diff --git a/libcontainer/container_linux.go b/libcontainer/container_linux.go
index 3dca29e4c..65e2eace8 100644
--- a/libcontainer/container_linux.go
+++ b/libcontainer/container_linux.go
@@ -570,6 +570,7 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) newSetnsProcess(p *Process, cmd *exec.Cmd, messageSockP
 		intelRdtPath:    state.IntelRdtPath,
 		messageSockPair: messageSockPair,
 		logFilePair:     logFilePair,
+		manager:         c.cgroupManager,
 		config:          c.newInitConfig(p),
 		process:         p,
 		bootstrapData:   data,
diff --git a/libcontainer/process_linux.go b/libcontainer/process_linux.go
index 7e403c6af..6f2828770 100644
--- a/libcontainer/process_linux.go
+++ b/libcontainer/process_linux.go
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ type setnsProcess struct {
 	logFilePair     filePair
 	cgroupPaths     map[string]string
 	rootlessCgroups bool
+	manager         cgroups.Manager
 	intelRdtPath    string
 	config          *initConfig
 	fds             []string
@@ -88,6 +89,8 @@ func (p *setnsProcess) signal(sig os.Signal) error {
 
 func (p *setnsProcess) start() (retErr error) {
 	defer p.messageSockPair.parent.Close()
+	// get the "before" value of oom kill count
+	oom, _ := p.manager.OOMKillCount()
 	err := p.cmd.Start()
 	// close the write-side of the pipes (controlled by child)
 	p.messageSockPair.child.Close()
@@ -97,6 +100,10 @@ func (p *setnsProcess) start() (retErr error) {
 	}
 	defer func() {
 		if retErr != nil {
+			if newOom, err := p.manager.OOMKillCount(); err == nil && newOom != oom {
+				// Someone in this cgroup was killed, this _might_ be us.
+				retErr = newSystemErrorWithCause(retErr, "possibly OOM-killed")
+			}
 			err := ignoreTerminateErrors(p.terminate())
 			if err != nil {
 				logrus.WithError(err).Warn("unable to terminate setnsProcess")