diff --git a/criu/mount.c b/criu/mount.c
index 30e778800..f3d5673d3 100644
--- a/criu/mount.c
+++ b/criu/mount.c
@@ -1725,7 +1725,7 @@ static int do_new_mount(struct mount_info *mi)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	if (remount_ro && mount(NULL, mi->mountpoint, tp->name,
+	if (!mi->is_ns_root && !mi->external && remount_ro) {
 				     MS_REMOUNT | MS_RDONLY, NULL)) {
 		pr_perror("Unable to apply mount options");
 		return -1;