diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py
index 0262bacbd8..56565d66e0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py
@@ -369,8 +369,8 @@ options:
         re-create a matching container, even if it is running. Use restart to force a matching container to be stopped and
         restarted. Use force_kill to kill a container rather than stopping it. Use keep_volumes to retain volumes associated
         with a removed container.'
-      - 'I(stopped) - a container matching the specified name will be stopped. Use force_kill to kill a container rather than
-        stopping it.'
+      - 'I(stopped) - Asserts that the container is first I(present), and then if the container is running moves it to a stopped 
+        state. Use force_kill to kill a container rather than stopping it.'
     required: false
     default: started
     choices:
@@ -492,10 +492,13 @@ EXAMPLES = '''
   docker_container:
     name: mycontainer
     state: present
-    recreate: yes
-    force_kill: yes
-    image: someplace/image
-    command: echo "I'm here!"
+    image: ubuntu:14.04
+    command: sleep infinity 
+
+- name: Stop a contianer
+  docker_container:
+    name: mycontainer
+    state: stopped
 
 - name: Start 4 load-balanced containers
   docker_container:
@@ -1089,7 +1092,7 @@ class Container(DockerBaseClass):
         self.parameters.client.module.fail_json(msg=msg)
 
     @property
-    def found(self):
+    def exists(self):
         return True if self.container else False
 
     @property
@@ -1557,7 +1560,7 @@ class ContainerManager(DockerBaseClass):
         self.facts = {}
 
         state = self.parameters.state
-        if state in ('started', 'present'):
+        if state in ('stopped', 'started', 'present'):
             self.present(state)
         elif state == 'absent':
             self.absent()
@@ -1578,51 +1581,46 @@ class ContainerManager(DockerBaseClass):
         container = self._get_container(self.parameters.name)
         image = self._get_image()
 
-        if not container.found:
-            self.log('No container found')
+        if not container.exists:
             # New container
+            self.log('No container found')
             new_container = self.container_create(self.parameters.image, self.parameters.create_parameters)
             if new_container:
                 container = new_container
-                container = self.update_limits(container)
-                container = self.update_networks(container)
-            if state == 'started':
+        else:
+            # Existing container
+            different, differences = container.has_different_configuration(image)
+            image_different = self._image_is_different(image, container)
+            if image_different or different or self.parameters.recreate:
+                self.diff['differences'] = differences
+                if image_different:
+                    self.diff['image_different'] = True
+                self.log("differences")
+                self.log(differences, pretty_print=True)
+                self.container_stop(container.Id)
+                self.container_remove(container.Id)
+                new_container = self.container_create(self.parameters.image, self.parameters.create_parameters)
+                if new_container:
+                    container = new_container
+
+        if container and container.exists:
+            container = self.update_limits(container)
+            container = self.update_networks(container)
+
+            if state == 'started' and not container.running:
                 container = self.container_start(container.Id)
-            self.facts = container.raw
-            return
-
-        # Existing container
-        different, differences = container.has_different_configuration(image)
-        image_different = self._image_is_different(image, container)
-        if image_different or different or self.parameters.recreate:
-            self.diff['differences'] = differences
-            self.log("differences")
-            self.log(differences, pretty_print=True)
-            self.container_stop(container.Id)
-            self.container_remove(container.Id)
-            new_container = self.container_create(self.parameters.image, self.parameters.create_parameters)
-            if new_container:
-                container = new_container
-        if image_different:
-            self.diff['image_different'] = True
-
-        container = self.update_limits(container)
-        container = self.update_networks(container)
-
-        if state == 'started' and not container.running:
-            container = self.container_start(container.Id)
-        elif state == 'started' and self.parameters.restart:
-            self.container_stop(container.Id)
-            container = self.container_start(container.Id)
-        elif state == 'present' and container.running:
-            self.container_stop(container.Id)
-            container = self._get_container(container.Id)
+            elif state == 'started' and self.parameters.restart:
+                self.container_stop(container.Id)
+                container = self.container_start(container.Id)
+            elif state == 'stopped' and container.running:
+                self.container_stop(container.Id)
+                container = self._get_container(container.Id)
 
         self.facts = container.raw
 
     def absent(self):
-        container = Container(self.client.get_container(self.parameters.name), self.parameters)
-        if container.found:
+        container = self._get_container(self.parameters.name)
+        if container.exists:
             if container.running:
                 self.container_stop(container.Id)
             self.container_remove(container.Id)