diff --git a/kernel/cgroup/cgroup-v1.c b/kernel/cgroup/cgroup-v1.c
index 41e0837a5a0bd..0e877dbcfeea9 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup/cgroup-v1.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup/cgroup-v1.c
@@ -549,6 +549,14 @@ static ssize_t cgroup_release_agent_write(struct kernfs_open_file *of,
 
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(sizeof(cgrp->root->release_agent_path) < PATH_MAX);
 
+	/*
+	 * Release agent gets called with all capabilities,
+	 * require capabilities to set release agent.
+	 */
+	if ((of->file->f_cred->user_ns != &init_user_ns) ||
+	    !capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
+		return -EPERM;
+
 	cgrp = cgroup_kn_lock_live(of->kn, false);
 	if (!cgrp)
 		return -ENODEV;
@@ -954,6 +962,12 @@ int cgroup1_parse_param(struct fs_context *fc, struct fs_parameter *param)
 		/* Specifying two release agents is forbidden */
 		if (ctx->release_agent)
 			return invalfc(fc, "release_agent respecified");
+		/*
+		 * Release agent gets called with all capabilities,
+		 * require capabilities to set release agent.
+		 */
+		if ((fc->user_ns != &init_user_ns) || !capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
+			return invalfc(fc, "Setting release_agent not allowed");
 		ctx->release_agent = param->string;
 		param->string = NULL;
 		break;