diff --git a/pkg/katautils/create.go b/pkg/katautils/create.go
index facf273246..424d42ff34 100644
--- a/pkg/katautils/create.go
+++ b/pkg/katautils/create.go
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ package katautils
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 
 	vc "github.com/kata-containers/runtime/virtcontainers"
 	vf "github.com/kata-containers/runtime/virtcontainers/factory"
@@ -115,6 +118,10 @@ func CreateSandbox(ctx context.Context, vci vc.VC, ociSpec specs.Spec, runtimeCo
 		sandboxConfig.Stateful = true
 	}
 
+	if err := checkForFIPS(&sandboxConfig); err != nil {
+		return nil, vc.Process{}, err
+	}
+
 	if !rootFs.Mounted && len(sandboxConfig.Containers) == 1 {
 		if rootFs.Source != "" {
 			realPath, err := ResolvePath(rootFs.Source)
@@ -175,6 +182,35 @@ func CreateSandbox(ctx context.Context, vci vc.VC, ociSpec specs.Spec, runtimeCo
 	return sandbox, containers[0].Process(), nil
 }
 
+var procFIPS = "/proc/sys/crypto/fips_enabled"
+
+func checkForFIPS(sandboxConfig *vc.SandboxConfig) error {
+	content, err := ioutil.ReadFile(procFIPS)
+	if err != nil {
+		// In case file cannot be found or read, simply return
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	enabled, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.Trim(string(content), "\n\t "))
+	if err != nil {
+		// Unexpected format, ignore and simply return early
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if enabled == 1 {
+		param := vc.Param{
+			Key:   "fips",
+			Value: "1",
+		}
+
+		if err := sandboxConfig.HypervisorConfig.AddKernelParam(param); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error enabling fips mode : %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // CreateContainer create a container
 func CreateContainer(ctx context.Context, vci vc.VC, sandbox vc.VCSandbox, ociSpec specs.Spec, rootFs vc.RootFs, containerID, bundlePath, console string, disableOutput, builtIn bool) (vc.Process, error) {
 	var c vc.VCContainer
diff --git a/pkg/katautils/create_test.go b/pkg/katautils/create_test.go
index 7c95003c88..3e5eb370dc 100644
--- a/pkg/katautils/create_test.go
+++ b/pkg/katautils/create_test.go
@@ -334,6 +334,48 @@ func TestCreateSandboxFail(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(vcmock.IsMockError(err))
 }
 
+func TestCheckForFips(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+
+	path, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "")
+	assert.NoError(err)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(path)
+
+	val := procFIPS
+	procFIPS = filepath.Join(path, "fips-enabled")
+	defer func() {
+		procFIPS = val
+	}()
+
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(procFIPS, []byte("1"), 0644)
+	assert.NoError(err)
+
+	hconfig := vc.HypervisorConfig{
+		KernelParams: []vc.Param{
+			{Key: "init", Value: "/sys/init"},
+		},
+	}
+	config := vc.SandboxConfig{
+		HypervisorConfig: hconfig,
+	}
+	assert.NoError(checkForFIPS(&config))
+
+	params := config.HypervisorConfig.KernelParams
+	assert.Equal(len(params), 2)
+	assert.Equal(params[1].Key, "fips")
+	assert.Equal(params[1].Value, "1")
+
+	config.HypervisorConfig = hconfig
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(procFIPS, []byte("unexpected contents"), 0644)
+	assert.NoError(err)
+	assert.NoError(checkForFIPS(&config))
+	assert.Equal(config.HypervisorConfig, hconfig)
+
+	assert.NoError(os.Remove(procFIPS))
+	assert.NoError(checkForFIPS(&config))
+	assert.Equal(config.HypervisorConfig, hconfig)
+}
+
 func TestCreateContainerContainerConfigFail(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := assert.New(t)