diff --git a/cmd/podman/create.go b/cmd/podman/create.go
index af065817f2..8f9e828058 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/create.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/create.go
@@ -159,6 +159,9 @@ func createCmd(c *cli.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	if c.String("cidfile") != "" {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(c.String("cidfile")); err == nil {
+			return errors.Errorf("container id file exists. ensure another container is not using it or delete %s", c.String("cidfile"))
+		}
 		if err := libpod.WriteFile("", c.String("cidfile")); err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrapf(err, "unable to write cidfile %s", c.String("cidfile"))
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/podman/run.go b/cmd/podman/run.go
index 53b7083e35..523b973fb1 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/run.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/run.go
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ func runCmd(c *cli.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	if c.String("cidfile") != "" {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(c.String("cidfile")); err == nil {
+			return errors.Errorf("container id file exists. ensure another container is not using it or delete %s", c.String("cidfile"))
+		}
 		if err := libpod.WriteFile("", c.String("cidfile")); err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrapf(err, "unable to write cidfile %s", c.String("cidfile"))
 		}