diff --git a/src/cpuset.rs b/src/cpuset.rs
index 2748680..c37c1b0 100644
--- a/src/cpuset.rs
+++ b/src/cpuset.rs
@@ -315,10 +315,12 @@ impl CpuSetController {
     /// Control whether the kernel should collect information to calculate memory pressure for
     /// control groups.
     ///
-    /// Note: This is a no-operation if the control group referred by `self` is not the root
+    /// Note: This will fail with `InvalidOperation` if the current congrol group is not the root
     /// control group.
     pub fn set_enable_memory_pressure(self: &Self, b: bool) -> Result<(), CgroupError> {
-        /* XXX: this file should only be present in the root cpuset cg */
+        if !self.path_exists("cpuset.memory_pressure_enabled") {
+            return Err(CgroupError::InvalidOperation);
+        }
         self.open_path("cpuset.memory_pressure_enabled", true).and_then(|mut file| {
             if b {
                 file.write_all(b"1").map_err(CgroupError::WriteError)
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index ff18bbc..b8eb231 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,28 @@ pub enum CgroupError {
     InvalidPath,
 }
 
+impl PartialEq for CgroupError {
+    fn eq(&self, other: &CgroupError) -> bool {
+        match self {
+            CgroupError::WriteError(_) => if let CgroupError::WriteError(_) = other {
+                return true;
+            } else { return false },
+            CgroupError::ReadError(_) => if let CgroupError::ReadError(_) = other {
+                return true;
+            } else { return false },
+            CgroupError::ParseError => if let CgroupError::ParseError = other {
+                return true;
+            } else { return false },
+            CgroupError::InvalidOperation => if let CgroupError::InvalidOperation = other {
+                return true;
+            } else { return false },
+            CgroupError::InvalidPath => if let CgroupError::InvalidPath = other {
+                return true;
+            } else { return false },
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[doc(hidden)]
 #[derive(Eq, PartialEq, Debug)]
 pub enum Controllers {
@@ -193,6 +215,15 @@ pub trait Controller {
         }
     }
 
+    #[doc(hidden)]
+    fn path_exists(self: &Self, p: &str) -> bool {
+        if !self.verify_path() {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        std::path::Path::new(p).exists()
+    }
+
     /// Attach a task to this controller.
     fn add_task(self: &Self, pid: &CgroupPid) -> Result<(), CgroupError> {
         self.open_path("tasks", true).and_then(|mut file| {
diff --git a/tests/cpuset.rs b/tests/cpuset.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4595b2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cpuset.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+extern crate cgroups;
+
+use cgroups::{Cgroup, CgroupError};
+use cgroups::cpuset::CpuSetController;
+
+#[test]
+fn test_cpuset_memory_pressure_root_cg() {
+    let hier = cgroups::hierarchies::V1::new();
+    let cg = Cgroup::new(&hier, String::from("test_cpuset_memory_pressure_root_cg"));
+    {
+        let cpuset: &CpuSetController = cg.controller_of().unwrap();
+
+        // This is not a root control group, so it should fail via InvalidOperation.
+        let res = cpuset.set_enable_memory_pressure(true);
+        assert!(res.is_err());
+        assert_eq!(res.unwrap_err(), CgroupError::InvalidOperation);
+    }
+    cg.delete();
+}