diff --git a/links.go b/links.go
index 48ec2880f..e44c07319 100644
--- a/links.go
+++ b/links.go
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ type Link struct {
 	BridgeInterface string
 	Alias           string
 	FromEnvironment []string
-	ports           []Port
-	isEnabled       bool
+	Ports           []Port
+	IsEnabled       bool
 }
 
 type LinkRepository struct {
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ func (r *LinkRepository) NewLink(to, from *Container, bridgeInterface string, al
 	}
 	ports := make([]Port, len(from.Config.ExposedPorts))
 	var i int
-	for k := range from.Config.ExposedPorts {
-		ports[i] = k
+	for p := range from.Config.ExposedPorts {
+		ports[i] = p
 		i++
 	}
 	l := &Link{
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func (r *LinkRepository) NewLink(to, from *Container, bridgeInterface string, al
 		FromIP:          from.NetworkSettings.IPAddress,
 		ToIP:            to.NetworkSettings.IPAddress,
 		FromEnvironment: from.Config.Env,
-		ports:           ports,
+		Ports:           ports,
 	}
 	if err := r.registerLink(l); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func (l *Link) ToEnv() []string {
 	}
 
 	// Load exposed ports into the environment
-	for _, p := range l.ports {
+	for _, p := range l.Ports {
 		env = append(env, fmt.Sprintf("%s_PORT_%s_%s=%s://%s:%s", l.Alias, p.Port(), strings.ToUpper(p.Proto()), p.Proto(), l.FromIP, p.Port()))
 	}
 
@@ -92,18 +92,18 @@ func (l *Link) ToEnv() []string {
 // Default port rules
 func (l *Link) getDefaultPort() *Port {
 	var p Port
-	i := len(l.ports)
+	i := len(l.Ports)
 
 	if i == 0 {
 		return nil
 	} else if i > 1 {
-		sortPorts(l.ports, func(ip, jp Port) bool {
+		sortPorts(l.Ports, func(ip, jp Port) bool {
 			// If the two ports have the same number, tcp takes priority
 			// Sort in desc order
 			return ip.Int() < jp.Int() || (ip.Int() == jp.Int() && ip.Proto() == "tcp")
 		})
 	}
-	p = l.ports[0]
+	p = l.Ports[0]
 	return &p
 }
 
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func (l *Link) Enable() error {
 	if err := l.toggle("-I", false); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	l.isEnabled = true
+	l.IsEnabled = true
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -120,11 +120,11 @@ func (l *Link) Disable() {
 	// exist in iptables
 	l.toggle("-D", true)
 
-	l.isEnabled = false
+	l.IsEnabled = false
 }
 
 func (l *Link) toggle(action string, ignoreErrors bool) error {
-	for _, p := range l.ports {
+	for _, p := range l.Ports {
 		if err := iptables.Raw(action, "FORWARD",
 			"-i", l.BridgeInterface, "-o", l.BridgeInterface,
 			"-p", p.Proto(),
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func (l *Link) toggle(action string, ignoreErrors bool) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func NewLinkRepository(root string) (*LinkRepository, error) {
+func NewLinkRepository() (*LinkRepository, error) {
 	r := &LinkRepository{make(map[string]*Link)}
 	return r, nil
 }
diff --git a/links_test.go b/links_test.go
index 887ad865e..f7d0c7a16 100644
--- a/links_test.go
+++ b/links_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func newTestLinkRepository(t *testing.T) *LinkRepository {
-	r, err := NewLinkRepository("")
+	r, err := NewLinkRepository()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func TestLinkNew(t *testing.T) {
 	if link.BridgeInterface != "172.0.17.1" {
 		t.Fail()
 	}
-	for _, p := range link.ports {
+	for _, p := range link.Ports {
 		if p != Port("6379/tcp") {
 			t.Fail()
 		}
diff --git a/runtime.go b/runtime.go
index 040f52916..66fda5838 100644
--- a/runtime.go
+++ b/runtime.go
@@ -87,10 +87,9 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) containerRoot(id string) string {
 	return path.Join(runtime.repository, id)
 }
 
-// Load reads the contents of a container from disk and registers
-// it with Register.
+// Load reads the contents of a container from disk
 // This is typically done at startup.
-func (runtime *Runtime) Load(id string) (*Container, error) {
+func (runtime *Runtime) load(id string) (*Container, error) {
 	container := &Container{root: runtime.containerRoot(id)}
 	if err := container.FromDisk(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -101,9 +100,6 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) Load(id string) (*Container, error) {
 	if container.State.Running {
 		container.State.Ghost = true
 	}
-	if err := runtime.Register(container); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	return container, nil
 }
 
@@ -152,7 +148,7 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) Register(container *Container) error {
 				utils.Debugf("Restarting")
 				container.State.Ghost = false
 				container.State.setStopped(0)
-				hostConfig := &HostConfig{}
+				hostConfig, _ := container.ReadHostConfig()
 				if err := container.Start(hostConfig); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
@@ -227,9 +223,10 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) restore() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	containers := []*Container{}
 	for i, v := range dir {
 		id := v.Name()
-		container, err := runtime.Load(id)
+		container, err := runtime.load(id)
 		if i%21 == 0 && os.Getenv("DEBUG") == "" && os.Getenv("TEST") == "" {
 			fmt.Printf("\b%c", wheel[i%4])
 		}
@@ -238,10 +235,30 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) restore() error {
 			continue
 		}
 		utils.Debugf("Loaded container %v", container.ID)
+		containers = append(containers, container)
+	}
+	sortContainers(containers, func(i, j *Container) bool {
+		ic, _ := i.ReadHostConfig()
+		jc, _ := j.ReadHostConfig()
+
+		if ic == nil || ic.Links == nil {
+			return true
+		}
+		if jc == nil || jc.Links == nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		return len(ic.Links) < len(jc.Links)
+	})
+	for _, container := range containers {
+		if err := runtime.Register(container); err != nil {
+			utils.Debugf("Failed to register container %s: %s", container.ID, err)
+			continue
+		}
 	}
 	if os.Getenv("DEBUG") == "" && os.Getenv("TEST") == "" {
 		fmt.Printf("\bdone.\n")
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -482,7 +499,7 @@ func NewRuntimeFromDirectory(config *DaemonConfig) (*Runtime, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	links, err := NewLinkRepository("")
+	links, err := NewLinkRepository()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/runtime_test.go b/runtime_test.go
index dd111f752..9fab01c6c 100644
--- a/runtime_test.go
+++ b/runtime_test.go
@@ -498,3 +498,79 @@ func TestRestore(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	container2.State.Running = false
 }
+
+func TestReloadContainerLinks(t *testing.T) {
+	runtime1 := mkRuntime(t)
+	defer nuke(runtime1)
+	// Create a container with one instance of docker
+	container1, _, _ := mkContainer(runtime1, []string{"_", "ls", "-al"}, t)
+	defer runtime1.Destroy(container1)
+
+	// Create a second container meant to be killed
+	container2, _, _ := mkContainer(runtime1, []string{"-i", "_", "/bin/cat"}, t)
+	defer runtime1.Destroy(container2)
+
+	// Start the container non blocking
+	hostConfig := &HostConfig{}
+	if err := container2.Start(hostConfig); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	h1 := &HostConfig{}
+	// Add a link to container 2
+	h1.Links = []string{utils.TruncateID(container2.ID) + ":first"}
+	if err := container1.Start(h1); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if !container2.State.Running {
+		t.Fatalf("Container %v should appear as running but isn't", container2.ID)
+	}
+
+	if !container1.State.Running {
+		t.Fatalf("Container %s should appear as running bu isn't", container1.ID)
+	}
+
+	if len(runtime1.List()) != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 2 container, %v found", len(runtime1.List()))
+	}
+
+	if !container2.State.Running {
+		t.Fatalf("Container %v should appear as running but isn't", container2.ID)
+	}
+
+	// Here are are simulating a docker restart - that is, reloading all containers
+	// from scratch
+	runtime1.config.AutoRestart = true
+	runtime2, err := NewRuntimeFromDirectory(runtime1.config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer nuke(runtime2)
+	if len(runtime2.List()) != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 2 container, %v found", len(runtime2.List()))
+	}
+	runningCount := 0
+	for _, c := range runtime2.List() {
+		if c.State.Running {
+			t.Logf("Running container found: %v (%v)", c.ID, c.Path)
+			runningCount++
+		}
+	}
+	if runningCount != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 2 container alive, %d found", runningCount)
+	}
+
+	// Make sure container 2 ( the child of container 1 ) was registered and started first
+	// with the runtime
+	first := runtime2.containers.Front()
+	if first.Value.(*Container).ID != container2.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("Container 2 %s should be registered first in the runtime", container2.ID)
+	}
+
+	t.Logf("Number of links: %d", len(runtime2.links.links))
+	// Verify that the link is still registered in the runtime
+	links := runtime2.links.Get(container1)
+	if len(links) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 1 link but found %d", len(links))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/sorter.go b/sorter.go
index 09f1fcbe0..d4331eaf1 100644
--- a/sorter.go
+++ b/sorter.go
@@ -59,3 +59,25 @@ func sortPorts(ports []Port, predicate func(i, j Port) bool) {
 	s := &portSorter{ports, predicate}
 	sort.Sort(s)
 }
+
+type containerSorter struct {
+	containers []*Container
+	by         func(i, j *Container) bool
+}
+
+func (s *containerSorter) Len() int {
+	return len(s.containers)
+}
+
+func (s *containerSorter) Swap(i, j int) {
+	s.containers[i], s.containers[j] = s.containers[j], s.containers[i]
+}
+
+func (s *containerSorter) Less(i, j int) bool {
+	return s.by(s.containers[i], s.containers[j])
+}
+
+func sortContainers(containers []*Container, predicate func(i, j *Container) bool) {
+	s := &containerSorter{containers, predicate}
+	sort.Sort(s)
+}