diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b6ac012ba0..85d7ca0b89 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
   `~/.singularity` is on a filesystem that does not fully support overlay.
 - Add more intuitive error message for rootless `build --oci` when required
   `XDG_RUNTIME_DIR` env var is not set.
+- Avoid error in CNI network setup with newer versions of iptables that include
+  a setuid caller check.
 
 ### New Features & Functionality
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/runtime/engine/singularity/cleanup_linux.go b/internal/pkg/runtime/engine/singularity/cleanup_linux.go
index baf888546c..499b2e763c 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/runtime/engine/singularity/cleanup_linux.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/runtime/engine/singularity/cleanup_linux.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2018-2021, Sylabs Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2018-2024, Sylabs Inc. All rights reserved.
 // This software is licensed under a 3-clause BSD license. Please consult the
 // LICENSE.md file distributed with the sources of this project regarding your
 // rights to use or distribute this software.
@@ -74,18 +74,23 @@ func (e *EngineOperations) CleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, _ error, _ sysc
 
 	if networkSetup != nil {
 		net := e.EngineConfig.GetNetwork()
-		privileged := false
+		var dropPrivs priv.DropPrivsFunc
 		// If a CNI configuration was allowed as non-root (or fakeroot)
 		if net != "none" && os.Geteuid() != 0 {
-			priv.Escalate()
-			privileged = true
+			var err error
+			dropPrivs, err = priv.EscalateRealEffective()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 		sylog.Debugf("Cleaning up CNI network config %s", net)
 		if err := networkSetup.DelNetworks(ctx); err != nil {
 			sylog.Errorf("could not delete networks: %v", err)
 		}
-		if privileged {
-			priv.Drop()
+		if dropPrivs != nil {
+			if err := dropPrivs(); err != nil {
+				sylog.Fatalf("while dropping privilege: %v", err)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/runtime/engine/singularity/container_linux.go b/internal/pkg/runtime/engine/singularity/container_linux.go
index e09e227e13..a6d7e15f6f 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/runtime/engine/singularity/container_linux.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/runtime/engine/singularity/container_linux.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2018-2023, Sylabs Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2018-2024, Sylabs Inc. All rights reserved.
 // Copyright (c) Contributors to the Apptainer project, established as
 //   Apptainer a Series of LF Projects LLC.
 // This software is licensed under a 3-clause BSD license. Please consult the
@@ -2398,8 +2398,15 @@ func (c *container) prepareNetworkSetup(system *mount.System, pid int) (func(con
 				}
 			}
 			if euid != 0 {
-				priv.Escalate()
-				defer priv.Drop()
+				dropPrivs, err := priv.EscalateRealEffective()
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				defer func() {
+					if err := dropPrivs(); err != nil {
+						sylog.Fatalf("while dropping privilege: %v", err)
+					}
+				}()
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/util/priv/priv_linux.go b/internal/pkg/util/priv/priv_linux.go
index 59ba5baa93..193942e957 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/util/priv/priv_linux.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/util/priv/priv_linux.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2018-2022, Sylabs Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2018-2024, Sylabs Inc. All rights reserved.
 // This software is licensed under a 3-clause BSD license. Please consult the
 // LICENSE.md file distributed with the sources of this project regarding your
 // rights to use or distribute this software.
@@ -6,25 +6,31 @@
 package priv
 
 import (
-	"os"
 	"runtime"
-	"syscall"
+
+	"github.com/sylabs/singularity/v4/pkg/sylog"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
 
-// Escalate escalates privileges of the thread or process.
-// Since Go 1.16 syscall.Setresuid is an all-thread operation.
-// A runtime.LockOSThread operation remains for older versions of Go.
-func Escalate() error {
+type DropPrivsFunc func() error
+
+// EscalateRealEffective locks the current goroutine to execute on the current
+// OS thread, and then escalates the real and effective uid of the current OS
+// thread to root (uid 0). The previous real uid is set as the saved
+// set-user-ID. A dropPrivsFunc is returned, which must be called to drop
+// privileges and unlock the goroutine at the earliest suitable point.
+func EscalateRealEffective() (DropPrivsFunc, error) {
 	runtime.LockOSThread()
-	uid := os.Getuid()
-	return syscall.Setresuid(uid, 0, uid)
-}
+	uid, _, _ := unix.Getresuid()
+
+	dropPrivsFunc := func() error {
+		defer runtime.UnlockOSThread()
+		sylog.Debugf("Drop r/e/s: %d/%d/%d", uid, uid, 0)
+		return unix.Setresuid(uid, uid, 0)
+	}
 
-// Drop drops privileges of the thread or process.
-// Since Go 1.16 syscall.Setresuid is an all-thread operation.
-// A runtime.LockOSThread operation remains for older versions of Go.
-func Drop() error {
-	defer runtime.UnlockOSThread()
-	uid := os.Getuid()
-	return syscall.Setresuid(uid, uid, 0)
+	sylog.Debugf("Escalate r/e/s: %d/%d/%d", 0, 0, uid)
+	// Note - unix.Setresuid makes a direct syscall which performs a single
+	// thread escalation. Since Go 1.16, syscall.Setresuid is all-thread.
+	return dropPrivsFunc, unix.Setresuid(0, 0, uid)
 }
diff --git a/internal/pkg/util/priv/priv_linux_test.go b/internal/pkg/util/priv/priv_linux_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b40c622903
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/util/priv/priv_linux_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2024, Sylabs Inc. All rights reserved.
+// This software is licensed under a 3-clause BSD license. Please consult the
+// LICENSE.md file distributed with the sources of this project regarding your
+// rights to use or distribute this software.
+
+package priv
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/sylabs/singularity/v4/internal/pkg/test"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+func TestEscalateRealEffective(t *testing.T) {
+	test.EnsurePrivilege(t)
+	test.DropPrivilege(t)
+	defer test.ResetPrivilege(t)
+
+	r, e, s := unix.Getresuid()
+	if r == 0 || e == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("real / effective ID must be non-zero before escalation. Got r/e/s %d/%d/%d", r, e, s)
+	}
+	unprivUID := r
+
+	drop, err := EscalateRealEffective()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	r, e, s = unix.Getresuid()
+	t.Logf("Escalated r/e/s: %d/%d/%d", r, e, s)
+	if r != 0 || e != 0 || s != unprivUID {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected escalated r/e/s %d/%d/%d, Got r/e/s %d/%d/%d", 0, 0, unprivUID, r, e, s)
+	}
+
+	if err := drop(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	r, e, s = unix.Getresuid()
+	t.Logf("Dropped r/e/s: %d/%d/%d", r, e, s)
+	if r != unprivUID || e != unprivUID || s != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected dropped r/e/s %d/%d/%d, Got r/e/s %d/%d/%d", unprivUID, unprivUID, 0, r, e, s)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/network/network_linux.go b/pkg/network/network_linux.go
index b9a74134e1..5b214b79ad 100644
--- a/pkg/network/network_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/network/network_linux.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2018-2019, Sylabs Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2018-2024, Sylabs Inc. All rights reserved.
 // This software is licensed under a 3-clause BSD license. Please consult the
 // LICENSE.md file distributed with the sources of this project regarding your
 // rights to use or distribute this software.
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	cnitypes "github.com/containernetworking/cni/pkg/types/100"
 	"github.com/containernetworking/plugins/plugins/ipam/host-local/backend/allocator"
 	"github.com/sylabs/singularity/v4/internal/pkg/util/env"
+	"github.com/sylabs/singularity/v4/pkg/sylog"
 )
 
 type netError string
@@ -451,12 +452,15 @@ func (m *Setup) DelNetworks(ctx context.Context) error {
 }
 
 func (m *Setup) command(ctx context.Context, command string) error {
-	if m.envPath != "" {
-		backupEnv := os.Environ()
-		os.Clearenv()
-		os.Setenv("PATH", m.envPath)
-		defer env.SetFromList(backupEnv)
+	if m.envPath == "" {
+		sylog.Debugf("Network envPath is unset. Setting PATH to a safe default.")
+		m.envPath = "/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin"
 	}
+	sylog.Debugf("Network envPath: %s", m.envPath)
+	backupEnv := os.Environ()
+	os.Clearenv()
+	os.Setenv("PATH", m.envPath)
+	defer env.SetFromList(backupEnv)
 
 	config := &libcni.CNIConfig{Path: []string{m.cniPath.Plugin}}