diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yaml b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
index 787226e7..b322f4a7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ jobs:
           default: true
           override: true
 
+      - name: Disable AppArmor restriction for unprivileged user namespaces
+        if: matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest'
+        run: sudo sysctl kernel.apparmor_restrict_unprivileged_userns=0
+
+      - name: Check unshare is working
+        if: matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest'
+        run: unshare -rn echo "unshare works"
+
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: python -m pip install tox
 
@@ -116,6 +124,14 @@ jobs:
           default: true
           override: true
 
+      - name: Disable AppArmor restriction for unprivileged user namespaces
+        if: matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest'
+        run: sudo sysctl kernel.apparmor_restrict_unprivileged_userns=0
+
+      - name: Check unshare is working
+        if: matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest'
+        run: unshare -rn echo "unshare works"
+
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: python -m pip install tox
 
diff --git a/src/fromager/external_commands.py b/src/fromager/external_commands.py
index 65e5d338..3ab57482 100644
--- a/src/fromager/external_commands.py
+++ b/src/fromager/external_commands.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import logging
 import os
+import pathlib
 import shlex
-import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import typing
@@ -9,9 +9,12 @@
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+HERE = pathlib.Path(__file__).absolute().parent
+
 NETWORK_ISOLATION: list[str] | None
 if sys.platform == "linux":
-    NETWORK_ISOLATION = ["unshare", "--net", "--map-current-user"]
+    # runner script with `unshare -rn` + `ip link set lo up`
+    NETWORK_ISOLATION = [str(HERE / "run_network_isolation.sh")]
 else:
     NETWORK_ISOLATION = None
 
@@ -22,11 +25,8 @@ def network_isolation_cmd() -> typing.Sequence[str]:
     Raises ValueError when network isolation is not supported
     Returns: command list to run a process with network isolation
     """
-    if sys.platform == "linux":
-        unshare = shutil.which("unshare")
-        if unshare is not None:
-            return [unshare, "--net", "--map-current-user"]
-        raise ValueError("Linux system without 'unshare' command")
+    if NETWORK_ISOLATION:
+        return NETWORK_ISOLATION
     raise ValueError(f"unsupported platform {sys.platform}")
 
 
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ def run(
             # isolation problem and change the exception type to make it easier
             # for the caller to recognize that case.
             for substr in [
+                "connection refused",
                 "network unreachable",
                 "Network is unreachable",
             ]:
diff --git a/src/fromager/run_network_isolation.sh b/src/fromager/run_network_isolation.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..42e082f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/fromager/run_network_isolation.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env -S unshare -rn /bin/bash
+#
+# Run command with network isolation (CLONE_NEWNET) and set up loopback
+# interface in the new network namespace. This is somewhat similar to
+# Bubblewrap `bwrap --unshare-net --dev-bind / /`, but works in an
+# unprivilged container. The user is root inside the new namespace and mapped
+# to the euid/egid if the parent namespace.
+#
+# Ubuntu 24.04: needs `sysctl kernel.apparmor_restrict_unprivileged_userns=0`
+# to address `unshare: write failed /proc/self/uid_map: Operation not permitted`.
+#
+
+set -e
+set -o pipefail
+
+if [ "$#" -eq 0 ]; then
+   echo "$0 command" >&2
+   exit 2
+fi
+
+# bring loopback up
+ip link set lo up
+
+# replace with command
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/tests/test_external_commands.py b/tests/test_external_commands.py
index cccd0202..84d9cdac 100644
--- a/tests/test_external_commands.py
+++ b/tests/test_external_commands.py
@@ -62,16 +62,19 @@ def test_external_commands_network_isolation(
     )
 
 
+NETWORK_ISOLATION_ERROR: Exception | None = None
 try:
     external_commands.detect_network_isolation()
-except Exception:
+except Exception as err:
+    NETWORK_ISOLATION_ERROR = err
     SUPPORTS_NETWORK_ISOLATION: bool = False
 else:
     SUPPORTS_NETWORK_ISOLATION = True
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(
-    not SUPPORTS_NETWORK_ISOLATION, reason="network isolation is not supported"
+    not SUPPORTS_NETWORK_ISOLATION,
+    reason=f"network isolation is not supported: {NETWORK_ISOLATION_ERROR}",
 )
 def test_external_commands_network_isolation_real():
     with pytest.raises(external_commands.NetworkIsolationError) as e: