diff --git a/pkg/ip/link_linux.go b/pkg/ip/link_linux.go
index e353f4be6..94e14f228 100644
--- a/pkg/ip/link_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/ip/link_linux.go
@@ -32,14 +32,16 @@ var (
 	ErrLinkNotFound = errors.New("link not found")
 )
 
-func makeVethPair(name, peer string, mtu int, mac string) (netlink.Link, error) {
+// makeVethPair is called from within the container's network namespace
+func makeVethPair(name, peer string, mtu int, mac string, hostNS ns.NetNS) (netlink.Link, error) {
 	veth := &netlink.Veth{
 		LinkAttrs: netlink.LinkAttrs{
 			Name:  name,
 			Flags: net.FlagUp,
 			MTU:   mtu,
 		},
-		PeerName: peer,
+		PeerName:      peer,
+		PeerNamespace: netlink.NsFd(int(hostNS.Fd())),
 	}
 	if mac != "" {
 		m, err := net.ParseMAC(mac)
@@ -51,7 +53,7 @@ func makeVethPair(name, peer string, mtu int, mac string) (netlink.Link, error)
 	if err := netlink.LinkAdd(veth); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	// Re-fetch the link to get its creation-time parameters, e.g. index and mac
+	// Re-fetch the container link to get its creation-time parameters, e.g. index and mac
 	veth2, err := netlink.LinkByName(name)
 	if err != nil {
 		netlink.LinkDel(veth) // try and clean up the link if possible.
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ func peerExists(name string) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-func makeVeth(name, vethPeerName string, mtu int, mac string) (peerName string, veth netlink.Link, err error) {
+func makeVeth(name, vethPeerName string, mtu int, mac string, hostNS ns.NetNS) (peerName string, veth netlink.Link, err error) {
 	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
 		if vethPeerName != "" {
 			peerName = vethPeerName
@@ -79,7 +81,7 @@ func makeVeth(name, vethPeerName string, mtu int, mac string) (peerName string,
 			}
 		}
 
-		veth, err = makeVethPair(name, peerName, mtu, mac)
+		veth, err = makeVethPair(name, peerName, mtu, mac, hostNS)
 		switch {
 		case err == nil:
 			return
@@ -139,7 +141,7 @@ func ifaceFromNetlinkLink(l netlink.Link) net.Interface {
 // hostVethName: If hostVethName is not specified, the host-side veth name will use a random string.
 // On success, SetupVethWithName returns (hostVeth, containerVeth, nil)
 func SetupVethWithName(contVethName, hostVethName string, mtu int, contVethMac string, hostNS ns.NetNS) (net.Interface, net.Interface, error) {
-	hostVethName, contVeth, err := makeVeth(contVethName, hostVethName, mtu, contVethMac)
+	hostVethName, contVeth, err := makeVeth(contVethName, hostVethName, mtu, contVethMac, hostNS)
 	if err != nil {
 		return net.Interface{}, net.Interface{}, err
 	}
@@ -148,15 +150,7 @@ func SetupVethWithName(contVethName, hostVethName string, mtu int, contVethMac s
 		return net.Interface{}, net.Interface{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to set %q up: %v", contVethName, err)
 	}
 
-	hostVeth, err := netlink.LinkByName(hostVethName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return net.Interface{}, net.Interface{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to lookup %q: %v", hostVethName, err)
-	}
-
-	if err = netlink.LinkSetNsFd(hostVeth, int(hostNS.Fd())); err != nil {
-		return net.Interface{}, net.Interface{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to move veth to host netns: %v", err)
-	}
-
+	var hostVeth netlink.Link
 	err = hostNS.Do(func(_ ns.NetNS) error {
 		hostVeth, err = netlink.LinkByName(hostVethName)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/ip/link_linux_test.go b/pkg/ip/link_linux_test.go
index b260f4711..c57f9369e 100644
--- a/pkg/ip/link_linux_test.go
+++ b/pkg/ip/link_linux_test.go
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ var _ = Describe("Link", func() {
 			_ = containerNetNS.Do(func(ns.NetNS) error {
 				defer GinkgoRecover()
 				_, _, err := ip.SetupVeth(containerVethName, mtu, "", hostNetNS)
-				Expect(err.Error()).To(HavePrefix("failed to move veth to host netns: "))
-
+				Expect(err.Error()).To(HavePrefix("container veth name provided"))
+				Expect(err.Error()).To(HaveSuffix("already exists"))
 				return nil
 			})
 		})