diff --git a/.changeset/violet-elephants-sit.md b/.changeset/violet-elephants-sit.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ae72cc68c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/violet-elephants-sit.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"create-t3-app": patch
+---
+
+Resolved issue where database startup script did not check for docker daemon being up and running
diff --git a/cli/template/extras/start-database/mysql.sh b/cli/template/extras/start-database/mysql.sh
index 268df5cc53..731725c31c 100755
--- a/cli/template/extras/start-database/mysql.sh
+++ b/cli/template/extras/start-database/mysql.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ if ! [ -x "$(command -v docker)" ]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+if ! docker info > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Docker daemon is not running. Please start Docker and try again."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 if [ "$(docker ps -q -f name=$DB_CONTAINER_NAME)" ]; then
   echo "Database container '$DB_CONTAINER_NAME' already running"
   exit 0
diff --git a/cli/template/extras/start-database/postgres.sh b/cli/template/extras/start-database/postgres.sh
index 11fb2042ad..378f19e23c 100755
--- a/cli/template/extras/start-database/postgres.sh
+++ b/cli/template/extras/start-database/postgres.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ if ! [ -x "$(command -v docker)" ]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+if ! docker info > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Docker daemon is not running. Please start Docker and try again."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 if [ "$(docker ps -q -f name=$DB_CONTAINER_NAME)" ]; then
   echo "Database container '$DB_CONTAINER_NAME' already running"
   exit 0