diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c90135b5..5406e723 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - Correctly extract smbios asset key during Grub boot. #1291
 - Refactor of `wwinit/init` to more properly address rootfs options. #1098
 - Fix autodetected kernel sorting issue. #1332
+- Avoid panic on container import #1244
 
 ## v4.5.7, 2024-09-11
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/container/imprt.go b/internal/pkg/container/imprt.go
index 38726dcf..e1ae82b0 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/container/imprt.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/container/imprt.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/types"
 	"github.com/containers/storage/drivers/copy"
+	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/reexec"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 
 	warewulfconf "github.com/warewulf/warewulf/internal/pkg/config"
@@ -67,7 +68,9 @@ func ImportDirectory(uri string, name string) error {
 	if !util.IsFile(path.Join(uri, "/bin/sh")) {
 		return errors.New("Source directory has no /bin/sh: " + uri)
 	}
-
+	if reexec.Init() {
+		return errors.New("couldn't init reexec")
+	}
 	err = copy.DirCopy(uri, fullPath, copy.Content, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err