diff --git a/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux.go b/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux.go
index 9a17d1e7..fd8e92fa 100644
--- a/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux.go
+++ b/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux.go
@@ -203,6 +203,9 @@ func CreateLibcontainerConfig(opts *CreateOpts) (*configs.Config, error) {
 		if config.RootPropagation, exists = mountPropagationMapping[spec.Linux.RootfsPropagation]; !exists {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("rootfsPropagation=%v is not supported", spec.Linux.RootfsPropagation)
 		}
+		if config.NoPivotRoot && (config.RootPropagation&unix.MS_PRIVATE != 0) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("rootfsPropagation of [r]private is not safe without pivot_root")
+		}
 
 		for _, ns := range spec.Linux.Namespaces {
 			t, exists := namespaceMapping[ns.Type]