diff --git a/docker-scripts.sh b/docker-scripts.sh
index 5d523dd..5d8c3c9 100644
--- a/docker-scripts.sh
+++ b/docker-scripts.sh
@@ -65,6 +65,21 @@ connect_clightning_node() {
 }
 
 lnbits-regtest-start(){
+  if ! command -v jq &> /dev/null
+  then
+      echo "jq is not installed"
+      exit
+  fi
+  if ! command -v docker &> /dev/null
+  then
+      echo "docker is not installed"
+      exit
+  fi
+  if ! command -v docker version &> /dev/null
+  then
+      echo "dockerd is not running"
+      exit
+  fi
   lnbits-regtest-stop
   docker compose up -d --remove-orphans
   lnbits-regtest-init