diff --git a/runtime/docker/firewall/iptables/client.go b/runtime/docker/firewall/iptables/client.go
index 23c3513130..74c95a831a 100644
--- a/runtime/docker/firewall/iptables/client.go
+++ b/runtime/docker/firewall/iptables/client.go
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ package iptables
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
+	"syscall"
 
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
 	"github.com/google/shlex"
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ func (c *IpTablesClient) InstallForwardingRulesForAF(
 
 	log.Debugf("Installing iptables (%s) rules for bridge %q", af, iface)
 
-	stdOutErr, err := exec.Command(iptCmd, cmd...).CombinedOutput()
+	stdOutErr, err := newIptablesCmd(iptCmd, cmd...).CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Warnf("Iptables install stdout/stderr result is: %s", stdOutErr)
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to install iptables rule using '%s' command: %w", cmd, err)
@@ -137,7 +139,7 @@ func (c *IpTablesClient) DeleteForwardingRulesForAF(
 	iface := rule.Interface
 
 	// first check if a rule exists before trying to delete it
-	res, err := exec.Command(iptCmd, strings.Split(iptCheckArgs, " ")...).Output()
+	res, err := newIptablesCmd(iptCmd, strings.Split(iptCheckArgs, " ")...).Output()
 	if err != nil {
 		// non nil error typically means that DOCKER-USER chain doesn't exist
 		// this happens with old docker installations (centos7 hello) from default repos
@@ -170,7 +172,7 @@ func (c *IpTablesClient) DeleteForwardingRulesForAF(
 	log.Debugf("removing clab iptables rules for bridge %q", iface)
 	log.Debugf("trying to delete the forwarding rule with cmd: iptables %s", cmd)
 
-	stdOutErr, err := exec.Command(iptCmd, cmd...).CombinedOutput()
+	stdOutErr, err := newIptablesCmd(iptCmd, cmd...).CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Warnf("Iptables delete stdout/stderr result is: %s", stdOutErr)
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to delete iptables rules: %w", err)
@@ -183,7 +185,7 @@ func (c *IpTablesClient) DeleteForwardingRulesForAF(
 func (c *IpTablesClient) ruleExists(af string, rule *definitions.FirewallRule) bool {
 	iptCmd := iptablesCmd[af]
 
-	res, err := exec.Command(iptCmd, strings.Split(iptCheckArgs, " ")...).CombinedOutput()
+	res, err := newIptablesCmd(iptCmd, strings.Split(iptCheckArgs, " ")...).CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Warnf("iptables check error: %s. Output: %s", err, string(res))
 		// if we errored on check we don't want to try setting up the rule
@@ -215,3 +217,39 @@ func (c *IpTablesClient) ruleExists(af string, rule *definitions.FirewallRule) b
 
 	return false
 }
+
+// newIptablesCmd builds an iptables/ip6tables command that is safe to run from a
+// setuid-root containerlab binary (ruid=user, euid=0).
+//
+// iptables ≥ 1.8.8 exits 111 when getuid() != geteuid() because it loads match/
+// target shared libraries and therefore refuses to run under a setuid parent.
+// We isolate the fix to the child process via Credential so the long-lived
+// containerlab process keeps its real UID (important for $HOME file ownership).
+// Env is cleared so a poisoned library path cannot follow into iptables.
+func newIptablesCmd(name string, args ...string) *exec.Cmd {
+	cmd := exec.Command(name, args...)
+	// nil Env inherits the parent; empty means env -i.
+	cmd.Env = []string{}
+
+	if attr := iptablesSysProcAttr(os.Getuid(), os.Geteuid(), os.Getegid()); attr != nil {
+		cmd.SysProcAttr = attr
+	}
+
+	return cmd
+}
+
+// iptablesSysProcAttr returns SysProcAttr that sets the child's real/effective
+// UIDs to root when the parent is running setuid-root. Nil when no change is needed.
+func iptablesSysProcAttr(ruid, euid, egid int) *syscall.SysProcAttr {
+	if euid != 0 || ruid == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return &syscall.SysProcAttr{
+		Credential: &syscall.Credential{
+			Uid:         0,
+			Gid:         uint32(egid),
+			NoSetGroups: true,
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/runtime/docker/firewall/iptables/client_test.go b/runtime/docker/firewall/iptables/client_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f4802becf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/docker/firewall/iptables/client_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package iptables
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestIptablesSysProcAttr(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("setuid parent needs matching root uids in child", func(t *testing.T) {
+		attr := iptablesSysProcAttr(1000, 0, 1000)
+		if attr == nil || attr.Credential == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected Credential for setuid-root parent")
+		}
+		if attr.Credential.Uid != 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("Uid = %d, want 0", attr.Credential.Uid)
+		}
+		if attr.Credential.Gid != 1000 {
+			t.Fatalf("Gid = %d, want 1000 (preserve egid)", attr.Credential.Gid)
+		}
+		if !attr.Credential.NoSetGroups {
+			t.Fatal("expected NoSetGroups to preserve supplementary groups")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("fully root parent needs no credential", func(t *testing.T) {
+		if attr := iptablesSysProcAttr(0, 0, 0); attr != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected nil SysProcAttr, got %#v", attr)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("non-root parent needs no credential", func(t *testing.T) {
+		if attr := iptablesSysProcAttr(1000, 1000, 1000); attr != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected nil SysProcAttr, got %#v", attr)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestNewIptablesCmdClearsEnv(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := newIptablesCmd("iptables", "-V")
+	if cmd.Env == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Env is nil (would inherit parent); want empty slice")
+	}
+	if len(cmd.Env) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Env = %#v, want empty", cmd.Env)
+	}
+}