diff --git a/clients.go b/clients.go
index 13f73fc..e95eadb 100644
--- a/clients.go
+++ b/clients.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/fosrl/newt/clients"
 	wgnetstack "github.com/fosrl/newt/clients"
+	"github.com/fosrl/newt/clients/permissions"
 	"github.com/fosrl/newt/logger"
 	"github.com/fosrl/newt/netstack2"
 	"github.com/fosrl/newt/websocket"
@@ -28,6 +29,17 @@ func setupClients(client *websocket.Client) {
 	host = strings.TrimSuffix(host, "/")
 
 	logger.Info("Setting up clients with netstack2...")
+
+	// if useNativeInterface is true make sure we have permission to use native interface
+	if useNativeInterface {
+		logger.Debug("Checking permissions for native interface")
+		err := permissions.CheckNativeInterfacePermissions()
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Fatal("Insufficient permissions to create native TUN interface: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Create WireGuard service
 	wgService, err = wgnetstack.NewWireGuardService(interfaceName, mtuInt, host, id, client, dns, useNativeInterface)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/clients/permissions/permissions_darwin.go b/clients/permissions/permissions_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d14bef4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/permissions/permissions_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+//go:build darwin
+
+package permissions
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+)
+
+// CheckNativeInterfacePermissions checks if the process has sufficient
+// permissions to create a native TUN interface on macOS.
+// This typically requires root privileges.
+func CheckNativeInterfacePermissions() error {
+	if os.Geteuid() == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return fmt.Errorf("insufficient permissions: need root to create TUN interface on macOS")
+}
diff --git a/clients/permissions/permissions_linux.go b/clients/permissions/permissions_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e97ee6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/permissions/permissions_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+//go:build linux
+
+package permissions
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"unsafe"
+
+	"github.com/fosrl/newt/logger"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+const (
+	// TUN device constants
+	tunDevice = "/dev/net/tun"
+	ifnamsiz  = 16
+	iffTun    = 0x0001
+	iffNoPi   = 0x1000
+	tunSetIff = 0x400454ca
+)
+
+// ifReq is the structure for TUNSETIFF ioctl
+type ifReq struct {
+	Name  [ifnamsiz]byte
+	Flags uint16
+	_     [22]byte // padding to match kernel structure
+}
+
+// CheckNativeInterfacePermissions checks if the process has sufficient
+// permissions to create a native TUN interface on Linux.
+// This requires either root privileges (UID 0) or CAP_NET_ADMIN capability.
+func CheckNativeInterfacePermissions() error {
+	logger.Debug("Checking native interface permissions on Linux")
+
+	// Check if running as root
+	if os.Geteuid() == 0 {
+		logger.Debug("Running as root, sufficient permissions for native TUN interface")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Check for CAP_NET_ADMIN capability
+	caps := unix.CapUserHeader{
+		Version: unix.LINUX_CAPABILITY_VERSION_3,
+		Pid:     0, // 0 means current process
+	}
+
+	var data [2]unix.CapUserData
+	if err := unix.Capget(&caps, &data[0]); err != nil {
+		logger.Debug("Failed to get capabilities: %v, will try creating test TUN", err)
+	} else {
+		// CAP_NET_ADMIN is capability bit 12
+		const CAP_NET_ADMIN = 12
+		if data[0].Effective&(1<<CAP_NET_ADMIN) != 0 {
+			logger.Debug("Process has CAP_NET_ADMIN capability, sufficient permissions for native TUN interface")
+			return nil
+		}
+		logger.Debug("Process does not have CAP_NET_ADMIN capability in effective set")
+	}
+
+	// Actually try to create a TUN interface to verify permissions
+	// This is the most reliable check as it tests the actual operation
+	return tryCreateTestTun()
+}
+
+// tryCreateTestTun attempts to create a temporary TUN interface to verify
+// we have the necessary permissions. This tests the actual ioctl call that
+// will be used when creating the real interface.
+func tryCreateTestTun() error {
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(tunDevice, os.O_RDWR, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot open %s: %v (need root or CAP_NET_ADMIN capability)", tunDevice, err)
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	// Try to create a TUN interface with a test name
+	// Using a random-ish name to avoid conflicts
+	var req ifReq
+	copy(req.Name[:], "tuntest0")
+	req.Flags = iffTun | iffNoPi
+
+	_, _, errno := unix.Syscall(
+		unix.SYS_IOCTL,
+		f.Fd(),
+		uintptr(tunSetIff),
+		uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&req)),
+	)
+
+	if errno != 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot create TUN interface (ioctl TUNSETIFF failed): %v (need root or CAP_NET_ADMIN capability)", errno)
+	}
+
+	// Success - the interface will be automatically destroyed when we close the fd
+	logger.Debug("Successfully created test TUN interface, sufficient permissions for native TUN interface")
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/clients/permissions/permissions_windows.go b/clients/permissions/permissions_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..729341e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/permissions/permissions_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+//go:build windows
+
+package permissions
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"golang.org/x/sys/windows"
+)
+
+// CheckNativeInterfacePermissions checks if the process has sufficient
+// permissions to create a native TUN interface on Windows.
+// This requires Administrator privileges.
+func CheckNativeInterfacePermissions() error {
+	var sid *windows.SID
+	err := windows.AllocateAndInitializeSid(
+		&windows.SECURITY_NT_AUTHORITY,
+		2,
+		windows.SECURITY_BUILTIN_DOMAIN_RID,
+		windows.DOMAIN_ALIAS_RID_ADMINS,
+		0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
+		&sid)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize SID: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer windows.FreeSid(sid)
+
+	token := windows.Token(0)
+	member, err := token.IsMember(sid)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to check admin group membership: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !member {
+		return fmt.Errorf("insufficient permissions: need Administrator to create TUN interface on Windows")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 7983389..832ead5 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ func main() {
 		flag.StringVar(&interfaceName, "interface", "newt", "Name of the WireGuard interface")
 	}
 	if useNativeInterfaceEnv == "" {
-		flag.BoolVar(&useNativeInterface, "native", false, "Use native WireGuard interface (requires WireGuard kernel module) and linux")
+		flag.BoolVar(&useNativeInterface, "native", false, "Use native WireGuard interface")
 	}
 	if disableClientsEnv == "" {
 		flag.BoolVar(&disableClients, "disable-clients", false, "Disable clients on the WireGuard interface")