diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a40d73e5..2253806d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -112,8 +112,7 @@ dictionary whose key is the container's port and the value is a `[{'HostIp': ''
 all host interfaces.  By leaving the `HostPort` blank, Docker will
 automatically assign a port.  For example: `port_bindings={"2181/tcp": [{'HostIp': ''
 'HostPort': ''}]}`.
-`lxc_conf` allows to pass LXC configuration options using a dictionary in the form of Key Value pairs.
-For example: `lxc_conf=[{"Key":"lxc.cgroup.cpu.shares","Value":"1"}, {"Key": ..., "Value": }]`.
+`lxc_conf` allows to pass LXC configuration options using a dictionary.
 
 * `c.stop(container, timeout=10)`  
 Stops a container. Similar to the `docker stop` command.
diff --git a/docker/client.py b/docker/client.py
index 149bad95..0ab5408d 100644
--- a/docker/client.py
+++ b/docker/client.py
@@ -448,6 +448,13 @@ class Client(requests.Session):
     def start(self, container, binds=None, port_bindings=None, lxc_conf=None):
         if isinstance(container, dict):
             container = container.get('Id')
+
+        if isinstance(lxc_conf, dict):
+            formatted = []
+            for k, v in six.iteritems(lxc_conf):
+                formatted.append({'Key': k, 'Value': str(v)})
+            lxc_conf = formatted
+
         start_config = {
             'LxcConf': lxc_conf
         }
diff --git a/tests/test.py b/tests/test.py
index f06d76eb..e9941326 100644
--- a/tests/test.py
+++ b/tests/test.py
@@ -215,6 +215,42 @@ class DockerClientTest(unittest.TestCase):
             headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json'}
         )
 
+    def test_start_container_with_lxc_conf(self):
+        try:
+            self.client.start(
+                fake_api.FAKE_CONTAINER_ID,
+                lxc_conf={'lxc.conf.k': 'lxc.conf.value'}
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.fail('Command should not raise exception: {0}'.format(e))
+        args = fake_request.call_args
+        self.assertEqual(args[0][0], 'unix://var/run/docker.sock/v1.4/'
+                                     'containers/3cc2351ab11b/start')
+        self.assertEqual(
+            json.loads(args[0][1]),
+            {"LxcConf": [{"Value": "lxc.conf.value", "Key": "lxc.conf.k"}]}
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(args[1]['headers'],
+                         {'Content-Type': 'application/json'})
+
+    def test_start_container_with_lxc_conf_compat(self):
+        try:
+            self.client.start(
+                fake_api.FAKE_CONTAINER_ID,
+                lxc_conf=[{'Key': 'lxc.conf.k', 'Value': 'lxc.conf.value'}]
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.fail('Command should not raise exception: {0}'.format(e))
+        args = fake_request.call_args
+        self.assertEqual(args[0][0], 'unix://var/run/docker.sock/v1.4/'
+                                     'containers/3cc2351ab11b/start')
+        self.assertEqual(
+            json.loads(args[0][1]),
+            {"LxcConf": [{"Value": "lxc.conf.value", "Key": "lxc.conf.k"}]}
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(args[1]['headers'],
+                         {'Content-Type': 'application/json'})
+
     def test_start_container_with_binds(self):
         try:
             mount_dest = '/mnt'