diff --git a/libcontainer/init_linux.go b/libcontainer/init_linux.go
index 2770be30718..b19f00ed969 100644
--- a/libcontainer/init_linux.go
+++ b/libcontainer/init_linux.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/system"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/user"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/utils"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/vishvananda/netlink"
 )
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ func finalizeNamespace(config *initConfig) error {
 	// inherited are marked close-on-exec so they stay out of the
 	// container
 	if err := utils.CloseExecFrom(config.PassedFilesCount + 3); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "close exec fds")
 	}
 
 	capabilities := &configs.Capabilities{}
@@ -136,20 +137,20 @@ func finalizeNamespace(config *initConfig) error {
 	}
 	// drop capabilities in bounding set before changing user
 	if err := w.ApplyBoundingSet(); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "apply bounding set")
 	}
 	// preserve existing capabilities while we change users
 	if err := system.SetKeepCaps(); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "set keep caps")
 	}
 	if err := setupUser(config); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "setup user")
 	}
 	if err := system.ClearKeepCaps(); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "clear keep caps")
 	}
 	if err := w.ApplyCaps(); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "apply caps")
 	}
 	if config.Cwd != "" {
 		if err := unix.Chdir(config.Cwd); err != nil {
diff --git a/libcontainer/standard_init_linux.go b/libcontainer/standard_init_linux.go
index e74d8002566..0b6530d68c0 100644
--- a/libcontainer/standard_init_linux.go
+++ b/libcontainer/standard_init_linux.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/seccomp"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/system"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/selinux/go-selinux/label"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
@@ -49,11 +50,11 @@ func (l *linuxStandardInit) Init() error {
 		// Do not inherit the parent's session keyring.
 		sessKeyId, err := keys.JoinSessionKeyring(ringname)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "join session keyring")
 		}
 		// Make session keyring searcheable.
 		if err := keys.ModKeyringPerm(sessKeyId, keepperms, newperms); err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "mod keyring permissions")
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ func (l *linuxStandardInit) Init() error {
 			return err
 		}
 		if err := system.Setctty(); err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "setctty")
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -89,45 +90,45 @@ func (l *linuxStandardInit) Init() error {
 
 	if hostname := l.config.Config.Hostname; hostname != "" {
 		if err := unix.Sethostname([]byte(hostname)); err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "sethostname")
 		}
 	}
 	if err := apparmor.ApplyProfile(l.config.AppArmorProfile); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "apply apparmor profile")
 	}
 	if err := label.SetProcessLabel(l.config.ProcessLabel); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "set process label")
 	}
 
 	for key, value := range l.config.Config.Sysctl {
 		if err := writeSystemProperty(key, value); err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "write sysctl key %s", key)
 		}
 	}
 	for _, path := range l.config.Config.ReadonlyPaths {
 		if err := readonlyPath(path); err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "readonly path %s", path)
 		}
 	}
 	for _, path := range l.config.Config.MaskPaths {
 		if err := maskPath(path, l.config.Config.MountLabel); err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "mask path %s", path)
 		}
 	}
 	pdeath, err := system.GetParentDeathSignal()
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "get pdeath signal")
 	}
 	if l.config.NoNewPrivileges {
 		if err := unix.Prctl(unix.PR_SET_NO_NEW_PRIVS, 1, 0, 0, 0); err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "set nonewprivileges")
 		}
 	}
 	// Tell our parent that we're ready to Execv. This must be done before the
 	// Seccomp rules have been applied, because we need to be able to read and
 	// write to a socket.
 	if err := syncParentReady(l.pipe); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "sync ready")
 	}
 	// Without NoNewPrivileges seccomp is a privileged operation, so we need to
 	// do this before dropping capabilities; otherwise do it as late as possible
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ func (l *linuxStandardInit) Init() error {
 	// finalizeNamespace can change user/group which clears the parent death
 	// signal, so we restore it here.
 	if err := pdeath.Restore(); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "restore pdeath signal")
 	}
 	// Compare the parent from the initial start of the init process and make
 	// sure that it did not change.  if the parent changes that means it died