diff --git a/container.go b/container.go
index c55c5ac..1b47997 100644
--- a/container.go
+++ b/container.go
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import (
 	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/config"
 )
 
+var containerRuntime = "docker"
+
 type ContainerCmd struct {
 	Filter string `help:"filter by name"`
 
@@ -56,7 +58,8 @@ type ContainerCleanupCmd struct{}
 func (cmd ContainerCleanupCmd) Run(containerCmd *ContainerCmd) (err error) {
 	var output []byte
 	for _, name := range containerCmd.Containers() {
-		output, err = exec.Command("docker", "image", "rm", name).CombinedOutput()
+		output, err = exec.Command(containerRuntime, "image", "rm", name).
+			CombinedOutput()
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Error().Err(err).Str("output", string(output)).Msg("")
 			return
@@ -72,7 +75,7 @@ type containerImageInfo struct {
 }
 
 func listContainerImages() (diis []containerImageInfo, err error) {
-	cmd := exec.Command("docker", "images")
+	cmd := exec.Command(containerRuntime, "images")
 	log.Debug().Msgf("%v", cmd)
 
 	rawOutput, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
@@ -148,7 +151,7 @@ func (c container) Build(imagePath string) (output string, err error) {
 	args := []string{"build"}
 	args = append(args, "-t", c.name, imagePath)
 
-	cmd := exec.Command("docker", args...)
+	cmd := exec.Command(containerRuntime, args...)
 
 	flog := log.With().
 		Str("command", fmt.Sprintf("%v", cmd)).
@@ -207,7 +210,7 @@ func (c container) Run(workdir string, command string) (output string, err error
 		args = append(args, command)
 	}
 
-	cmd := exec.Command("docker", args...)
+	cmd := exec.Command(containerRuntime, args...)
 
 	log.Debug().Msgf("%v", cmd)
 
diff --git a/kernel.go b/kernel.go
index 5e904e8..3124cb3 100644
--- a/kernel.go
+++ b/kernel.go
@@ -262,7 +262,8 @@ func generateBaseDockerImage(registry string, commands []config.DockerCommand,
 
 	d := "# BASE\n"
 
-	cmd := exec.Command("docker", "images", "-q", sk.DockerName())
+	// TODO move as function to container.go
+	cmd := exec.Command(containerRuntime, "images", "-q", sk.DockerName())
 	log.Debug().Msgf("run %v", cmd)
 
 	rawOutput, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index f19754f..bcf3ebe 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"os/user"
 	"runtime/debug"
 	"strconv"
@@ -44,6 +45,8 @@ type CLI struct {
 	Version VersionFlag `name:"version" help:"print version information and quit"`
 
 	LogLevel LogLevelFlag `enum:"trace,debug,info,warn,error" default:"info"`
+
+	ContainerRuntime string `enum:"podman,docker" default:"podman"`
 }
 
 type LogLevelFlag string
@@ -153,6 +156,22 @@ func main() {
 		log.Debug().Msgf("%v", buildInfo.Settings)
 	}
 
+	_, err = exec.LookPath(cli.ContainerRuntime)
+	if err != nil {
+		if cli.ContainerRuntime == "podman" { // default value
+			log.Debug().Msgf("podman is not found in $PATH, " +
+				"fall back to docker")
+			cli.ContainerRuntime = "docker"
+		}
+
+		_, err = exec.LookPath(cli.ContainerRuntime)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatal().Msgf("%v is not found in $PATH",
+				cli.ContainerRuntime)
+		}
+	}
+	containerRuntime = cli.ContainerRuntime
+
 	err = ctx.Run(&cli.Globals)
 	ctx.FatalIfErrorf(err)
 }