diff --git a/virtcontainers/api.go b/virtcontainers/api.go
index abaebb50ed..ddbb16801d 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/api.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/api.go
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ func CreateSandbox(sandboxConfig SandboxConfig, factory Factory) (VCSandbox, err
 }
 
 func createSandboxFromConfig(sandboxConfig SandboxConfig, factory Factory) (*Sandbox, error) {
+	var err error
+
 	// Create the sandbox.
 	s, err := createSandbox(sandboxConfig, factory)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -46,22 +48,29 @@ func createSandboxFromConfig(sandboxConfig SandboxConfig, factory Factory) (*San
 	}
 
 	// Create the sandbox network
-	if err := s.createNetwork(); err != nil {
+	if err = s.createNetwork(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// network rollback
+	defer func() {
+		if err != nil && s.networkNS.NetNsCreated {
+			s.removeNetwork()
+		}
+	}()
+
 	// Start the VM
-	if err := s.startVM(); err != nil {
+	if err = s.startVM(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// Create Containers
-	if err := s.createContainers(); err != nil {
+	if err = s.createContainers(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// The sandbox is completely created now, we can store it.
-	if err := s.storeSandbox(); err != nil {
+	if err = s.storeSandbox(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}