diff --git a/spindle/engines/microvm/networking.go b/spindle/engines/microvm/networking.go
--- a/spindle/engines/microvm/networking.go
+++ b/spindle/engines/microvm/networking.go
@@ -122,31 +122,36 @@ if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("slirp4netns command not found in PATH: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	args := slirpArgs(n.dev, pid)
+
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, slirpPath, args...)
+	cmd.ExtraFiles = []*os.File{exitR}
+	cmd.Stdout = logFile
+	cmd.Stderr = logFile
+	if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("start slirp4netns: %w", err)
+	}
+	logger.Info("started slirp4netns network namespace", "pid", pid, "cidr", outerSlirpCIDR, "tap", netnsTapName)
+
+	ok = true
+	return cmd, exitW, nil
+}
+
+func slirpArgs(dev bool, pid string) []string {
 	args := []string{
 		"--configure",
 		"--mtu=" + netnsMTU,
 	}
-	if !n.dev {
+	if !dev {
 		args = append(args, "--disable-host-loopback")
 	}
 	args = append(args,
-		"--enable-sandbox",
+		"--disable-dns",
 		"--enable-seccomp",
 		"--exit-fd=3",
 		"--cidr="+outerSlirpCIDR,
 		pid,
 		netnsTapName,
 	)
-
-	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, slirpPath, args...)
-	cmd.ExtraFiles = []*os.File{exitR}
-	cmd.Stdout = logFile
-	cmd.Stderr = logFile
-	if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("start slirp4netns: %w", err)
-	}
-	logger.Info("started slirp4netns network namespace", "pid", pid, "cidr", outerSlirpCIDR, "tap", netnsTapName)
-
-	ok = true
-	return cmd, exitW, nil
+	return args
 }