diff --git a/runtime/v2/runc/v2/service.go b/runtime/v2/runc/v2/service.go
index 52b178a20..39970b313 100644
--- a/runtime/v2/runc/v2/service.go
+++ b/runtime/v2/runc/v2/service.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/runc/options"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/shim"
 	taskAPI "github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/task"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys/reaper"
 	runcC "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl"
@@ -360,7 +361,11 @@ func (s *service) Start(ctx context.Context, r *taskAPI.StartRequest) (*taskAPI.
 				logrus.WithError(err).Error("failed to get root controllers")
 			} else {
 				if err := cg.ToggleControllers(allControllers, cgroupsv2.Enable); err != nil {
-					logrus.WithError(err).Errorf("failed to enable controllers (%v)", allControllers)
+					if sys.RunningInUserNS() {
+						logrus.WithError(err).Debugf("failed to enable controllers (%v)", allControllers)
+					} else {
+						logrus.WithError(err).Errorf("failed to enable controllers (%v)", allControllers)
+					}
 				}
 			}
 			if err := s.ep.Add(container.ID, cg); err != nil {