Docker Core
A command addressed a container name or ID the daemon cannot resolve.
no-such-containerReviewed for reference consistency: August 11, 2026
A command addressed a container name or ID the daemon cannot resolve.
What no-such-container Means
The no-such-container error on the Docker Core indicates a command addressed a container name or id the daemon cannot resolve.. This typically occurs due to the container was removed by an auto-remove flag or a cleanup job.
Container lookup accepts names and ID prefixes. A reference resolves to nothing after removal, after a typo, or against a different daemon context, and the failing command returns the no-such-container condition instead of operating on any workload.
How to fix no-such-container
General informational guidance, not professional advice. Commands can affect your system or data — back up first and proceed at your own risk. FixerCode is an independent reference, not affiliated with any vendor mentioned.
List every container including stopped ones
The all-flag listing shows the full registry of names and IDs the daemon can resolve right now.
docker ps -a --format 'table {{.ID}}\t{{.Names}}\t{{.Status}}'Verify the active daemon endpoint
The context output names which engine receives commands; references from another host will not resolve here.
docker context show
Technical Background
The condition is lookup failure, identical in shape to the network and image equivalents: the daemon answers plainly that its registry holds no such object rather than guessing at a near match.
Ephemeral containers make this routine rather than exceptional. Jobs that run with auto-removal cease to exist at exit, so any later command referencing them by ID observes exactly this condition.
Common Causes
- The container was removed by an auto-remove flag or a cleanup job
- The name is misspelled or refers to a compose service instead of a container
- The command runs against a different context or remote daemon
Typical Scenarios
- Reading logs of a container that a finished pipeline already removed
- An ID carried over from another host's output pasted into a local command
- Autocomplete grabbing a stale ID from shell history
What to Know
The all-containers listing including stopped entries is the resolution step: a present entry means the reference is misspelled, an absent one means the container is gone rather than hidden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Docker no-such-container error
Only from external aggregation. Removal deletes the container's log files along with its filesystem, so nothing remains for the daemon to serve.
Short IDs are unique on their own daemon; the same prefix on a different engine or context usually points at nothing.
Related Error Codes
An exec or attach targeted a container whose main process is not active.
A container claims the requested human name, and names must stay unique.
A removal request hit a volume that running or stopped containers still mount.
Related Errors From Other Categories
Similar error codes documented across different platforms and systems