diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/fix-docker-start-failed-160e79b6e5494edd.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/fix-docker-start-failed-160e79b6e5494edd.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..57de117cc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/fix-docker-start-failed-160e79b6e5494edd.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fix docker start failed in trove guest-agent when
+    docker_insecure_registries is not set.
diff --git a/trove/common/cfg.py b/trove/common/cfg.py
index 58dd3af612..60692ac999 100644
--- a/trove/common/cfg.py
+++ b/trove/common/cfg.py
@@ -449,8 +449,8 @@ common_opts = [
                      'the datastores supported by Trove.'),
     cfg.StrOpt('docker_bridge_network_ip', default=None,
                help='Docker bridge network IP.'),
-    cfg.StrOpt('docker_insecure_registries', default=[],
-               help='Docker insecure registries for image development.'),
+    cfg.ListOpt('docker_insecure_registries', default=[],
+                help='Docker insecure registries for image development.'),
     cfg.StrOpt('template_path', default='/etc/trove/templates/',
                help='Path which leads to datastore templates.'),
     cfg.BoolOpt('sql_query_logging', default=False,
diff --git a/trove/instance/models.py b/trove/instance/models.py
index 8469f174a4..1b6e307896 100644
--- a/trove/instance/models.py
+++ b/trove/instance/models.py
@@ -1046,7 +1046,7 @@ class BaseInstance(SimpleInstance):
             docker_daemon_values["bip"] = CONF.docker_bridge_network_ip
         if CONF.docker_insecure_registries:
             docker_daemon_values["insecure-registries"] = \
-                CONF.docker_insecure_registries.split(',')
+                CONF.docker_insecure_registries
 
         if docker_daemon_values:
             files['/etc/docker/daemon.json'] = (
diff --git a/trove/tests/unittests/taskmanager/test_models.py b/trove/tests/unittests/taskmanager/test_models.py
index 0af1aa1634..7497e1dd1d 100644
--- a/trove/tests/unittests/taskmanager/test_models.py
+++ b/trove/tests/unittests/taskmanager/test_models.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
+import json
 import os
 
 from tempfile import NamedTemporaryFile
@@ -257,6 +258,8 @@ class FreshInstanceTasksTest(BaseFreshInstanceTasksTest):
         cfg.CONF.set_override('guest_config', self.guestconfig)
         cfg.CONF.set_override('guest_info', 'guest_info.conf')
         cfg.CONF.set_override('injected_config_location', '/etc/trove/conf.d')
+        cfg.CONF.set_override('docker_insecure_registries',
+                              '127.0.0.1:4000,127.0.0.1:5000')
 
         # execute
         files = self.freshinstancetasks.get_injected_files("test", 'test')
@@ -268,6 +271,9 @@ class FreshInstanceTasksTest(BaseFreshInstanceTasksTest):
         self.assertEqual(
             self.guestconfig_content,
             files['/etc/trove/conf.d/trove-guestagent.conf'])
+        deamon_json = json.loads(files.get('/etc/docker/daemon.json'))
+        self.assertIn('127.0.0.1:4000', deamon_json.get('insecure-registries'))
+        self.assertIn('127.0.0.1:5000', deamon_json.get('insecure-registries'))
 
     @patch.object(DBInstance, 'get_by')
     def test_create_instance_guestconfig_compat(self, patch_get_by):
@@ -285,6 +291,7 @@ class FreshInstanceTasksTest(BaseFreshInstanceTasksTest):
         self.assertEqual(
             self.guestconfig_content,
             files['/etc/trove-guestagent.conf'])
+        self.assertFalse(files.get('/etc/docker/daemon.json'))
 
     def test_create_instance_with_az_kwarg(self):
         # execute