diff --git a/nsinit/mount.go b/nsinit/mount.go
index 61586bc4..69d85d66 100644
--- a/nsinit/mount.go
+++ b/nsinit/mount.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const defaultMountFlags = syscall.MS_NOEXEC | syscall.MS_NOSUID | syscall.MS_NOD
 // is no longer in use, the mounts will be removed automatically
 func setupNewMountNamespace(rootfs, console string, readonly bool) error {
 	// mount as slave so that the new mounts do not propagate to the host
-	if err := system.Mount("", "/", "", syscall.MS_SLAVE|syscall.MS_REC, ""); err != nil {
+	if err := system.Mount("", "/", "", syscall.MS_PRIVATE|syscall.MS_REC, ""); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("mounting / as slave %s", err)
 	}
 	if err := system.Mount(rootfs, rootfs, "bind", syscall.MS_BIND|syscall.MS_REC, ""); err != nil {