diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index 81269ee9d..71b055e09 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"mime"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"regexp"
@@ -622,7 +623,12 @@ func postContainersStart(srv *Server, version float64, w http.ResponseWriter, r
 	if vars == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Missing parameter")
 	}
+	var err error
 	name := vars["name"]
+	name, err = url.QueryUnescape(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	if err := srv.ContainerStart(name, hostConfig); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index e0bfcea43..4085236ea 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -558,6 +558,7 @@ func (cli *DockerCli) CmdStart(args ...string) error {
 
 	var encounteredError error
 	for _, name := range args {
+		name = strings.Replace(name, "/", "%252F", -1)
 		_, _, err := cli.call("POST", "/containers/"+name+"/start", nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(cli.err, "%s\n", err)
diff --git a/runtime.go b/runtime.go
index 0452cf418..f8520f62e 100644
--- a/runtime.go
+++ b/runtime.go
@@ -67,10 +67,15 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) getContainerElement(id string) *list.Element {
 // Get looks for a container by the specified ID or name, and returns it.
 // If the container is not found, or if an error occurs, nil is returned.
 func (runtime *Runtime) Get(name string) *Container {
+	if c, _ := runtime.GetByName(name); c != nil {
+		return c
+	}
+
 	id, err := runtime.idIndex.Get(name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
+
 	e := runtime.getContainerElement(id)
 	if e == nil {
 		return nil
@@ -472,11 +477,11 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) GetByName(name string) (*Container, error) {
 	if entity == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Could not find entity for %s", name)
 	}
-	container := runtime.Get(entity.ID())
-	if container == nil {
+	e := runtime.getContainerElement(entity.ID())
+	if e == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Could not find container for entity id %s", entity.ID())
 	}
-	return container, nil
+	return e.Value.(*Container), nil
 }
 
 func (runtime *Runtime) Children(name string) (map[string]*Container, error) {