Error response from daemon: Container X is not running
You tried to exec into or interact with a container that has stopped.
Seen on:
Docker
Meaning
docker exec only works on running containers. The container probably crashed or exited right after start — check its logs and exit code, then start it again or run a new one interactively.
Common causes
- Container exited (crash or finished CMD)
- Container stopped manually or by restart policy
- Container paused/restarting
⚡ Quick fix
- docker logs <container> to see why it stopped
- docker start <container> then exec
- Debug with docker run -it --entrypoint sh image
Detailed fix by platform
Docker
- bash
docker logs --tail 50 web docker start web && docker exec -it web sh
How to diagnose
- State — docker inspect -f '{{.State.Status}} {{.State.ExitCode}}' web
- Logs — Why did it stop?
🔧 Still not fixed?
Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:
Similar errors
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- Conflict container name Conflict. The container name "/x" is already in use by container …
Most viewed in Docker
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Other ways to find it
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Last updated 7 Oct 2026