diff --git a/cmd/podman/root.go b/cmd/podman/root.go
index 7a4e313c84..ffda5c42a3 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/root.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/root.go
@@ -266,8 +266,6 @@ func setupRemoteConnection(podmanConfig *entities.PodmanConfig) string {
 func persistentPreRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	logrus.Debugf("Called %s.PersistentPreRunE(%s)", cmd.Name(), strings.Join(os.Args, " "))
 
-	checkSupportedCgroups()
-
 	// Help, completion and commands with subcommands are special cases, no need for more setup
 	// Completion cmd is used to generate the shell scripts
 	if cmd.Name() == "help" || cmd.Name() == "completion" || cmd.HasSubCommands() {
@@ -275,6 +273,8 @@ func persistentPreRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	checkSupportedCgroups()
+
 	podmanConfig := registry.PodmanConfig()
 
 	if !registry.IsRemote() {