diff --git a/core/reactor.hh b/core/reactor.hh
index f6febd5d9a..f9dd92e4c0 100644
--- a/core/reactor.hh
+++ b/core/reactor.hh
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ public:
     virtual future<> initialize() {
         return make_ready_future();
     }
+    virtual bool has_per_core_namespace() = 0;
 };
 
 class network_stack_registry {
diff --git a/net/native-stack.cc b/net/native-stack.cc
index 1167188c16..633e428d8e 100644
--- a/net/native-stack.cc
+++ b/net/native-stack.cc
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public:
     static std::unique_ptr<network_stack> create(boost::program_options::variables_map opts) {
         return std::make_unique<native_network_stack>(opts);
     }
+    virtual bool has_per_core_namespace() override { return true; };
     friend class native_server_socket_impl<tcp4>;
 };
 
diff --git a/net/posix-stack.hh b/net/posix-stack.hh
index 3f5ea698b6..98c706a5fd 100644
--- a/net/posix-stack.hh
+++ b/net/posix-stack.hh
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ public:
     static std::unique_ptr<network_stack> create(boost::program_options::variables_map opts) {
         return std::unique_ptr<network_stack>(new posix_network_stack(opts));
     }
+    virtual bool has_per_core_namespace() override { return false; };
 };
 
 class posix_ap_network_stack : public posix_network_stack {