diff --git a/container/docker/handler.go b/container/docker/handler.go
index 76f0cf74..4f38b14d 100644
--- a/container/docker/handler.go
+++ b/container/docker/handler.go
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ type dockerContainerHandler struct {
 	storageDirs    []string
 }
 
+func DockerStateDir() string {
+	return path.Join(*dockerRootDir, pathToLibcontainerState)
+}
+
 func newDockerContainerHandler(
 	client *docker.Client,
 	name string,
@@ -90,14 +94,15 @@ func newDockerContainerHandler(
 	}
 
 	id := ContainerNameToDockerId(name)
+	stateDir := DockerStateDir()
 	handler := &dockerContainerHandler{
 		id:                     id,
 		client:                 client,
 		name:                   name,
 		machineInfoFactory:     machineInfoFactory,
-		libcontainerConfigPath: path.Join(dockerRootDir, pathToLibcontainerState, id, "container.json"),
-		libcontainerStatePath:  path.Join(dockerRootDir, pathToLibcontainerState, id, "state.json"),
-		libcontainerPidPath:    path.Join(dockerRootDir, pathToLibcontainerState, id, "pid"),
+		libcontainerConfigPath: path.Join(stateDir, id, "container.json"),
+		libcontainerStatePath:  path.Join(stateDir, id, "state.json"),
+		libcontainerPidPath:    path.Join(stateDir, id, "pid"),
 		cgroupPaths:            cgroupPaths,
 		cgroup: cgroups.Cgroup{
 			Parent: "/",
diff --git a/validate/validate.go b/validate/validate.go
index f61f471b..cb675b68 100644
--- a/validate/validate.go
+++ b/validate/validate.go
@@ -32,13 +32,15 @@ import (
 	"github.com/google/cadvisor/utils"
 )
 
-const ValidatePage = "/validate/"
-const Supported = "[Supported, but not recommended]"
-const Unsupported = "[Unsupported]"
-const Recommended = "[Supported and recommended]"
-const Unknown = "[Unknown]"
-const VersionFormat = "%d.%d%s"
-const OutputFormat = "%s: %s\n\t%s\n\n"
+const (
+	ValidatePage  = "/validate/"
+	Supported     = "[Supported, but not recommended]"
+	Unsupported   = "[Unsupported]"
+	Recommended   = "[Supported and recommended]"
+	Unknown       = "[Unknown]"
+	VersionFormat = "%d.%d%s"
+	OutputFormat  = "%s: %s\n\t%s\n\n"
+)
 
 func getMajorMinor(version string) (int, int, error) {
 	var major, minor int
@@ -170,6 +172,12 @@ func validateDockerInfo() (string, string) {
 				desc += "\tCgroups are being created through cgroup filesystem.\n"
 			}
 			if strings.Contains(execDriver, "native") {
+				stateFile := docker.DockerStateDir()
+				if !utils.FileExists(stateFile) {
+					desc += fmt.Sprintf("\tDocker container state directory %q is not accessible.\n", stateFile)
+					return Unsupported, desc
+				}
+				desc += fmt.Sprintf("\tDocker container state directory is at %q and is accessible.\n", stateFile)
 				return Recommended, desc
 			} else if strings.Contains(execDriver, "lxc") {
 				return Supported, desc