for docker (nil or "lxc") | String | auto-detected (see attributes/default.rb)
diff --git a/attributes/default.rb b/attributes/default.rb
index 94acdb2b7e..8e84963af4 100644
--- a/attributes/default.rb
+++ b/attributes/default.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 default['docker']['http_proxy'] = nil
 default['docker']['image_cmd_timeout'] = 300
 default['docker']['registry_cmd_timeout'] = 60
+default['docker']['docker_daemon_timeout'] = 10
 
 default['docker']['init_type'] = value_for_platform(
   %w{ centos debian oracle redhat } => {
diff --git a/libraries/helpers.rb b/libraries/helpers.rb
index c1f1a608d3..0693d9c361 100644
--- a/libraries/helpers.rb
+++ b/libraries/helpers.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,27 @@
+require 'chef/mixin/shell_out'
+include Chef::Mixin::ShellOut
+
 # Helpers module
 module Helpers
   # Helpers::Docker module
   module Docker
+    # Exception to signify that the Docker daemon is not yet ready to handle
+    # docker commands.
+    class DockerNotReady < StandardError
+      def initialize(timeout)
+        super <<-EOH
+The Docker daemon did not become ready within #{timeout} seconds.
+This most likely means that Docker failed to start.
+Docker can fail to start if:
+
+  - a configuration file is invalid
+  - permissions are incorrect for the root directory of the docker runtime.
+
+If this problem persists, check your service log files.
+EOH
+      end
+    end
+
     def cli_args(spec)
       cli_line = ''
       spec.each_pair do |arg, value|
@@ -28,5 +48,75 @@ def docker_inspect_id(id)
       inspect = docker_inspect(id)
       inspect['id'] if inspect
     end
+
+    def timeout
+      node['docker']['docker_daemon_timeout']
+    end
+
+    # This is based upon wait_until_ready! from the opscode jenkins cookbook.
+    #
+    # Since the docker service returns immediately and the actual docker
+    # process is started as a daemon, we block the Chef Client run until the
+    # daemon is actually ready.
+    #
+    # This method will effectively "block" the current thread until the docker
+    # daemon is ready
+    #
+    # @raise [DockerNotReady]
+    #   if the Docker master does not respond within (+timeout+) seconds
+    #
+    def wait_until_ready!
+      Timeout.timeout(timeout) do
+        loop do
+          result = shell_out('docker info')
+          break if Array(result.valid_exit_codes).include?(result.exitstatus)
+          Chef::Log.debug("Docker daemon is not running - #{result.stdout}\n#{result.stderr}")
+          sleep(0.5)
+        end
+      end
+    rescue Timeout::Error
+      raise DockerNotReady.new(timeout), 'docker timeout exceeded'
+    end
+
+    # the Error message to display if a command times out. Subclasses
+    # may want to override this to provide more details on the timeout.
+    def command_timeout_error_message
+      <<-EOM
+
+Command timed out:
+#{cmd}
+
+EOM
+    end
+
+    # Runs a docker command. Does not raise exception on non-zero exit code.
+    def docker_cmd(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
+      execute_cmd('docker ' + cmd, timeout)
+    end
+
+    # Executes the given command with the specified timeout. Does not raise an
+    # exception on a non-zero exit code.
+    def execute_cmd(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
+      Chef::Log.debug('Executing: ' + cmd)
+      begin
+        shell_out(cmd, :timeout => timeout)
+      rescue Mixlib::ShellOut::CommandTimeout
+        raise CommandTimeout, command_timeout_error_message
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Executes the given docker command with the specified timeout. Raises an
+    # exception if the command returns a non-zero exit code.
+    def docker_cmd!(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
+      execute_cmd!('docker ' + cmd, timeout)
+    end
+
+    # Executes teh given command with the specified timeout. Raises an
+    # exception if the command returns a non-zero exit code.
+    def execute_cmd!(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
+      cmd = execute_cmd(cmd, timeout)
+      cmd.error!
+      cmd
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/providers/container.rb b/providers/container.rb
index 1f8d7ef278..fe08807641 100644
--- a/providers/container.rb
+++ b/providers/container.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ class CommandTimeout < RuntimeError; end
 
 def load_current_resource
   @current_resource = Chef::Resource::DockerContainer.new(new_resource)
-  dps = docker_cmd('ps -a -notrunc')
+  wait_until_ready!
+  dps = docker_cmd!('ps -a -notrunc')
   dps.stdout.each_line do |dps_line|
     ps = dps(dps_line)
     unless container_id_matches?(ps['id'])
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ def commit
     commit_end_args = new_resource.repository
     commit_end_args += ":#{new_resource.tag}" if new_resource.tag
   end
-  docker_cmd("commit #{commit_args} #{current_resource.id} #{commit_end_args}")
+  docker_cmd!("commit #{commit_args} #{current_resource.id} #{commit_end_args}")
 end
 
 def container_command_matches_if_exists?(command)
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ def container_name
 end
 
 def cp
-  docker_cmd("cp #{current_resource.id}:#{new_resource.source} #{new_resource.destination}")
+  docker_cmd!("cp #{current_resource.id}:#{new_resource.source} #{new_resource.destination}")
 end
 
 def docker_cmd(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
@@ -175,19 +176,14 @@ def dps(dps_line)
   ps
 end
 
-def execute_cmd(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
-  Chef::Log.debug('Executing: ' + cmd)
-  begin
-    shell_out(cmd, :timeout => timeout)
-  rescue Mixlib::ShellOut::CommandTimeout
-    raise CommandTimeout, <<-EOM
+def command_timeout_error_message
+  <<-EOM
 
 Command timed out:
 #{cmd}
 
 Please adjust node container_cmd_timeout attribute or this docker_container cmd_timeout attribute if necessary.
 EOM
-  end
 end
 
 def exists?
@@ -195,14 +191,14 @@ def exists?
 end
 
 def export
-  docker_cmd("export #{current_resource.id} > #{new_resource.destination}")
+  docker_cmd!("export #{current_resource.id} > #{new_resource.destination}")
 end
 
 def kill
   if service?
     service_stop
   else
-    docker_cmd("kill #{current_resource.id}")
+    docker_cmd!("kill #{current_resource.id}")
   end
 end
 
@@ -221,7 +217,7 @@ def remove
   rm_args = cli_args(
     'link' => new_resource.link
   )
-  docker_cmd("rm #{rm_args} #{current_resource.id}")
+  docker_cmd!("rm #{rm_args} #{current_resource.id}")
   service_remove if service?
 end
 
@@ -229,7 +225,7 @@ def restart
   if service?
     service_restart
   else
-    docker_cmd("restart #{current_resource.id}")
+    docker_cmd!("restart #{current_resource.id}")
   end
 end
 
@@ -258,7 +254,7 @@ def run
     'volumes-from' => new_resource.volumes_from,
     'w' => new_resource.working_directory
   )
-  dr = docker_cmd("run #{run_args} #{new_resource.image} #{new_resource.command}")
+  dr = docker_cmd!("run #{run_args} #{new_resource.image} #{new_resource.command}")
   dr.error!
   new_resource.id(dr.stdout.chomp)
   service_create if service?
@@ -442,7 +438,7 @@ def start
   if service?
     service_create
   else
-    docker_cmd("start #{start_args} #{current_resource.id}")
+    docker_cmd!("start #{start_args} #{current_resource.id}")
   end
 end
 
@@ -453,10 +449,10 @@ def stop
   if service?
     service_stop
   else
-    docker_cmd("stop #{stop_args} #{current_resource.id}", (new_resource.cmd_timeout + 15))
+    docker_cmd!("stop #{stop_args} #{current_resource.id}", (new_resource.cmd_timeout + 15))
   end
 end
 
 def wait
-  docker_cmd("wait #{current_resource.id}")
+  docker_cmd!("wait #{current_resource.id}")
 end
diff --git a/providers/image.rb b/providers/image.rb
index caaa227816..98a732c047 100644
--- a/providers/image.rb
+++ b/providers/image.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 class CommandTimeout < RuntimeError; end
 
 def load_current_resource
+  wait_until_ready!
   @current_resource = Chef::Resource::DockerImage.new(new_resource)
   dimages = docker_cmd('images -a -notrunc')
   if dimages.stdout.include?(new_resource.image_name)
@@ -122,7 +123,7 @@ def build
     command = new_resource.source
   end
 
-  docker_cmd("build #{build_args} #{command}")
+  docker_cmd!("build #{build_args} #{command}")
 end
 
 def di(di_line)
@@ -136,23 +137,14 @@ def di(di_line)
   image
 end
 
-def docker_cmd(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
-  execute_cmd('docker ' + cmd, timeout)
-end
-
-def execute_cmd(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
-  Chef::Log.debug('Executing: ' + cmd)
-  begin
-    shell_out(cmd, :timeout => timeout)
-  rescue Mixlib::ShellOut::CommandTimeout
-    raise CommandTimeout, <<-EOM
+def command_timeout_error_message
+  <<-EOM
 
 Command timed out:
 #{cmd}
 
 Please adjust node image_cmd_timeout attribute or this docker_image cmd_timeout attribute if necessary.
 EOM
-  end
 end
 
 def image_id_matches?(id)
@@ -183,12 +175,12 @@ def import
       import_args += new_resource.source
       import_args += " #{new_resource.image_name}"
     end
-    docker_cmd("import #{import_args} #{repository_and_tag_args}")
+    docker_cmd!("import #{import_args} #{repository_and_tag_args}")
   end
 end
 
 def insert
-  docker_cmd("insert #{new_resource.image_name} #{new_resource.source} #{new_resource.destination}")
+  docker_cmd!("insert #{new_resource.image_name} #{new_resource.source} #{new_resource.destination}")
 end
 
 def installed?
@@ -196,7 +188,7 @@ def installed?
 end
 
 def load
-  docker_cmd("load < #{new_resource.source}")
+  docker_cmd!("load < #{new_resource.source}")
 end
 
 def pull
@@ -204,15 +196,17 @@ def pull
     'registry' => new_resource.registry,
     't' => new_resource.tag
   )
-  docker_cmd("pull #{new_resource.image_name} #{pull_args}")
+  docker_cmd!("pull #{new_resource.image_name} #{pull_args}")
 end
 
 def push
-  docker_cmd("push #{new_resource.image_name}")
+  docker_cmd!("push #{new_resource.image_name}")
 end
 
 def remove
-  docker_cmd("rmi #{new_resource.image_name}")
+  image_name = new_resource.image_name
+  image_name = "#{image_name}:#{new_resource.tag}" if new_resource.tag
+  docker_cmd!("rmi #{image_name}")
 end
 
 def repository_and_tag_args
@@ -225,12 +219,12 @@ def repository_and_tag_args
 end
 
 def save
-  docker_cmd("save #{new_resource.image_name} > #{new_resource.destination}")
+  docker_cmd!("save #{new_resource.image_name} > #{new_resource.destination}")
 end
 
 def tag
   tag_args = cli_args(
     'f' => new_resource.force
   )
-  docker_cmd("tag #{tag_args} #{new_resource.image_name} #{repository_and_tag_args}")
+  docker_cmd!("tag #{tag_args} #{new_resource.image_name} #{repository_and_tag_args}")
 end
diff --git a/providers/registry.rb b/providers/registry.rb
index b5d71014f2..77979f4079 100644
--- a/providers/registry.rb
+++ b/providers/registry.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ class CommandTimeout < RuntimeError; end
 
 def load_current_resource
   @current_resource = Chef::Resource::DockerRegistry.new(new_resource)
+  wait_until_ready!
   # TODO: load current resource?
   @current_resource
 end
@@ -17,23 +18,14 @@ def load_current_resource
   end
 end
 
-def docker_cmd(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
-  execute_cmd('docker ' + cmd, timeout)
-end
-
-def execute_cmd(cmd, timeout = new_resource.cmd_timeout)
-  Chef::Log.debug('Executing: ' + cmd)
-  begin
-    shell_out(cmd, :timeout => timeout)
-  rescue Mixlib::ShellOut::CommandTimeout
-    raise CommandTimeout, <<-EOM
+def command_timeout_error_message
+  <<-EOM
 
 Command timed out:
 #{cmd}
 
 Please adjust node registry_cmd_timeout attribute or this docker_registry cmd_timeout attribute if necessary.
 EOM
-  end
 end
 
 def logged_in?
@@ -46,5 +38,5 @@ def login
     'p' => new_resource.password,
     'u' => new_resource.username
   )
-  docker_cmd("login #{new_resource.server} #{login_args}")
+  docker_cmd!("login #{new_resource.server} #{login_args}")
 end
diff --git a/test/cookbooks/docker_test/files/default/tests/minitest/image_lwrp_test.rb b/test/cookbooks/docker_test/files/default/tests/minitest/image_lwrp_test.rb
index f8e9a91de1..823ea045f9 100644
--- a/test/cookbooks/docker_test/files/default/tests/minitest/image_lwrp_test.rb
+++ b/test/cookbooks/docker_test/files/default/tests/minitest/image_lwrp_test.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 describe_recipe "docker_test::image_lwrp_test" do
   include Helpers::DockerTest
-  
+
   it "has base image not installed" do
     refute image_exists?("base")
   end
@@ -14,4 +14,8 @@
   it "has bflad/testcontainerd image installed" do
     assert image_exists?("bflad/testcontainerd")
   end
+
+  it "has myImage image not installed" do
+    refute image_exists?("myImage")
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/cookbooks/docker_test/recipes/image_lwrp.rb b/test/cookbooks/docker_test/recipes/image_lwrp.rb
index 1b94913b51..832ee3b27b 100644
--- a/test/cookbooks/docker_test/recipes/image_lwrp.rb
+++ b/test/cookbooks/docker_test/recipes/image_lwrp.rb
@@ -19,5 +19,6 @@
 end
 
 docker_image "myImage" do
+  tag "myTag"
   action :remove
 end