diff --git a/scripts/comm-dev.sh b/scripts/comm-dev.sh
--- a/scripts/comm-dev.sh
+++ b/scripts/comm-dev.sh
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@
       "$0" services start
       ;;
     start)
-      nix run "$COMM_ROOT"#rabbitmq-up
       nix run "$COMM_ROOT"#localstack-up
+      nix run "$COMM_ROOT"#rabbitmq-up
       ;;
     stop)
       log "Stopping services"
diff --git a/scripts/localstack_up.sh b/scripts/localstack_up.sh
--- a/scripts/localstack_up.sh
+++ b/scripts/localstack_up.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@
   exit 1
 fi
 
+if [[ $(docker info 2>/dev/null) =~ "Cannot connect to the Docker" ]]; then
+  echo "Localstack requires docker, please start docker and try again" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 # The 'localstack status' command will poll forever if you have a newer
 # docker cli, so instead use docker ps + grep to determine running container
 if ! docker ps | grep localstack &> /dev/null; then