diff --git a/test/e2e/common_test.go b/test/e2e/common_test.go
index d19306c533ee..61fed90b648e 100644
--- a/test/e2e/common_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/common_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"io/fs"
 	"math/rand"
 	"net"
 	"net/url"
@@ -138,10 +139,32 @@ const (
 	imageCacheDir = "imagecachedir"
 )
 
+var netnsFiles []fs.DirEntry
+
+func getNetnsDir() string {
+	if isRootless() {
+		var path string
+		if env, ok := os.LookupEnv("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR"); ok {
+			path = env
+		} else {
+			path = fmt.Sprintf("/run/user/%d", os.Getuid())
+		}
+		return filepath.Join(path, "netns")
+	}
+	// root is hard coded to
+	return "/run/netns"
+}
+
 var _ = SynchronizedBeforeSuite(func() []byte {
 	globalTmpDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "podman-e2e-")
 	Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
+	netnsFiles, err = os.ReadDir(getNetnsDir())
+	// dir might not exists which is fine
+	if !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+	}
+
 	// make cache dir
 	ImageCacheDir = filepath.Join(globalTmpDir, imageCacheDir)
 	err = os.MkdirAll(ImageCacheDir, 0700)
@@ -203,6 +226,13 @@ var _ = SynchronizedAfterSuite(func() {
 	timingsFile = nil
 },
 	func() {
+		// perform a netns leak check after all tests run
+		newNetnsFiles, err := os.ReadDir(getNetnsDir())
+		if !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		}
+		Expect(newNetnsFiles).To(ConsistOf(netnsFiles), "Netns files were leaked")
+
 		testTimings := make(testResultsSorted, 0, 2000)
 		for i := 1; i <= GinkgoT().ParallelTotal(); i++ {
 			f, err := os.Open(fmt.Sprintf("%s/timings-%d", LockTmpDir, i))
diff --git a/test/system/setup_suite.bash b/test/system/setup_suite.bash
index 8a920c614167..48a71c7fe4ae 100644
--- a/test/system/setup_suite.bash
+++ b/test/system/setup_suite.bash
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function setup_suite() {
     touch "$BATS_SUITE_TMPDIR/all-tests-passed"
 
     # Track network namespaces, so we can check for leaks at test end
-    ip netns list > $BATS_SUITE_TMPDIR/netns-pre
+    check_netns_files > $BATS_SUITE_TMPDIR/netns-pre
 }
 
 # Run at the very end of all tests. Useful for cleanup of non-BATS tmpdirs.
@@ -54,14 +54,30 @@ function teardown_suite() {
         fi
 
         # Network namespace leak check. List should match what we saw above.
+        # When they leak we indefinitely leak resources which is bad.
         echo
-        ip netns list > $BATS_SUITE_TMPDIR/netns-post
+        check_netns_files > $BATS_SUITE_TMPDIR/netns-post
         if ! diff -u $BATS_SUITE_TMPDIR/netns-{pre,post}; then
             echo
-            echo "^^^^^ Leaks found in /run/netns ^^^^^"
+            echo "^^^^^ Leaks found in $NETNS_DIR ^^^^^"
             exit_code=$((exit_code + 1))
         fi
     fi
 
     return $exit_code
 }
+
+NETNS_DIR=
+# List a files in the common netns dir that is used to bind the netns files.
+function check_netns_files() {
+    if is_rootless; then
+        NETNS_DIR=$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/netns
+    else
+        NETNS_DIR=/run/netns
+    fi
+
+    # The dir may not exists which is fine
+    if [ -d "$NETNS_DIR" ]; then
+        ls -1 "$NETNS_DIR"
+    fi
+}