diff --git a/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevBackend.sh b/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevBackend.sh
index 463ef858..ad2b1fab 100644
--- a/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevBackend.sh
+++ b/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevBackend.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+if ! docker info > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Docker is not running, please start the Docker daemon and try again! 💪"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 echo "--Starting Superprofile Backend--"
+
 cd superprofile
 sh initFaunaOnce.sh $1
 cd ..
diff --git a/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevEnv.sh b/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevEnv.sh
index 72afaa6b..9ec5f28c 100644
--- a/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevEnv.sh
+++ b/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevEnv.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ check_and_set_next_port() {
     fi
 }
 
+if ! docker info > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Docker is not running, please start the Docker daemon and try again! 💪"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 check_and_set_next_port
 
 export NEXT_PUBLIC_PORT=$NEXTJS_PORT
diff --git a/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevStrapi.sh b/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevStrapi.sh
index b19ce961..3d182cc2 100644
--- a/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevStrapi.sh
+++ b/gitpod-scripts/startCloudDevStrapi.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ check_and_set_strapi_port() {
     fi
 }
 
+if ! docker info > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Docker is not running, please start the Docker daemon and try again! 💪"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 check_and_set_strapi_port
 
 printf '\nNEXT_PUBLIC_STRAPI_API_URL'="http://127.0.0.1:$STRAPI_PORT" >> app/.env
diff --git a/startdevenv.sh b/startdevenv.sh
index 889734f1..3013da4a 100644
--- a/startdevenv.sh
+++ b/startdevenv.sh
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ check_and_set_next_port() {
     fi
 }
 
+if ! docker info > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Docker is not running, please start the Docker daemon and try again! 💪"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 sh startBackend.sh $1
 
 check_and_set_strapi_port