diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/extra-manifests-builder/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf/container-mount-namespace.service b/telco-ran/configuration/extra-manifests-builder/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf/container-mount-namespace.service
index ed0876500..0072392bb 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/extra-manifests-builder/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf/container-mount-namespace.service
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/extra-manifests-builder/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf/container-mount-namespace.service
@@ -11,3 +11,14 @@ ExecStartPre=bash -c "findmnt ${RUNTIME_DIRECTORY} || mount --make-unbindable --
 ExecStartPre=touch ${BIND_POINT}
 ExecStart=unshare --mount=${BIND_POINT} --propagation slave mount --make-rshared /
 ExecStop=umount -R ${RUNTIME_DIRECTORY}
+
+# Initialize /run/netns as a shared mount point to prevent shadowing race condition
+# This must happen before CRI-O starts to ensure all namespace bind mounts have
+# the correct parent mount. Without this, 'ip netns add' (called later by network
+# components) would create the mount point and shadow any earlier namespace mounts
+# created by CRI-O's pinns, causing pods to fail with 'setns: Invalid argument'.
+# Creating and deleting a temporary netns retains the side-effect of creating the
+# /run/netns mountpoint (but base exit code solely on whether the mountpoint is
+# present)
+# Reference: OCPBUGS-83562
+ExecStartPost=bash -c "ip netns add kubensmnt && ip netns delete kubensmnt || mountpoint -q /run/netns"
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/machine-config/kubelet-configuration-and-container-mount-hiding/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-master.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/machine-config/kubelet-configuration-and-container-mount-hiding/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-master.yaml
index 88f2ad218..b4143c163 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/machine-config/kubelet-configuration-and-container-mount-hiding/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-master.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/machine-config/kubelet-configuration-and-container-mount-hiding/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-master.yaml
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@ spec:
           ExecStartPre=touch ${BIND_POINT}
           ExecStart=unshare --mount=${BIND_POINT} --propagation slave mount --make-rshared /
           ExecStop=umount -R ${RUNTIME_DIRECTORY}
+
+          # Initialize /run/netns as a shared mount point to prevent shadowing race condition
+          # This must happen before CRI-O starts to ensure all namespace bind mounts have
+          # the correct parent mount. Without this, 'ip netns add' (called later by network
+          # components) would create the mount point and shadow any earlier namespace mounts
+          # created by CRI-O's pinns, causing pods to fail with 'setns: Invalid argument'.
+          # Creating and deleting a temporary netns retains the side-effect of creating the
+          # /run/netns mountpoint (but base exit code solely on whether the mountpoint is
+          # present)
+          # Reference: OCPBUGS-83562
+          ExecStartPost=bash -c "ip netns add kubensmnt && ip netns delete kubensmnt || mountpoint -q /run/netns"
         name: container-mount-namespace.service
       - dropins:
         - contents: |
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/machine-config/kubelet-configuration-and-container-mount-hiding/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-worker.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/machine-config/kubelet-configuration-and-container-mount-hiding/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-worker.yaml
index 4697584be..9ec0e0c8b 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/machine-config/kubelet-configuration-and-container-mount-hiding/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-worker.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/machine-config/kubelet-configuration-and-container-mount-hiding/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-worker.yaml
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@ spec:
           ExecStartPre=touch ${BIND_POINT}
           ExecStart=unshare --mount=${BIND_POINT} --propagation slave mount --make-rshared /
           ExecStop=umount -R ${RUNTIME_DIRECTORY}
+
+          # Initialize /run/netns as a shared mount point to prevent shadowing race condition
+          # This must happen before CRI-O starts to ensure all namespace bind mounts have
+          # the correct parent mount. Without this, 'ip netns add' (called later by network
+          # components) would create the mount point and shadow any earlier namespace mounts
+          # created by CRI-O's pinns, causing pods to fail with 'setns: Invalid argument'.
+          # Creating and deleting a temporary netns retains the side-effect of creating the
+          # /run/netns mountpoint (but base exit code solely on whether the mountpoint is
+          # present)
+          # Reference: OCPBUGS-83562
+          ExecStartPost=bash -c "ip netns add kubensmnt && ip netns delete kubensmnt || mountpoint -q /run/netns"
         name: container-mount-namespace.service
       - dropins:
         - contents: |
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/extra-manifest/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-master.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/extra-manifest/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-master.yaml
index 88f2ad218..b4143c163 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/extra-manifest/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-master.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/extra-manifest/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-master.yaml
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@ spec:
           ExecStartPre=touch ${BIND_POINT}
           ExecStart=unshare --mount=${BIND_POINT} --propagation slave mount --make-rshared /
           ExecStop=umount -R ${RUNTIME_DIRECTORY}
+
+          # Initialize /run/netns as a shared mount point to prevent shadowing race condition
+          # This must happen before CRI-O starts to ensure all namespace bind mounts have
+          # the correct parent mount. Without this, 'ip netns add' (called later by network
+          # components) would create the mount point and shadow any earlier namespace mounts
+          # created by CRI-O's pinns, causing pods to fail with 'setns: Invalid argument'.
+          # Creating and deleting a temporary netns retains the side-effect of creating the
+          # /run/netns mountpoint (but base exit code solely on whether the mountpoint is
+          # present)
+          # Reference: OCPBUGS-83562
+          ExecStartPost=bash -c "ip netns add kubensmnt && ip netns delete kubensmnt || mountpoint -q /run/netns"
         name: container-mount-namespace.service
       - dropins:
         - contents: |
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/extra-manifest/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-worker.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/extra-manifest/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-worker.yaml
index 4697584be..9ec0e0c8b 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/extra-manifest/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-worker.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/extra-manifest/01-container-mount-ns-and-kubelet-conf-worker.yaml
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@ spec:
           ExecStartPre=touch ${BIND_POINT}
           ExecStart=unshare --mount=${BIND_POINT} --propagation slave mount --make-rshared /
           ExecStop=umount -R ${RUNTIME_DIRECTORY}
+
+          # Initialize /run/netns as a shared mount point to prevent shadowing race condition
+          # This must happen before CRI-O starts to ensure all namespace bind mounts have
+          # the correct parent mount. Without this, 'ip netns add' (called later by network
+          # components) would create the mount point and shadow any earlier namespace mounts
+          # created by CRI-O's pinns, causing pods to fail with 'setns: Invalid argument'.
+          # Creating and deleting a temporary netns retains the side-effect of creating the
+          # /run/netns mountpoint (but base exit code solely on whether the mountpoint is
+          # present)
+          # Reference: OCPBUGS-83562
+          ExecStartPost=bash -c "ip netns add kubensmnt && ip netns delete kubensmnt || mountpoint -q /run/netns"
         name: container-mount-namespace.service
       - dropins:
         - contents: |