diff --git a/pause.go b/pause.go
index 4b5f54e9d..b5d354db6 100644
--- a/pause.go
+++ b/pause.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
@@ -19,19 +18,13 @@ Use runc list to identify instances of containers and their current status.`,
 		if err := checkArgs(context, 1, exactArgs); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		rootlessCg, err := shouldUseRootlessCgroupManager(context)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if rootlessCg {
-			logrus.Warnf("runc pause may fail if you don't have the full access to cgroups")
-		}
 		container, err := getContainer(context)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		err = container.Pause()
 		if err != nil {
+			maybeLogCgroupWarning("pause", err)
 			return err
 		}
 		return nil
@@ -52,19 +45,13 @@ Use runc list to identify instances of containers and their current status.`,
 		if err := checkArgs(context, 1, exactArgs); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		rootlessCg, err := shouldUseRootlessCgroupManager(context)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if rootlessCg {
-			logrus.Warn("runc resume may fail if you don't have the full access to cgroups")
-		}
 		container, err := getContainer(context)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		err = container.Resume()
 		if err != nil {
+			maybeLogCgroupWarning("resume", err)
 			return err
 		}
 		return nil
diff --git a/ps.go b/ps.go
index 0fca65d12..4e79a9a06 100644
--- a/ps.go
+++ b/ps.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
@@ -29,13 +28,6 @@ var psCommand = cli.Command{
 		if err := checkArgs(context, 1, minArgs); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		rootlessCg, err := shouldUseRootlessCgroupManager(context)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if rootlessCg {
-			logrus.Warn("runc ps may fail if you don't have the full access to cgroups")
-		}
 
 		container, err := getContainer(context)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -44,6 +36,7 @@ var psCommand = cli.Command{
 
 		pids, err := container.Processes()
 		if err != nil {
+			maybeLogCgroupWarning("ps", err)
 			return err
 		}
 
diff --git a/utils_linux.go b/utils_linux.go
index 7de93340a..9c9e1e83b 100644
--- a/utils_linux.go
+++ b/utils_linux.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/fs"
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -448,3 +449,9 @@ func setupPidfdSocket(process *libcontainer.Process, sockpath string) (_clean fu
 		conn.Close()
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func maybeLogCgroupWarning(op string, err error) {
+	if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrPermission) {
+		logrus.Warn("runc " + op + " failure might be caused by lack of full access to cgroups")
+	}
+}