diff --git a/netlink_msg.c b/netlink_msg.c
index 7363028..2ba237d 100644
--- a/netlink_msg.c
+++ b/netlink_msg.c
@@ -103,6 +103,21 @@
   return nlmsg_alloc_generic(type, flags, rt, sizeof(*rt));
 }
 
+/* function: netlink_set_kernel_only
+ * sets a socket to receive messages only from the kernel
+ * sock - socket to connect
+ */
+int netlink_set_kernel_only(struct nl_sock *nl_sk) {
+  struct sockaddr_nl addr = { AF_NETLINK, 0, 0, 0 };
+
+  if (!nl_sk) {
+    return -EFAULT;
+  }
+
+  int sockfd = nl_socket_get_fd(nl_sk);
+  return connect(sockfd, (struct sockaddr *) &addr, sizeof(addr));
+}
+
 /* function: send_netlink_msg
  * sends a netlink message, reads a response, and hands the response(s) to the callbacks
  * msg       - netlink message to send
@@ -121,6 +136,9 @@
   if(nl_send_auto_complete(nl_sk, msg) < 0)
     goto cleanup;
 
+  if(netlink_set_kernel_only(nl_sk) < 0)
+    goto cleanup;
+
   nl_recvmsgs(nl_sk, callbacks);
 
 cleanup:
diff --git a/netlink_msg.h b/netlink_msg.h
index bc85b2d..13e1f28 100644
--- a/netlink_msg.h
+++ b/netlink_msg.h
@@ -25,5 +25,6 @@
 void send_netlink_msg(struct nl_msg *msg, struct nl_cb *callbacks);
 void send_ifaddrmsg(uint16_t type, uint16_t flags, struct ifaddrmsg *ifa, struct nl_cb *callbacks);
 int netlink_sendrecv(struct nl_msg *msg);
+int netlink_set_kernel_only(struct nl_sock *nl_sk);
 
 #endif