diff --git a/gu-model/src/dockerman.rs b/gu-model/src/dockerman.rs
index a5e277461..cf6620863 100644
--- a/gu-model/src/dockerman.rs
+++ b/gu-model/src/dockerman.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ pub struct CreateOptions {
     #[serde(default)]
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub net: Option<NetDef>,
+    #[serde(default)] // default is false
+    pub autostart: bool,
 }
 
 impl CreateOptions {
diff --git a/gu-provider/src/dockerman.rs b/gu-provider/src/dockerman.rs
index fb82413c9..bd56812d3 100644
--- a/gu-provider/src/dockerman.rs
+++ b/gu-provider/src/dockerman.rs
@@ -420,15 +420,23 @@ impl Handler<CreateSession<CreateOptions>> for DockerMan {
                 ActorResponse::r#async(fut::wrap_future(pull_and_create).and_then(
                     move |id, act: &mut DockerMan, _| {
                         if let Some(ref api) = act.docker_api {
-                            let deploy = DockerSession {
+                            let mut deploy = DockerSession {
                                 workspace,
                                 container: api.container(Cow::from(id.clone())),
                                 status: PeerSessionStatus::CREATED,
                             };
+                            let maybe_start = if msg.options.autostart {
+                                info!("Autostarting the container");
+                                let autostart_future =
+                                    deploy.do_start().map_err(Error::Error).map(|_| ());
+                                fut::Either::A(fut::wrap_future(autostart_future))
+                            } else {
+                                fut::Either::B(fut::ok(()))
+                            };
                             act.deploys.insert_deploy(id.clone(), deploy);
-                            fut::ok(id)
+                            fut::Either::A(maybe_start.and_then(|_, _, _| fut::ok(id)))
                         } else {
-                            fut::err(Error::UnknownEnv(msg.env_type.clone()))
+                            fut::Either::B(fut::err(Error::UnknownEnv(msg.env_type.clone())))
                         }
                     },
                 ))