diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c23f1c2a..60e608a7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ $ sudo make install
 ```
 # ocid --debug
 ```
+If the default --runtime value does not point to your runtime:   
+```
+# ocid --runtime $(which runc)
+```
 
 #### Create a pod
 ```
diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index d1f28aa1..3195d906 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ func main() {
 			}
 			logrus.SetOutput(f)
 		}
+		if _, err := os.Stat(c.GlobalString("runtime")); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			// path to runtime does not exist
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid --runtime value %q", err)
+		}
 		switch c.GlobalString("log-format") {
 		case "text":
 			// retain logrus's default.