diff --git a/src/devx/molecule/start_docker.py b/src/devx/molecule/start_docker.py
index 4d71ef2..16c0665 100644
--- a/src/devx/molecule/start_docker.py
+++ b/src/devx/molecule/start_docker.py
@@ -223,13 +223,35 @@ def start_docker_daemon(timeout: int = DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) -> bool:
     # data root and socket.  The inner dockerd uses the container's
     # overlay (38G, often 100% full).  Killing it frees up the
     # socket and any space used by its containers/volumes.
+    # Use SIGKILL (-9) since the inner dockerd may not respond to SIGTERM.
+    # Try multiple patterns to match different dockerd invocations.
+    for pattern in ["dockerd", "dockerd-entrypoint.sh"]:
+        with contextlib.suppress(Exception):
+            subprocess.run(  # nosec B603 B607
+                ["pkill", "-9", "-f", pattern],
+                check=False,
+                timeout=5,
+            )
+    time.sleep(3)
+
+    # Verify the inner dockerd is actually dead.  If we can still
+    # connect to /var/run/docker.sock, the old daemon is still running
+    # and we need to use a different socket path.
+    old_daemon_alive = False
     with contextlib.suppress(Exception):
-        subprocess.run(  # nosec B603 B607
-            ["pkill", "-f", "dockerd.*--host fd://"],
-            check=False,
+        result = subprocess.run(  # nosec B603 B607
+            ["docker", "info"],
+            env={**os.environ, "DOCKER_HOST": f"unix://{DOCKER_SOCK}"},
+            capture_output=True,
             timeout=5,
         )
-    time.sleep(2)
+        old_daemon_alive = result.returncode == 0
+
+    if old_daemon_alive:
+        click.echo("  Inner dockerd still alive, using alternate socket")
+        local_sock = "/dev/shm/docker.sock"  # nosec B108
+    else:
+        local_sock = DOCKER_SOCK
 
     # Clean up the inner dockerd's data root to free space.
     # The inner dockerd stores images, containers, and volumes here.
@@ -243,11 +265,9 @@ def start_docker_daemon(timeout: int = DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) -> bool:
             timeout=30,
         )
 
-    # Use the inner dockerd's socket path (now free after pkill)
-    # and a fresh data root on the container's overlay.
+    # Use a fresh data root on the container's overlay.
     # /dev/shm is a small tmpfs (16G) — too small for images.
     # The container's overlay (38G) has more space after cleanup.
-    local_sock = DOCKER_SOCK
     docker_data_root = "/tmp/docker-data"  # nosec B108
 
     # Remove stale socket if present
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_start_docker.py b/tests/unit/test_start_docker.py
index 33ee0c9..695fe12 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_start_docker.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_start_docker.py
@@ -218,9 +218,52 @@ class TestStartDockerDaemon:
         mock_ntf.return_value = MagicMock(name="/tmp/dockerd.log")
         mock_ready.side_effect = [True, False, False, False, False, True]
         mock_free.return_value = 5 * 1024**3
+        # mock_run: pkill calls (x2), docker info check (returncode=1 = dead), rm call
+        mock_run.side_effect = [
+            MagicMock(),
+            MagicMock(),
+            MagicMock(returncode=1),
+            MagicMock(),
+        ]
         assert start_docker_daemon(timeout=5) is True
         mock_popen.assert_called_once()
 
+    @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker._diagnose_socket")
+    @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker._get_docker_free_bytes")
+    @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker.is_docker_ready")
+    @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker.os.path.exists", side_effect=_exists_map({DOCKER_SOCK}))
+    @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker.glob.glob", return_value=[])
+    @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker.subprocess.run")
+    @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker.subprocess.Popen")
+    @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker.tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile")
+    @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker.time.sleep")
+    def test_inner_dockerd_alive_uses_alt_sock(
+        self,
+        mock_sleep: MagicMock,
+        mock_ntf: MagicMock,
+        mock_popen: MagicMock,
+        mock_run: MagicMock,
+        mock_glob: MagicMock,
+        mock_exists: MagicMock,
+        mock_ready: MagicMock,
+        mock_free: MagicMock,
+        mock_diag: MagicMock,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Should use /dev/shm/docker.sock if inner dockerd can't be killed."""
+        mock_ntf.return_value = MagicMock(name="/tmp/dockerd.log")
+        mock_ready.side_effect = [True, False, False, False, False, True]
+        mock_free.return_value = 5 * 1024**3
+        # mock_run: pkill calls (x2), docker info check (returncode=0 = alive), rm call
+        mock_run.side_effect = [
+            MagicMock(),
+            MagicMock(),
+            MagicMock(returncode=0),
+            MagicMock(),
+        ]
+        assert start_docker_daemon(timeout=5) is True
+        mock_popen.assert_called_once()
+        assert os.environ.get("DOCKER_HOST") == "unix:///dev/shm/docker.sock"
+
     @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker._diagnose_socket")
     @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker._get_docker_free_bytes")
     @patch("devx.molecule.start_docker.is_docker_ready")