diff --git a/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/linux/passthrough.rs b/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/linux/passthrough.rs
index dc87749b9..6d5606c45 100644
--- a/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/linux/passthrough.rs
+++ b/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/linux/passthrough.rs
@@ -352,6 +352,14 @@ enum FileOrLink {
     Link(CString),
 }
 
+fn sanitize_name_at(inode: Inode, name: &CStr) -> &CStr {
+    if inode == fuse::ROOT_ID && name == c".." {
+        c"."
+    } else {
+        name
+    }
+}
+
 impl PassthroughFs {
     pub fn new(cfg: Config) -> io::Result<PassthroughFs> {
         let fd = if let Some(fd) = cfg.proc_sfd_rawfd {
@@ -491,6 +499,7 @@ impl PassthroughFs {
     }
 
     fn do_lookup(&self, parent: Inode, name: &CStr) -> io::Result<Entry> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(parent, name);
         let p = self
             .inodes
             .read()
@@ -761,6 +770,8 @@ impl PassthroughFs {
     }
 
     fn do_unlink(&self, parent: Inode, name: &CStr, flags: libc::c_int) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(parent, name);
+
         let data = self
             .inodes
             .read()
@@ -1003,6 +1014,7 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
         umask: u32,
         extensions: Extensions,
     ) -> io::Result<Entry> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(parent, name);
         if extensions.secctx.is_some() {
             unimplemented!("SECURITY_CTX is not supported and should not be used by the guest");
         }
@@ -1026,6 +1038,7 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
     }
 
     fn rmdir(&self, _ctx: Context, parent: Inode, name: &CStr) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(parent, name);
         self.do_unlink(parent, name, libc::AT_REMOVEDIR)
     }
 
@@ -1106,6 +1119,7 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
         umask: u32,
         extensions: Extensions,
     ) -> io::Result<(Entry, Option<Handle>, OpenOptions)> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(parent, name);
         if extensions.secctx.is_some() {
             unimplemented!("SECURITY_CTX is not supported and should not be used by the guest");
         }
@@ -1396,6 +1410,9 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
         newname: &CStr,
         flags: u32,
     ) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let oldname = sanitize_name_at(olddir, oldname);
+        let newname = sanitize_name_at(newdir, newname);
+
         let old_inode = self
             .inodes
             .read()
@@ -1441,6 +1458,7 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
         umask: u32,
         extensions: Extensions,
     ) -> io::Result<Entry> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(parent, name);
         if extensions.secctx.is_some() {
             unimplemented!("SECURITY_CTX is not supported and should not be used by the guest");
         }
@@ -1478,6 +1496,8 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
         newparent: Inode,
         newname: &CStr,
     ) -> io::Result<Entry> {
+        let newname = sanitize_name_at(newparent, newname);
+
         let data = self
             .inodes
             .read()
@@ -1521,6 +1541,8 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
         name: &CStr,
         extensions: Extensions,
     ) -> io::Result<Entry> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(parent, name);
+
         // Set security context on symlink.
         if extensions.secctx.is_some() {
             unimplemented!("SECURITY_CTX is not supported and should not be used by the guest");
@@ -1704,6 +1726,7 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
         value: &[u8],
         flags: u32,
     ) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(inode, name);
         if !self.cfg.xattr {
             return Err(io::Error::from_raw_os_error(libc::ENOSYS));
         }
@@ -1752,6 +1775,7 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
         name: &CStr,
         size: u32,
     ) -> io::Result<GetxattrReply> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(inode, name);
         if !self.cfg.xattr {
             return Err(io::Error::from_raw_os_error(libc::ENOSYS));
         }
@@ -1844,6 +1868,7 @@ impl FileSystem for PassthroughFs {
     }
 
     fn removexattr(&self, _ctx: Context, inode: Inode, name: &CStr) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let name = sanitize_name_at(inode, name);
         if !self.cfg.xattr {
             return Err(io::Error::from_raw_os_error(libc::ENOSYS));
         }
diff --git a/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/mod.rs b/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/mod.rs
index ea475a5c1..bb66ebbe2 100644
--- a/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/mod.rs
+++ b/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/mod.rs
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ pub enum FsError {
     /// A C string parameter is invalid.
     InvalidCString(FromBytesWithNulError),
     InvalidCString2(FromVecWithNulError),
+    /// Given string is not a valid filename
+    InvalidFilename,
     /// The `len` field of the header is too small.
     InvalidHeaderLength,
     /// The `size` field of the `SetxattrIn` message does not match the length
diff --git a/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/server.rs b/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/server.rs
index 0d96a60cc..a76f93400 100644
--- a/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/server.rs
+++ b/src/devices/src/virtio/fs/server.rs
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
 
         r.read_exact(&mut buf).map_err(Error::DecodeMessage)?;
 
-        let name = bytes_to_cstr(buf.as_ref())?;
+        let name = filename_from_bytes(buf.as_ref())?;
 
         match self
             .fs
@@ -310,9 +310,11 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
 
         match self.fs.symlink(
             Context::from(in_header),
+            // Target of the symlink can be a path - it can contain '/'
             bytes_to_cstr(linkname)?,
             in_header.nodeid.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(name)?,
+            // The symlink cannot contain '/'
+            filename_from_bytes(name)?,
             extensions,
         ) {
             Ok(entry) => {
@@ -346,7 +348,7 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
         match self.fs.mknod(
             Context::from(in_header),
             in_header.nodeid.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(name)?,
+            filename_from_bytes(name)?,
             mode,
             rdev,
             umask,
@@ -381,7 +383,7 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
         match self.fs.mkdir(
             Context::from(in_header),
             in_header.nodeid.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(name)?,
+            filename_from_bytes(name)?,
             mode,
             umask,
             extensions,
@@ -406,7 +408,7 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
         match self.fs.unlink(
             Context::from(in_header),
             in_header.nodeid.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(&name)?,
+            filename_from_bytes(&name)?,
         ) {
             Ok(()) => reply_ok(None::<u8>, None, in_header.unique, w),
             Err(e) => reply_error(e, in_header.unique, w),
@@ -424,7 +426,7 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
         match self.fs.rmdir(
             Context::from(in_header),
             in_header.nodeid.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(&name)?,
+            filename_from_bytes(&name)?,
         ) {
             Ok(()) => reply_ok(None::<u8>, None, in_header.unique, w),
             Err(e) => reply_error(e, in_header.unique, w),
@@ -460,9 +462,9 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
         match self.fs.rename(
             Context::from(in_header),
             in_header.nodeid.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(oldname)?,
+            filename_from_bytes(oldname)?,
             newdir.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(newname)?,
+            filename_from_bytes(newname)?,
             flags,
         ) {
             Ok(()) => reply_ok(None::<u8>, None, in_header.unique, w),
@@ -500,7 +502,7 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
             Context::from(in_header),
             oldnodeid.into(),
             in_header.nodeid.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(&name)?,
+            filename_from_bytes(&name)?,
         ) {
             Ok(entry) => {
                 let out = EntryOut::from(entry);
@@ -755,7 +757,7 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
         match self.fs.getxattr(
             Context::from(in_header),
             in_header.nodeid.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(&name)?,
+            filename_from_bytes(&name)?,
             size,
         ) {
             Ok(GetxattrReply::Value(val)) => reply_ok(None::<u8>, Some(&val), in_header.unique, w),
@@ -1115,7 +1117,7 @@ impl<F: FileSystem + Sync> Server<F> {
         match self.fs.create(
             Context::from(in_header),
             in_header.nodeid.into(),
-            bytes_to_cstr(name)?,
+            filename_from_bytes(name)?,
             mode,
             flags,
             umask,
@@ -1475,6 +1477,14 @@ fn bytes_to_cstr(buf: &[u8]) -> Result<&CStr> {
     CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(buf).map_err(Error::InvalidCString)
 }
 
+fn filename_from_bytes(buf: &[u8]) -> Result<&CStr> {
+    let cstr = bytes_to_cstr(buf)?;
+    if cstr.to_bytes().contains(&b'/') {
+        return Err(Error::InvalidFilename);
+    }
+    Ok(cstr)
+}
+
 fn add_dirent(
     cursor: &mut Writer,
     max: u32,