diff --git a/container/container_init.go b/container/container_init.go
index fce352d..f8c14f1 100644
--- a/container/container_init.go
+++ b/container/container_init.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package container
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -169,9 +170,10 @@ func (c *Container) Init(reexec string, arg string, log *zerolog.Logger) error {
 	}
 
 	if c.Spec.Process != nil && c.Spec.Process.Rlimits != nil {
-		if err := cgroups.SetRlimits(c.Spec.Process.Rlimits); err != nil {
-			log.Error().Err(err).Msg("set rlimits")
-			return err
+		for _, rl := range c.Spec.Process.Rlimits {
+			if _, ok := cgroups.Rlimits[rl.Type]; !ok {
+				return errors.New("unable to map rlimit to kernel interface")
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/container/container_reexec2.go b/container/container_reexec2.go
index 437ccd8..a74e269 100644
--- a/container/container_reexec2.go
+++ b/container/container_reexec2.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package container
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -71,9 +72,10 @@ func (c *Container) Reexec2(log *zerolog.Logger) error {
 
 	if c.Spec.Process != nil {
 		if c.Spec.Process.Rlimits != nil {
-			if err := cgroups.SetRlimits(c.Spec.Process.Rlimits); err != nil {
-				log.Error().Err(err).Msg("set rlimits")
-				return err
+			for _, rl := range c.Spec.Process.Rlimits {
+				if _, ok := cgroups.Rlimits[rl.Type]; !ok {
+					return errors.New("unable to map rlimit to kernel interface")
+				}
 			}
 		}