diff --git a/tools/local-env/scripts/start.js b/tools/local-env/scripts/start.js
index cf18435450..f3e066126b 100644
--- a/tools/local-env/scripts/start.js
+++ b/tools/local-env/scripts/start.js
@@ -4,6 +4,20 @@ const { execSync } = require( 'child_process' );
 
 dotenvExpand( dotenv.config() );
 
+// Check if docker server is available
+// @ticket 51898
+//
+// The docker info command will throw an error if server is not available.
+try {
+	execSync( 'docker info' );
+}
+catch ( err ) {
+	if( err.message.startsWith( "Command failed: docker info" ) ) {
+		throw new Error( `Running docker info returned an error. Is docker service and server running?` );
+	}
+	throw err;
+}
+
 // Start the local-env containers.
 execSync( 'docker-compose up -d wordpress-develop', { stdio: 'inherit' } );