diff --git a/Sources/ContainerCommands/Container/ContainerStart.swift b/Sources/ContainerCommands/Container/ContainerStart.swift
index 226cabd4..df93268c 100644
--- a/Sources/ContainerCommands/Container/ContainerStart.swift
+++ b/Sources/ContainerCommands/Container/ContainerStart.swift
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import ArgumentParser
 import ContainerAPIClient
 import ContainerizationError
 import ContainerizationOS
+import Foundation
 import TerminalProgress
 
 extension Application {
@@ -69,6 +70,12 @@ extension Application {
                 return
             }
 
+            for mount in container.configuration.mounts where mount.isVirtiofs {
+                if !FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: mount.source) {
+                    throw ContainerizationError(.invalidState, message: "path '\(mount.source)' is not a directory")
+                }
+            }
+
             do {
                 let io = try ProcessIO.create(
                     tty: container.configuration.initProcess.terminal,