diff --git a/src/helperFunctions/docker.py b/src/helperFunctions/docker.py
index a541fb5ba..144a70d9c 100644
--- a/src/helperFunctions/docker.py
+++ b/src/helperFunctions/docker.py
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
 
 import docker
 from docker.errors import APIError, DockerException, ImageNotFound
-from requests.exceptions import ReadTimeout
+from requests.exceptions import ReadTimeout, RequestException
 
 
 def run_docker_container(
     image: str, logging_label: str = 'Docker', timeout: int = 300, combine_stderr_stdout: bool = False, **kwargs
 ) -> CompletedProcess:
     """
-    This is a convinience function that runs a docker container and returns a
+    This is a convenience function that runs a docker container and returns a
     subprocess.CompletedProcess instance for the command ran in the container.
     All remaining keyword args are passed to `docker.containers.run`.
 
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ def run_docker_container(
     except ReadTimeout:
         logging.warning(f'[{logging_label}]: timeout while processing')
         raise
+    except RequestException:
+        logging.warning(f'[{logging_label}]: connection error while processing')
+        raise
     except APIError:
         logging.warning(f'[{logging_label}]: encountered docker error while processing')
         raise