diff --git a/pkg/ns/ns.go b/pkg/ns/ns.go
index 837ab8be..328fff34 100644
--- a/pkg/ns/ns.go
+++ b/pkg/ns/ns.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"path"
 	"runtime"
 	"sync"
+	"syscall"
 
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
@@ -77,11 +78,34 @@ func GetCurrentNS() (NetNS, error) {
 func GetNS(nspath string) (NetNS, error) {
 	fd, err := os.Open(nspath)
 	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to open %v: %v", nspath, err)
+	}
+
+	isNSFS, err := IsNSFS(nspath)
+	if err != nil {
+		fd.Close()
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if !isNSFS {
+		fd.Close()
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%v is not of type NSFS", nspath)
+	}
+
 	return &netNS{file: fd}, nil
 }
 
+// Returns whether or not the nspath argument points to a network namespace
+func IsNSFS(nspath string) (bool, error) {
+	const NSFS_MAGIC = 0x6e736673
+
+	stat := syscall.Statfs_t{}
+	if err := syscall.Statfs(nspath, &stat); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("failed to Statfs %q: %v", nspath, err)
+	}
+
+	return stat.Type == NSFS_MAGIC, nil
+}
+
 // Creates a new persistent network namespace and returns an object
 // representing that namespace, without switching to it
 func NewNS() (NetNS, error) {
@@ -255,7 +279,7 @@ func (ns *netNS) Set() error {
 func WithNetNSPath(nspath string, toRun func(NetNS) error) error {
 	ns, err := GetNS(nspath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to open %v: %v", nspath, err)
+		return err
 	}
 	defer ns.Close()
 	return ns.Do(toRun)
diff --git a/pkg/ns/ns_test.go b/pkg/ns/ns_test.go
index de0f3853..82001ea0 100644
--- a/pkg/ns/ns_test.go
+++ b/pkg/ns/ns_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package ns_test
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
@@ -169,6 +170,18 @@ var _ = Describe("Linux namespace operations", func() {
 					Expect(netnsInode).NotTo(Equal(createdNetNSInode))
 				}
 			})
+
+			It("fails when the path is not a namespace", func() {
+				tempFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "nstest")
+				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+				defer tempFile.Close()
+
+				nspath := tempFile.Name()
+				defer os.Remove(nspath)
+
+				_, err = ns.GetNS(nspath)
+				Expect(err).To(MatchError(fmt.Sprintf("%v is not of type NSFS", nspath)))
+			})
 		})
 
 		Describe("closing a network namespace", func() {
@@ -198,6 +211,28 @@ var _ = Describe("Linux namespace operations", func() {
 			})
 		})
 	})
+
+	Describe("IsNSFS", func() {
+		It("should detect a namespace", func() {
+			createdNetNS, err := ns.NewNS()
+			isNSFS, err := ns.IsNSFS(createdNetNS.Path())
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(isNSFS).To(Equal(true))
+		})
+
+		It("should refuse other paths", func() {
+			tempFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "nstest")
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			defer tempFile.Close()
+
+			nspath := tempFile.Name()
+			defer os.Remove(nspath)
+
+			isNSFS, err := ns.IsNSFS(nspath)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(isNSFS).To(Equal(false))
+		})
+	})
 })
 
 func allNetNSInCurrentProcess() []string {