diff --git a/notify_socket.go b/notify_socket.go
index 00ca672d356..55f9a3ade4c 100644
--- a/notify_socket.go
+++ b/notify_socket.go
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"errors"
+	"io"
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
+	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer"
@@ -142,29 +145,86 @@ func (n *notifySocket) run(pid1 int) error {
 				return nil
 			}
 		case b := <-fileChan:
-			var out bytes.Buffer
-			_, err = out.Write(b)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+			return notifyHost(client, b, pid1)
+		}
+	}
+}
 
-			_, err = out.Write([]byte{'\n'})
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+// Tells the host (usually systemd) that the container reported READY.
+// Also sends MAINPID and BARRIER.
+func notifyHost(client *net.UnixConn, ready []byte, pid1 int) error {
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	_, err := out.Write(ready)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
-			_, err = client.Write(out.Bytes())
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+	_, err = out.Write([]byte{'\n'})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
-			// now we can inform systemd to use pid1 as the pid to monitor
-			newPid := "MAINPID=" + strconv.Itoa(pid1)
-			_, err := client.Write([]byte(newPid + "\n"))
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			return nil
-		}
+	_, err = client.Write(out.Bytes())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// now we can inform systemd to use pid1 as the pid to monitor
+	newPid := "MAINPID=" + strconv.Itoa(pid1)
+	_, err = client.Write([]byte(newPid + "\n"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// wait for systemd to acknowledge the communication
+	return sdNotifyBarrier(client)
+}
+
+// Error reported when actual data was read from the pipe used to synchronize with
+// systemd. Usually, that pipe is only closed.
+var errUnexpectedRead = errors.New("unexpected read from synchronization pipe")
+
+// Synchronizes with systemd by means of the sd_notify_barrier protocol.
+func sdNotifyBarrier(client *net.UnixConn) error {
+	// Create a pipe for communicating with systemd daemon.
+	pipeR, pipeW, err := os.Pipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Get the FD for the unix socket file to be able to do perform syscall.Sendmsg.
+	clientFd, err := client.File()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Send the write end of the pipe along with a BARRIER=1 message.
+	fdRights := syscall.UnixRights(int(pipeW.Fd()))
+	err = syscall.Sendmsg(int(clientFd.Fd()), []byte("BARRIER=1"), fdRights, nil, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Close our copy of pipeW.
+	err = pipeW.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Expect the read end of the pipe to be closed after 5 seconds.
+	err = pipeR.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Read a single byte expecting EOF.
+	var buf [1]byte
+	n, err := pipeR.Read(buf[:])
+	if n != 0 || err == nil {
+		return errUnexpectedRead
+	} else if err == io.EOF { //nolint:errorlint // comparison with io.EOF is legit.
+		return nil
+	} else {
+		return err
 	}
 }
diff --git a/notify_socket_test.go b/notify_socket_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ec974c8a26a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notify_socket_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+	"net"
+	"syscall"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// Tests how runc reports container readyness to the host (usually systemd).
+func TestNotifyHost(t *testing.T) {
+	addr := net.UnixAddr{
+		Name: t.TempDir() + "/testsocket",
+		Net:  "unixgram",
+	}
+
+	server, err := net.ListenUnixgram("unixgram", &addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer server.Close()
+
+	client, err := net.DialUnix("unixgram", nil, &addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer client.Close()
+
+	// run notifyHost in a separate goroutine
+	notifyHostChan := make(chan error)
+	go func() {
+		notifyHostChan <- notifyHost(client, []byte("READY=42"), 1337)
+	}()
+
+	// mock a host process listening for runc's notifications
+	expectRead(t, server, "READY=42\n")
+	expectRead(t, server, "MAINPID=1337\n")
+	expectBarrier(t, server, notifyHostChan)
+}
+
+func expectRead(t *testing.T, r io.Reader, expected string) {
+	var buf [1024]byte
+	n, err := r.Read(buf[:])
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(buf[:n], []byte(expected)) {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected to read '%s' but runc sent '%s' instead", expected, buf[:n])
+	}
+}
+
+func expectBarrier(t *testing.T, conn *net.UnixConn, notifyHostChan <-chan error) {
+	var msg, oob [1024]byte
+	n, oobn, _, _, err := conn.ReadMsgUnix(msg[:], oob[:])
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Failed to receive BARRIER message", err)
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(msg[:n], []byte("BARRIER=1")) {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected to receive 'BARRIER=1' but got '%s' instead.", msg[:n])
+	}
+
+	fd := mustExtractFd(t, oob[:oobn])
+
+	// Test whether notifyHost actually honors the barrier
+	timer := time.NewTimer(500 * time.Millisecond)
+	select {
+	case <-timer.C:
+		// this is the expected case
+		break
+	case <-notifyHostChan:
+		t.Fatal("runc has terminated before barrier was lifted")
+	}
+
+	// Lift the barrier
+	err = syscall.Close(fd)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Expect notifyHost to terminate now
+	err = <-notifyHostChan
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("notifyHost function returned with error", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func mustExtractFd(t *testing.T, buf []byte) int {
+	cmsgs, err := syscall.ParseSocketControlMessage(buf)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Failed to parse control message", err)
+	}
+
+	fd := 0
+	seenScmRights := false
+	for _, cmsg := range cmsgs {
+		if cmsg.Header.Type != syscall.SCM_RIGHTS {
+			continue
+		}
+		if seenScmRights {
+			t.Fatal("Expected to see exactly one SCM_RIGHTS message, but got a second one")
+		}
+		seenScmRights = true
+		fds, err := syscall.ParseUnixRights(&cmsg)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal("Failed to parse SCM_RIGHTS message", err)
+		}
+		if len(fds) != 1 {
+			t.Fatal("Expected to read exactly one file descriptor, but got", len(fds))
+		}
+		fd = fds[0]
+	}
+	if !seenScmRights {
+		t.Fatal("Control messages didn't contain an SCM_RIGHTS message")
+	}
+
+	return fd
+}