diff --git a/plugins/provisioners/docker/client.rb b/plugins/provisioners/docker/client.rb
index 0b5063f47..316133e97 100644
--- a/plugins/provisioners/docker/client.rb
+++ b/plugins/provisioners/docker/client.rb
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ module VagrantPlugins
       def create_container(config)
         args = "-cidfile=#{config[:cidfile]} "
         args << "-d " if config[:daemonize]
-        args << "-name #{config[:name]} " if config[:name]
+        args << "-name #{config[:name]} " if config[:name] && config[:auto_assign_name]
         args << config[:args] if config[:args]
         @machine.communicate.sudo %[
           rm -f #{config[:cidfile]}