diff --git a/docker/container.go b/docker/container.go
index 8d95de7a..57bcc506 100644
--- a/docker/container.go
+++ b/docker/container.go
@@ -529,7 +529,6 @@ func (c *Container) start(createOnly, wait bool) *Container {
 		return c.returnErr(err)
 	}
 
-	container := c.Container
 	created := false
 
 	opts, err := c.getCreateOpts(client)
@@ -563,15 +562,13 @@ func (c *Container) start(createOnly, wait bool) *Container {
 			return c.returnErr(err)
 		}
 
-		container, err = client.CreateContainer(*opts)
+		c.Container, err = client.CreateContainer(*opts)
 		created = true
 		if err != nil {
 			return c.returnErr(err)
 		}
 	}
 
-	c.Container = container
-
 	hostConfig := c.Container.HostConfig
 	if created {
 		hostConfig = opts.HostConfig