diff --git a/cmd/create/create.go b/cmd/create/create.go
index 27b73b32..6111a60a 100644
--- a/cmd/create/create.go
+++ b/cmd/create/create.go
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ func NewCmdCreate() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.AddCommand(NewCmdCreateCluster())
 	cmd.AddCommand(NewCmdCreateNode())
 
+	// add flags
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringP("runtime", "r", "docker", "Choose a container runtime environment [docker, containerd]")
+
 	// done
 	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/cmd/create/createCluster.go b/cmd/create/createCluster.go
index ea553c95..46812fc3 100644
--- a/cmd/create/createCluster.go
+++ b/cmd/create/createCluster.go
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ func NewCmdCreateCluster() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.Flags().StringP("name", "n", types.DefaultClusterName, "Set a name for the cluster")
 	cmd.Flags().StringP("api-port", "a", "6443", "Specify the Kubernetes cluster API server port (Format: `--api-port [host:]port`")
 	cmd.Flags().IntP("workers", "w", 0, "Specify how many workers you want to create")
-	cmd.Flags().StringP("runtime", "r", "docker", "Choose a container runtime environment [docker, containerd]")
 
 	// add subcommands
 
diff --git a/cmd/create/createNode.go b/cmd/create/createNode.go
index 3925185e..5493527b 100644
--- a/cmd/create/createNode.go
+++ b/cmd/create/createNode.go
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ package create
 import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
+	"github.com/rancher/k3d/pkg/cluster"
+	k3d "github.com/rancher/k3d/pkg/types"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
@@ -37,6 +39,11 @@ func NewCmdCreateNode() *cobra.Command {
 		Long:  `Create a new containerized k3s node (k3s in docker).`,
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			log.Debugln("create node called")
+			rt, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("runtime")
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Debugln("runtime not defined")
+			}
+			cluster.CreateNode(&k3d.Node{}, rt)
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/node.go b/pkg/cluster/node.go
index 68e0dcea..fb4856a5 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/node.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/node.go
@@ -23,10 +23,25 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 package cluster
 
 import (
-	"github.com/rancher/k3d/pkg/types"
+	k3drt "github.com/rancher/k3d/pkg/runtimes"
+	k3dContainerd "github.com/rancher/k3d/pkg/runtimes/containerd"
+	k3dDocker "github.com/rancher/k3d/pkg/runtimes/docker"
+	k3d "github.com/rancher/k3d/pkg/types"
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
 // CreateNode creates a new containerized k3s node
-func CreateNode(nodeSpec *types.Node) error {
+func CreateNode(nodeSpec *k3d.Node, runtimeChoice string) error {
+	var runtime k3drt.Runtime
+	if runtimeChoice == "docker" {
+		runtime = k3dDocker.Docker{}
+	} else {
+		runtime = k3dContainerd.Containerd{}
+	}
+
+	if err := runtime.CreateContainer(&k3d.Node{}); err != nil {
+		log.Error(err)
+	}
+	log.Println("...success")
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/runtimes/docker/container.go b/pkg/runtimes/docker/container.go
index 6382e8dd..fd2a7e83 100644
--- a/pkg/runtimes/docker/container.go
+++ b/pkg/runtimes/docker/container.go
@@ -27,13 +27,34 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/network"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/client"
 	k3d "github.com/rancher/k3d/pkg/types"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
+// CreateContainer creates a new container
 func (d Docker) CreateContainer(nodeSpec *k3d.Node) error {
 	log.Println("docker.CreateContainer...")
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	docker, err := client.NewClientWithOpts(client.FromEnv, client.WithAPIVersionNegotiation())
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to create docker client. %+v", err)
+	}
+
+	containerConfig := container.Config{
+		Cmd:   []string{"sh"},
+		Image: "nginx",
+	}
+
+	resp, err := docker.ContainerCreate(ctx, &containerConfig, &container.HostConfig{}, &network.NetworkingConfig{}, "test")
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("couldn't create container")
+		return err
+	}
+	log.Println(resp.ID)
+
 	return nil
 }