diff --git a/io_uring/epoll.c b/io_uring/epoll.c
index b9db8bde27ec..eecd748cad01 100644
--- a/io_uring/epoll.c
+++ b/io_uring/epoll.c
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ int io_epoll_ctl(struct io_kiocb *req, unsigned int issue_flags)
 	CLASS(fd, tf)(ie->fd);
 	if (fd_empty(tf))
 		return -EBADF;
+	/* disallow adding an epoll context to another epoll context */
+	if (ie->op == EPOLL_CTL_ADD && is_file_epoll(fd_file(tf)))
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	key.file = fd_file(tf);
 	key.fd = ie->fd;