diff --git a/cli/app/run.go b/cli/app/run.go
index e28f25fc4..61b2af1ea 100644
--- a/cli/app/run.go
+++ b/cli/app/run.go
@@ -55,15 +55,20 @@ var appRunCommand = &cli.Command{
 		}
 
 		serviceName := c.Args().Get(1)
+		stackAndServiceName := fmt.Sprintf("%s_%s", app.StackName(), serviceName)
 		filters := filters.NewArgs()
-		filters.Add("name", fmt.Sprintf("%s_%s", app.StackName(), serviceName))
+		filters.Add("name", stackAndServiceName)
 
 		containers, err := cl.ContainerList(c.Context, types.ContainerListOptions{Filters: filters})
 		if err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		if len(containers) > 1 {
-			logrus.Fatalf("expected 1 container but got %d", len(containers))
+
+		switch len(containers) {
+		case 0:
+			logrus.Fatalf("no containers matching '%s' found?", stackAndServiceName)
+		case 1:
+			logrus.Fatalf("expected 1 container matching '%s' but got %d", stackAndServiceName, len(containers))
 		}
 
 		cmd := c.Args().Slice()[2:]