diff --git a/capability/CHANGELOG.md b/capability/CHANGELOG.md
index 1dd54ad..23614c9 100644
--- a/capability/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/capability/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ from https://github.com/syndtr/gocapability/commit/42c35b4376354fd5.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## Unreleased
+
+### Fixed
+* [Load] now reads ambient and bounding capabilities of the current thread,
+  rather than of the main thread. Before this change, when called from a
+  thread other than the main one, it could return wrong values. (#273)
+
 ## [0.5.0] - 2026-10-23
 
 ### Breaking changes
@@ -111,6 +118,7 @@ This is an initial release since the fork.
 [ListKnown]: https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/moby/sys/capability#ListKnown
 [ListSupported]: https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/moby/sys/capability#ListSupported
 [List]: https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/moby/sys/capability#List
+[Load]: https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/moby/sys/capability#Capabilities.Load
 [NewFile2]: https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/moby/sys/capability#NewFile2
 [NewFile]: https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/moby/sys/capability#NewFile
 [NewPid2]: https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/moby/sys/capability#NewPid2
diff --git a/capability/capability_linux.go b/capability/capability_linux.go
index af40f85..7f40302 100644
--- a/capability/capability_linux.go
+++ b/capability/capability_linux.go
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
+	"runtime"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"syscall"
@@ -338,18 +340,41 @@ func (c *capsV3) String() (ret string) {
 	return mkString(c, BOUNDING)
 }
 
+// openStatus opens the status file of the current thread (rather than of
+// the thread group leader, as /proc/self/status is), since capabilities
+// are per-thread.
+func openStatus() (*os.File, error) {
+	f, err := os.Open("/proc/thread-self/status")
+	if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return f, err
+	}
+	// Pre-3.17 kernel, no /proc/thread-self.
+	f, err = os.Open("/proc/self/task/" + strconv.Itoa(syscall.Gettid()) + "/status")
+	if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return f, err
+	}
+	// Our pid namespace doesn't match the one of /proc mount.
+	return os.Open("/proc/self/status")
+}
+
 func (c *capsV3) Load() (err error) {
+	if c.hdr.pid == 0 {
+		// Make sure capget and status file refer to the same thread.
+		runtime.LockOSThread()
+		defer runtime.UnlockOSThread()
+	}
+
 	err = capget(&c.hdr, &c.data[0])
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
 
-	path := "/proc/self/status"
-	if c.hdr.pid != 0 {
-		path = fmt.Sprintf("/proc/%d/status", c.hdr.pid)
+	var f *os.File
+	if c.hdr.pid == 0 {
+		f, err = openStatus()
+	} else {
+		f, err = os.Open(fmt.Sprintf("/proc/%d/status", c.hdr.pid))
 	}
-
-	f, err := os.Open(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/capability/capability_test.go b/capability/capability_test.go
index fa6d076..2f48c8f 100644
--- a/capability/capability_test.go
+++ b/capability/capability_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/moby/sys/capability"
 )
 
+func init() {
+	if os.Getenv("GO_WANT_HELPER_PROCESS") == "1" {
+		// Lock the main goroutine to the main thread, so that tests
+		// (which run in separate goroutines) never run on the main
+		// thread. This ensures per-thread capabilities are handled
+		// properly.
+		runtime.LockOSThread()
+	}
+}
+
 func requirePCapSet(t testing.TB) {
 	t.Helper()
 	pid, err := NewPid2(0)