diff --git a/alpine/packages/docker/etc/init.d/docker b/alpine/packages/docker/etc/init.d/docker
index c42fb4788..75931cf8d 100755
--- a/alpine/packages/docker/etc/init.d/docker
+++ b/alpine/packages/docker/etc/init.d/docker
@@ -2,7 +2,18 @@
 
 export DOCKER_RAMDISK="true"
 
-DOCKER_OPTS="${DOCKER_OPTS:- -s aufs}"
+# choose a graph driver based on what is available and a preference
+# if the user has not set any opts
+# we do not yet provide easy access to /etc/conf.d/docker but may do
+# otherwise let Docker choose
+if cat /proc/filesystems | grep -q '\taufs$'
+then
+	DOCKER_OPTS="${DOCKER_OPTS:- -s aufs}"
+else if cat /proc/filesystems | grep -q '\toverlay$'
+then
+	DOCKER_OPTS="${DOCKER_OPTS:- -s overlay}"
+fi
+
 command="${DOCKER_BINARY:-/usr/bin/docker}"
 
 pidfile="${DOCKER_PIDFILE:-/run/${RC_SVCNAME}.pid}"