diff --git a/libcontainer/container_linux.go b/libcontainer/container_linux.go
index 94cb8979a..578def6b3 100644
--- a/libcontainer/container_linux.go
+++ b/libcontainer/container_linux.go
@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) Start(process *Process) error {
 		}
 		return newSystemError(err)
 	}
-	process.ops = parent
 	if doInit {
 		c.updateState(parent)
 	}
@@ -254,6 +253,7 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) newInitProcess(p *Process, cmd *exec.Cmd, parentPipe, c
 		manager:    c.cgroupManager,
 		config:     c.newInitConfig(p),
 		container:  c,
+		process:    p,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) newSetnsProcess(p *Process, cmd *exec.Cmd, parentPipe,
 		childPipe:   childPipe,
 		parentPipe:  parentPipe,
 		config:      c.newInitConfig(p),
+		process:     p,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/libcontainer/process_linux.go b/libcontainer/process_linux.go
index 01021f759..4d17cbc57 100644
--- a/libcontainer/process_linux.go
+++ b/libcontainer/process_linux.go
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ type setnsProcess struct {
 	cgroupPaths map[string]string
 	config      *initConfig
 	fds         []string
+	process     *Process
 }
 
 func (p *setnsProcess) startTime() (string, error) {
@@ -87,7 +88,6 @@ func (p *setnsProcess) start() (err error) {
 		p.wait()
 		return newSystemError(ierr)
 	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -115,13 +115,12 @@ func (p *setnsProcess) execSetns() error {
 		p.cmd.Wait()
 		return newSystemError(err)
 	}
-
 	process, err := os.FindProcess(pid.Pid)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-
 	p.cmd.Process = process
+	p.process.ops = p
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -165,6 +164,7 @@ type initProcess struct {
 	manager    cgroups.Manager
 	container  *linuxContainer
 	fds        []string
+	process    *Process
 }
 
 func (p *initProcess) pid() int {
@@ -178,8 +178,10 @@ func (p *initProcess) externalDescriptors() []string {
 func (p *initProcess) start() (err error) {
 	defer p.parentPipe.Close()
 	err = p.cmd.Start()
+	p.process.ops = p
 	p.childPipe.Close()
 	if err != nil {
+		p.process.ops = nil
 		return newSystemError(err)
 	}
 	// Save the standard descriptor names before the container process