diff --git a/tests/tools/test_docker_environment.py b/tests/tools/test_docker_environment.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ead655285f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tools/test_docker_environment.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+import logging
+import subprocess
+
+import pytest
+
+from tools.environments import docker as docker_env
+
+
+def _make_dummy_env(**kwargs):
+    """Helper to construct DockerEnvironment with minimal required args."""
+    return docker_env.DockerEnvironment(
+        image=kwargs.get("image", "python:3.11"),
+        cwd=kwargs.get("cwd", "/root"),
+        timeout=kwargs.get("timeout", 60),
+        cpu=kwargs.get("cpu", 0),
+        memory=kwargs.get("memory", 0),
+        disk=kwargs.get("disk", 0),
+        persistent_filesystem=kwargs.get("persistent_filesystem", False),
+        task_id=kwargs.get("task_id", "test-task"),
+        volumes=kwargs.get("volumes", []),
+        network=kwargs.get("network", True),
+    )
+
+
+def test_ensure_docker_available_logs_and_raises_when_not_found(monkeypatch, caplog):
+    """When docker cannot be found, raise a clear error before mini-swe setup."""
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(docker_env, "find_docker", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        docker_env.subprocess,
+        "run",
+        lambda *args, **kwargs: pytest.fail("subprocess.run should not be called when docker is missing"),
+    )
+
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.ERROR):
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as excinfo:
+            _make_dummy_env()
+
+    assert "Docker executable not found in PATH or known install locations" in str(excinfo.value)
+    assert any(
+        "no docker executable was found in PATH or known install locations"
+        in record.getMessage()
+        for record in caplog.records
+    )
+
+
+def test_ensure_docker_available_logs_and_raises_on_timeout(monkeypatch, caplog):
+    """When docker version times out, surface a helpful error instead of hanging."""
+
+    def _raise_timeout(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise subprocess.TimeoutExpired(cmd=["/custom/docker", "version"], timeout=5)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(docker_env, "find_docker", lambda: "/custom/docker")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(docker_env.subprocess, "run", _raise_timeout)
+
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.ERROR):
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as excinfo:
+            _make_dummy_env()
+
+    assert "Docker daemon is not responding" in str(excinfo.value)
+    assert any(
+        "/custom/docker version' timed out" in record.getMessage()
+        for record in caplog.records
+    )
+
+
+def test_ensure_docker_available_uses_resolved_executable(monkeypatch):
+    """When docker is found outside PATH, preflight should use that resolved path."""
+
+    calls = []
+
+    def _run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        calls.append((cmd, kwargs))
+        return subprocess.CompletedProcess(cmd, 0, stdout="Docker version", stderr="")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(docker_env, "find_docker", lambda: "/opt/homebrew/bin/docker")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(docker_env.subprocess, "run", _run)
+
+    docker_env._ensure_docker_available()
+
+    assert calls == [
+        (["/opt/homebrew/bin/docker", "version"], {
+            "capture_output": True,
+            "text": True,
+            "timeout": 5,
+        })
+    ]
+
diff --git a/tools/environments/docker.py b/tools/environments/docker.py
index 496b41d384..c04eff8d09 100644
--- a/tools/environments/docker.py
+++ b/tools/environments/docker.py
@@ -82,6 +82,72 @@ _SECURITY_ARGS = [
 _storage_opt_ok: Optional[bool] = None  # cached result across instances
 
 
+def _ensure_docker_available() -> None:
+    """Best-effort check that the docker CLI is available before use.
+
+    Reuses ``find_docker()`` so this preflight stays consistent with the rest of
+    the Docker backend, including known non-PATH Docker Desktop locations.
+    """
+    docker_exe = find_docker()
+    if not docker_exe:
+        logger.error(
+            "Docker backend selected but no docker executable was found in PATH "
+            "or known install locations. Install Docker Desktop and ensure the "
+            "CLI is available."
+        )
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "Docker executable not found in PATH or known install locations. "
+            "Install Docker and ensure the 'docker' command is available."
+        )
+
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [docker_exe, "version"],
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            timeout=5,
+        )
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        logger.error(
+            "Docker backend selected but the resolved docker executable '%s' could "
+            "not be executed.",
+            docker_exe,
+            exc_info=True,
+        )
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "Docker executable could not be executed. Check your Docker installation."
+        )
+    except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+        logger.error(
+            "Docker backend selected but '%s version' timed out. "
+            "The Docker daemon may not be running.",
+            docker_exe,
+            exc_info=True,
+        )
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "Docker daemon is not responding. Ensure Docker is running and try again."
+        )
+    except Exception:
+        logger.error(
+            "Unexpected error while checking Docker availability.",
+            exc_info=True,
+        )
+        raise
+    else:
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            logger.error(
+                "Docker backend selected but '%s version' failed "
+                "(exit code %d, stderr=%s)",
+                docker_exe,
+                result.returncode,
+                result.stderr.strip(),
+            )
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                "Docker command is available but 'docker version' failed. "
+                "Check your Docker installation."
+            )
+
+
 class DockerEnvironment(BaseEnvironment):
     """Hardened Docker container execution with resource limits and persistence.
 
@@ -120,6 +186,10 @@ class DockerEnvironment(BaseEnvironment):
             logger.warning(f"docker_volumes config is not a list: {volumes!r}")
             volumes = []
 
+        # Fail fast if Docker is not available rather than surfacing a cryptic
+        # FileNotFoundError deep inside the mini-swe-agent stack.
+        _ensure_docker_available()
+
         from minisweagent.environments.docker import DockerEnvironment as _Docker
 
         # Build resource limit args