diff --git a/Atomic/atomic.py b/Atomic/atomic.py
index 5bc6183..74b0c0d 100644
--- a/Atomic/atomic.py
+++ b/Atomic/atomic.py
@@ -68,7 +68,10 @@ class Atomic(object):
         return self
 
     def __exit__(self, typ, value, traceback):
-        self.d.close()
+        try:
+            self.d.close()
+        except NoDockerDaemon:
+            pass
 
     def docker_binary(self):
         if not self.docker_cmd:
diff --git a/Atomic/storage.py b/Atomic/storage.py
index faf2848..f1d793b 100644
--- a/Atomic/storage.py
+++ b/Atomic/storage.py
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     from atomic import Atomic # pylint: disable=relative-import
 
+try:
+    _default_docker_lib = default_docker_lib()
+except NoDockerDaemon:
+    _default_docker_lib = None
+
 def cli(subparser):
     # atomic storage
     storagep = subparser.add_parser(
@@ -35,8 +40,8 @@ def cli(subparser):
                                            "containers, and volumes into a filesystem directory.")
     exportp.set_defaults(_class=Storage, func='Export')
     exportp.add_argument("--graph", dest="graph",
-                         default=default_docker_lib(),
-                         help=_("Root of the Docker runtime (Default: %s)" % default_docker_lib()))
+                         default=_default_docker_lib,
+                         help=_("Root of the Docker runtime (Default: %s)" % _default_docker_lib))
     exportp.add_argument("--dir", dest="export_location",
                          default="/var/lib/atomic/migrate",
                          help=_("Path for exporting container's content (Default: /var/lib/atomic/migrate)"))
@@ -48,8 +53,8 @@ def cli(subparser):
                                            "containers, and volumes from a filesystem directory.")
     importp.set_defaults(_class=Storage, func='Import')
     importp.add_argument("--graph", dest="graph",
-                         default=default_docker_lib(),
-                         help=_("Root of the Docker runtime (Default: %s)" % default_docker_lib()))
+                         default=_default_docker_lib,
+                         help=_("Root of the Docker runtime (Default: %s)" % _default_docker_lib))
 
     importp.add_argument("--dir", dest="import_location",
                          default="/var/lib/atomic/migrate",
@@ -70,16 +75,16 @@ def cli(subparser):
     modifyp.add_argument('--driver', dest="driver", default=None, help='The storage backend driver', choices=['devicemapper', 'overlay', 'overlay2'])
     modifyp.add_argument('--vgroup', dest="vgroup", default=None, help='The storage volume group')
     modifyp.add_argument("--graph", dest="graph",
-                        default=default_docker_lib(),
-                        help=_("Root of the Docker runtime (Default: %s)" % default_docker_lib()))
+                        default=_default_docker_lib,
+                        help=_("Root of the Docker runtime (Default: %s)" % _default_docker_lib))
     modifyp.set_defaults(_class=Storage, func='modify')
 
     # atomic storage reset
     resetp = storage_subparser.add_parser("reset",
                                           help=_("delete all containers/images from your system. Reset storage to its initial configuration."))
     resetp.add_argument("--graph", dest="graph",
-                        default=default_docker_lib(),
-                        help=_("Root of the Docker runtime (Default: %s)" % default_docker_lib()))
+                        default=_default_docker_lib,
+                        help=_("Root of the Docker runtime (Default: %s)" % _default_docker_lib))
     resetp.set_defaults(_class=Storage, func='reset')
 
 def query_pvs(pv, fields):
diff --git a/Atomic/util.py b/Atomic/util.py
index afebf37..797fdf6 100644
--- a/Atomic/util.py
+++ b/Atomic/util.py
@@ -53,11 +53,9 @@ input, is_python2 = check_if_python2() # pylint: disable=redefined-builtin
 
 
 def get_docker_conf():
+    dconf = []
     with AtomicDocker() as c:
-        try:
-            dconf = c.info()
-        except (NoDockerDaemon, requests.exceptions.ConnectionError):
-            raise ValueError("This Atomic function requires an active docker daemon.")
+        dconf = c.info()
     return dconf
 
 def get_registries():
@@ -447,7 +445,7 @@ default_docker.cache = None
 def default_docker_lib():
     try:
         return get_docker_conf()["DockerRootDir"]
-    except ValueError:
+    except (NoDockerDaemon, requests.ConnectionError):
         # looks like dockerd is not running
         pass