diff --git a/src/cmd/run.go b/src/cmd/run.go
index 39ac8f0..719c0d6 100644
--- a/src/cmd/run.go
+++ b/src/cmd/run.go
@@ -269,7 +269,14 @@ func runCommand(container string,
 
 	cdiSpecForNvidia, err := nvidia.GenerateCDISpec()
 	if err != nil {
-		if !errors.Is(err, nvidia.ErrPlatformUnsupported) {
+		if errors.Is(err, nvidia.ErrNVMLDriverLibraryVersionMismatch) {
+			var builder strings.Builder
+			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "the proprietary NVIDIA driver's kernel and user space don't match\n")
+			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Check the host operating system and systemd journal.")
+
+			errMsg := builder.String()
+			return errors.New(errMsg)
+		} else if !errors.Is(err, nvidia.ErrPlatformUnsupported) {
 			return err
 		}
 	} else {
diff --git a/src/go.mod b/src/go.mod
index 36e8d50..d6c6055 100644
--- a/src/go.mod
+++ b/src/go.mod
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ go 1.20
 require (
 	github.com/HarryMichal/go-version v1.0.1
 	github.com/NVIDIA/go-nvlib v0.6.1
+	github.com/NVIDIA/go-nvml v0.12.4-0
 	github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit v1.16.1
 	github.com/acobaugh/osrelease v0.1.0
 	github.com/briandowns/spinner v1.18.0
@@ -23,7 +24,6 @@ require (
 )
 
 require (
-	github.com/NVIDIA/go-nvml v0.12.4-0 // indirect
 	github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/fatih/color v1.13.0 // indirect
 	github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0 // indirect
diff --git a/src/pkg/nvidia/nvidia.go b/src/pkg/nvidia/nvidia.go
index 16daf2f..fdb9240 100644
--- a/src/pkg/nvidia/nvidia.go
+++ b/src/pkg/nvidia/nvidia.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 
 	"github.com/NVIDIA/go-nvlib/pkg/nvlib/info"
+	"github.com/NVIDIA/go-nvml/pkg/nvml"
 	"github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit/pkg/nvcdi"
 	nvspec "github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit/pkg/nvcdi/spec"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -32,7 +33,8 @@ var (
 )
 
 var (
-	ErrPlatformUnsupported = errors.New("platform is unsupported")
+	ErrNVMLDriverLibraryVersionMismatch = errors.New("NVML driver/library version mismatch")
+	ErrPlatformUnsupported              = errors.New("platform is unsupported")
 )
 
 func createNullLogger() *logrus.Logger {
@@ -52,7 +54,8 @@ func GenerateCDISpec() (*specs.Spec, error) {
 		logger = logrus.StandardLogger()
 	}
 
-	info := info.New(info.WithLogger(logger))
+	nvmLib := nvml.New()
+	info := info.New(info.WithLogger(logger), info.WithNvmlLib(nvmLib))
 
 	if ok, reason := info.HasDXCore(); ok {
 		logrus.Debugf("Generating Container Device Interface for NVIDIA: Windows is unsupported: %s", reason)
@@ -60,7 +63,18 @@ func GenerateCDISpec() (*specs.Spec, error) {
 	}
 
 	hasNvml, reason := info.HasNvml()
-	if !hasNvml {
+	if hasNvml {
+		if err := nvmLib.Init(); err != nvml.SUCCESS {
+			logrus.Debugf("Generating Container Device Interface for NVIDIA: failed to initialize NVML: %s",
+				err)
+
+			if err == nvml.ERROR_LIB_RM_VERSION_MISMATCH {
+				return nil, ErrNVMLDriverLibraryVersionMismatch
+			} else {
+				return nil, errors.New("failed to initialize NVIDIA Management Library")
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
 		logrus.Debugf("Generating Container Device Interface for NVIDIA: Management Library not found: %s",
 			reason)
 	}
@@ -75,7 +89,7 @@ func GenerateCDISpec() (*specs.Spec, error) {
 		return nil, ErrPlatformUnsupported
 	}
 
-	cdi, err := nvcdi.New(nvcdi.WithInfoLib(info), nvcdi.WithLogger(logger))
+	cdi, err := nvcdi.New(nvcdi.WithInfoLib(info), nvcdi.WithLogger(logger), nvcdi.WithNvmlLib(nvmLib))
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Debugf("Generating Container Device Interface for NVIDIA: failed to create library: %s", err)
 		return nil, errors.New("failed to create Container Device Interface library for NVIDIA")