diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_windows.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_windows.go
index d0e4ad934..1fc9904ab 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_windows.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/cmd/ctr/commands"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/oci"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
@@ -107,6 +108,9 @@ func NewContainer(ctx gocontext.Context, client *containerd.Client, context *cli
 			}
 			opts = append(opts, oci.WithTTYSize(int(size.Width), int(size.Height)))
 		}
+		if context.Bool("net-host") {
+			return nil, errors.New("Cannot use host mode networking with Windows containers")
+		}
 		if context.Bool("isolated") {
 			opts = append(opts, oci.WithWindowsHyperV)
 		}