diff --git a/Fallback/fallback.sh b/Fallback/fallback.sh
index 29d54b9..934b33b 100755
--- a/Fallback/fallback.sh
+++ b/Fallback/fallback.sh
@@ -263,6 +263,11 @@ fi
 
 acquire_lock   # strict single instance — notifies on collision
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 resolve_remote_ip
 
diff --git a/Fallback/fallback_test.sh b/Fallback/fallback_test.sh
index 28765e8..beea5e0 100644
--- a/Fallback/fallback_test.sh
+++ b/Fallback/fallback_test.sh
@@ -151,6 +151,11 @@ fi
 
 acquire_lock   # strict single instance — modifies iptables and containers
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 resolve_remote_ip
 
diff --git a/Media/lidarr_cleanup.sh b/Media/lidarr_cleanup.sh
index bec8f9c..acc6acc 100644
--- a/Media/lidarr_cleanup.sh
+++ b/Media/lidarr_cleanup.sh
@@ -165,6 +165,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 [[ -n "${LIDARR_LOCK_WARN_AGE:-}" ]] && LOCK_WARN_AGE="$LIDARR_LOCK_WARN_AGE"
 acquire_lock "wait"
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # detect_hosts() sets MY_ID and aliases LIDARR_URL, LIDARR_API_KEY, LIDARR_MUSIC_ROOT
 detect_hosts
 
diff --git a/Media/radarr_cleanup.sh b/Media/radarr_cleanup.sh
index 8e252e7..4c2300d 100644
--- a/Media/radarr_cleanup.sh
+++ b/Media/radarr_cleanup.sh
@@ -151,6 +151,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 
 acquire_lock "wait"
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # detect_hosts() sets MY_ID and aliases RADARR_URL, RADARR_API_KEY, RADARR_MOVIES_ROOT
 detect_hosts
 
diff --git a/Media/sonarr_cleanup.sh b/Media/sonarr_cleanup.sh
index bec4296..b2108ec 100644
--- a/Media/sonarr_cleanup.sh
+++ b/Media/sonarr_cleanup.sh
@@ -151,6 +151,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 
 acquire_lock "wait"
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # detect_hosts() sets MY_ID and aliases SONARR_URL, SONARR_API_KEY, SONARR_TV_ROOT
 detect_hosts
 
diff --git a/Orchestrators/array_stopping.sh b/Orchestrators/array_stopping.sh
index 096866d..d8419f8 100755
--- a/Orchestrators/array_stopping.sh
+++ b/Orchestrators/array_stopping.sh
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 
 [[ "$DRY_RUN" == true ]] && warn "DRY RUN — no stop scripts will be executed"
diff --git a/Orchestrators/daily_sync_maintenance.sh b/Orchestrators/daily_sync_maintenance.sh
index 69f4ebe..017f783 100644
--- a/Orchestrators/daily_sync_maintenance.sh
+++ b/Orchestrators/daily_sync_maintenance.sh
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
     "" "" \
     "unRAID notify script" || warn "unRAID notify script not found — native notifications disabled"
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 resolve_remote_ip
 
diff --git a/Orchestrators/transcode_management.sh b/Orchestrators/transcode_management.sh
index 36f2d12..17e7e5a 100644
--- a/Orchestrators/transcode_management.sh
+++ b/Orchestrators/transcode_management.sh
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ fi
 
 acquire_lock "wait"
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # detect_hosts() sets MY_ID and aliases all HOST*_TRANSCODE_* vars
 detect_hosts
 
diff --git a/Orchestrators/weekly_sync_maintenance.sh b/Orchestrators/weekly_sync_maintenance.sh
index 92c9f24..b066416 100644
--- a/Orchestrators/weekly_sync_maintenance.sh
+++ b/Orchestrators/weekly_sync_maintenance.sh
@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 resolve_remote_ip
 
diff --git a/Partnership/partnership_manager.sh b/Partnership/partnership_manager.sh
index e7c7182..973ad3f 100644
--- a/Partnership/partnership_manager.sh
+++ b/Partnership/partnership_manager.sh
@@ -237,6 +237,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
     "" "" \
     "unRAID notify script" || warn "unRAID notify script not found — native notifications disabled"
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # detect_hosts() sets MY_ID and aliases PARTNERSHIP_AUTH_WEBUIS, PARTNERSHIP_MIRROR_BACKUPS
 detect_hosts
 
diff --git a/Partnership/partnership_offboard.sh b/Partnership/partnership_offboard.sh
index 0073493..d1dd46b 100755
--- a/Partnership/partnership_offboard.sh
+++ b/Partnership/partnership_offboard.sh
@@ -97,6 +97,11 @@ PARTNERSHIP_LIB_MODE=1 source "$SCRIPT_DIR/partnership_manager.sh"
 # ==============================================================================================
 [[ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]] && { error "Must be run as root"; exit 1; }
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 
 OWNER_ID="${PARTNERSHIP_OWNER_HOST:-HOST1}"
diff --git a/Partnership/partnership_onboard.sh b/Partnership/partnership_onboard.sh
index 0d59f5c..fc9c334 100755
--- a/Partnership/partnership_onboard.sh
+++ b/Partnership/partnership_onboard.sh
@@ -158,6 +158,11 @@ parse_args "${FILTERED_ARGS[@]}"
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 
 OWNER_ID="${PARTNERSHIP_OWNER_HOST:-HOST1}"
diff --git a/Rsync/rsync.sh b/Rsync/rsync.sh
index 9fa7775..d2a4f3f 100644
--- a/Rsync/rsync.sh
+++ b/Rsync/rsync.sh
@@ -165,6 +165,11 @@ fi
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 validate_unraid_cmd \
     "/usr/local/emhttp/plugins/dynamix/scripts/notify" \
     "" "" \
diff --git a/Tools/container_data_export.sh b/Tools/container_data_export.sh
index f352ac1..86a7af2 100644
--- a/Tools/container_data_export.sh
+++ b/Tools/container_data_export.sh
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ fi
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 validate_unraid_cmd \
     "/usr/local/emhttp/plugins/dynamix/scripts/notify" \
     "" "" \
diff --git a/Tools/emby_database_repair.sh b/Tools/emby_database_repair.sh
index ec4e687..2c02060 100644
--- a/Tools/emby_database_repair.sh
+++ b/Tools/emby_database_repair.sh
@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@ fi
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # detect_hosts() sets MY_ID and aliases HOST*_EMBY_CONTAINER → EMBY_CONTAINER
 detect_hosts
 
diff --git a/Tools/watchdog_skip_list_manager.sh b/Tools/watchdog_skip_list_manager.sh
index 1663527..e915530 100644
--- a/Tools/watchdog_skip_list_manager.sh
+++ b/Tools/watchdog_skip_list_manager.sh
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # detect_hosts() sets MY_ID — used in output
 detect_hosts
 
diff --git a/Transcodes/transcode_manager.sh b/Transcodes/transcode_manager.sh
index 5dad2f6..3e56403 100644
--- a/Transcodes/transcode_manager.sh
+++ b/Transcodes/transcode_manager.sh
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 
 acquire_lock "wait"
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # detect_hosts() sets MY_ID and aliases all HOST*_TRANSCODE_* vars
 detect_hosts
 
diff --git a/git_pull_execute.sh b/git_pull_execute.sh
index 3e2513f..cd8731a 100755
--- a/git_pull_execute.sh
+++ b/git_pull_execute.sh
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ if [[ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]]; then
 fi
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # detect_hosts() sets MY_ID — needed for sparse checkout configuration
 detect_hosts
 
diff --git a/unRAID_Essentials/clear_logs.sh b/unRAID_Essentials/clear_logs.sh
index a8c21d7..938f80b 100644
--- a/unRAID_Essentials/clear_logs.sh
+++ b/unRAID_Essentials/clear_logs.sh
@@ -100,6 +100,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 
 [[ "$DRY_RUN" == true ]] && warn "DRY RUN — no files will be cleared"
diff --git a/unRAID_Essentials/inotify_tuning.sh b/unRAID_Essentials/inotify_tuning.sh
index ce70f5f..5162881 100755
--- a/unRAID_Essentials/inotify_tuning.sh
+++ b/unRAID_Essentials/inotify_tuning.sh
@@ -106,6 +106,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 
 [[ "$DRY_RUN" == true ]] && warn "DRY RUN — no changes will be made"
diff --git a/unRAID_Essentials/resource_watchdog.sh b/unRAID_Essentials/resource_watchdog.sh
index 20d411a..2545d98 100755
--- a/unRAID_Essentials/resource_watchdog.sh
+++ b/unRAID_Essentials/resource_watchdog.sh
@@ -124,6 +124,11 @@ fi
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 
 DOCKER_TIMEOUT=15
diff --git a/unRAID_Essentials/rsync_stop.sh b/unRAID_Essentials/rsync_stop.sh
index 1c332a9..4d83066 100755
--- a/unRAID_Essentials/rsync_stop.sh
+++ b/unRAID_Essentials/rsync_stop.sh
@@ -121,6 +121,11 @@ validate_unraid_cmd \
 
 acquire_lock
 
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
+    error "Docker command not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 detect_hosts
 
 # Soft IP resolution — rsync_stop continues local-only if remote unreachable