diff --git a/samcli/local/docker/exceptions.py b/samcli/local/docker/exceptions.py
index cc00698083..7cf0cbb3c0 100644
--- a/samcli/local/docker/exceptions.py
+++ b/samcli/local/docker/exceptions.py
@@ -25,3 +25,9 @@ class ContainerFailureError(UserException):
     """
     Raised when the invoke container fails execution
     """
+
+
+class InvalidRuntimeException(UserException):
+    """
+    Raised when an invalid runtime is specified for a Lambda Function
+    """
diff --git a/samcli/local/docker/lambda_container.py b/samcli/local/docker/lambda_container.py
index 3eea56c72d..609d5bfbb3 100644
--- a/samcli/local/docker/lambda_container.py
+++ b/samcli/local/docker/lambda_container.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from typing import List
 
 from samcli.lib.utils.packagetype import IMAGE
+from samcli.local.docker.exceptions import InvalidRuntimeException
 from samcli.local.docker.lambda_debug_settings import LambdaDebugSettings
 
 from .container import DEFAULT_CONTAINER_HOST_INTERFACE, Container
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 RIE_LOG_LEVEL_ENV_VAR = "SAM_CLI_RIE_DEV"
+INVALID_RUNTIME_MESSAGE = "Unsupported Lambda runtime: {runtime}. For a list of supported runtimes, please visit https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/latest/dg/lambda-runtimes.html"
 
 
 class LambdaContainer(Container):
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ def __init__(
             Optional. The function full path, unique in all stacks
         """
         if not Runtime.has_value(runtime) and not packagetype == IMAGE:
-            raise ValueError("Unsupported Lambda runtime {}".format(runtime))
+            raise InvalidRuntimeException(INVALID_RUNTIME_MESSAGE.format(runtime=runtime))
 
         image = LambdaContainer._get_image(
             lambda_image, runtime, packagetype, imageuri, layers, architecture, function_full_path
diff --git a/tests/unit/local/docker/test_lambda_container.py b/tests/unit/local/docker/test_lambda_container.py
index 681931402d..f5261ecd13 100644
--- a/tests/unit/local/docker/test_lambda_container.py
+++ b/tests/unit/local/docker/test_lambda_container.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 from samcli.commands.local.lib.debug_context import DebugContext
 from samcli.lib.utils.packagetype import IMAGE, ZIP
+from samcli.local.docker.exceptions import InvalidRuntimeException
 from samcli.local.docker.lambda_container import LambdaContainer, Runtime, RIE_LOG_LEVEL_ENV_VAR
 from samcli.local.docker.lambda_debug_settings import DebuggingNotSupported
 from samcli.local.docker.lambda_image import RAPID_IMAGE_TAG_PREFIX
@@ -433,7 +434,7 @@ def test_must_fail_for_unsupported_runtime(self):
 
         image_builder_mock = Mock()
 
-        with self.assertRaises(ValueError) as context:
+        with self.assertRaises(InvalidRuntimeException) as context:
             LambdaContainer(
                 runtime=runtime,
                 imageuri=self.imageuri,
@@ -446,7 +447,10 @@ def test_must_fail_for_unsupported_runtime(self):
                 architecture="x86_64",
             )
 
-        self.assertEqual(str(context.exception), "Unsupported Lambda runtime foo")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            str(context.exception),
+            "Unsupported Lambda runtime: foo. For a list of supported runtimes, please visit https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/latest/dg/lambda-runtimes.html",
+        )
 
     @parameterized.expand(
         [