diff --git a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/context_queue.go b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/context_queue.go
index a309cd6d6..245c4ef92 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/context_queue.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/context_queue.go
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ package systrap
 
 import (
 	"sync/atomic"
+
+	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/sentry/platform"
 )
 
 // LINT.IfChange
@@ -97,7 +99,7 @@ func (q *contextQueue) queuedContexts() uint32 {
 // add puts the the given ctx onto the context queue, and records a state of
 // the subprocess after insertion to see if there are more active stub threads
 // or more waiting contexts.
-func (q *contextQueue) add(ctx *sharedContext) {
+func (q *contextQueue) add(ctx *sharedContext) *platform.ContextError {
 	ctx.startWaitingTS = cputicks()
 
 	if fastpath.stubFastPath() {
@@ -110,8 +112,8 @@ func (q *contextQueue) add(ctx *sharedContext) {
 	next := atomic.AddUint32(&q.end, 1)
 	if (next % maxContextQueueEntries) ==
 		(atomic.LoadUint32(&q.start) % maxContextQueueEntries) {
-		// should be unreachable
-		panic("contextQueue is full")
+		// reachable only in case of corrupted memory
+		return corruptedSharedMemoryErr("context queue is full, indicates tampering with queue counters")
 	}
 	idx := next - 1
 	next = idx % maxContextQueueEntries
@@ -121,6 +123,7 @@ func (q *contextQueue) add(ctx *sharedContext) {
 	if atomic.SwapUint32(&q.usedFastPath, 0) != 0 {
 		fastpath.usedStubFastPath.Store(true)
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (q *contextQueue) disableFastPath() {
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/subprocess.go b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/subprocess.go
index 7407f6b92..226a56714 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/subprocess.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/subprocess.go
@@ -745,7 +745,9 @@ func (s *subprocess) switchToApp(c *context, ac *arch.Context64) (isSyscall bool
 		s.incAwakeContexts()
 	}
 	ctx.setState(sysmsg.ContextStateNone)
-	s.contextQueue.add(ctx)
+	if err := s.contextQueue.add(ctx); err != nil {
+		return false, false, err
+	}
 	s.waitOnState(ctx)
 
 	// Check if there's been an error.
@@ -754,7 +756,7 @@ func (s *subprocess) switchToApp(c *context, ac *arch.Context64) (isSyscall bool
 		if sysThread, ok := s.sysmsgThreads[threadID]; ok && sysThread.msg.Err != 0 {
 			return false, false, sysThread.msg.ConvertSysmsgErr()
 		}
-		log.Warningf("systrap: found unexpected ThreadContext.ThreadID field, expected %d found %d", invalidThreadID, threadID)
+		return false, false, corruptedSharedMemoryErr(fmt.Sprintf("found unexpected ThreadContext.ThreadID field, expected %d found %d", invalidThreadID, threadID))
 	}
 
 	// Copy register state locally.
@@ -778,7 +780,7 @@ func (s *subprocess) switchToApp(c *context, ac *arch.Context64) (isSyscall bool
 		updateSyscallRegs(regs)
 		return true, shouldPatchSyscall, nil
 	} else if ctxState != sysmsg.ContextStateFault {
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unknown context state: %v", ctxState))
+		return false, false, corruptedSharedMemoryErr(fmt.Sprintf("unknown context state: %v", ctxState))
 	}
 
 	return false, false, nil
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/systrap.go b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/systrap.go
index e5869845c..e64a88ad2 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/systrap.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/systrap.go
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"sync"
 
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/abi/linux"
 	pkgcontext "gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/context"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/hostarch"
@@ -423,3 +424,10 @@ func createMemoryFile() (*pgalloc.MemoryFile, error) {
 	}
 	return mf, nil
 }
+
+func corruptedSharedMemoryErr(additional string) *platform.ContextError {
+	return &platform.ContextError{
+		Err:   fmt.Errorf("systrap corrupted memory: %s", additional),
+		Errno: unix.EPERM,
+	}
+}