diff --git a/alpine/packages/docker/etc/init.d/docker b/alpine/packages/docker/etc/init.d/docker
index 3027086f0..c57297d4a 100755
--- a/alpine/packages/docker/etc/init.d/docker
+++ b/alpine/packages/docker/etc/init.d/docker
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ start()
 	fi
 
 	# Set Docker to debug debug if not specified in daemon.json
-	([ -f /etc/docker/daemon.json ] && cat /etc/docker/daemon.json | jq -e .debug > /dev/null) || DOCKER_OPTS="${DOCKER_OPTS} --debug"
+	([ -f /etc/docker/daemon.json ] && cat /etc/docker/daemon.json | jq -e 'has("debug")' > /dev/null) || DOCKER_OPTS="${DOCKER_OPTS} --debug"
 
 	# shift logs onto host before docker starts
 	# busybox reopens its log files every second