diff --git a/cmd/tailscaled/tailscaled.go b/cmd/tailscaled/tailscaled.go
index 42126f0c9..ef2b5ed1d 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscaled/tailscaled.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscaled/tailscaled.go
@@ -87,6 +87,16 @@ func defaultTunName() string {
 			// See https://github.com/tailscale/tailscale-synology/issues/35
 			return "tailscale0,userspace-networking"
 		}
+		if buildfeatures.HasNetstack && distro.Get() == distro.Crostini {
+			// cros-garcon NULL-derefs on cold-boot netlink interface
+			// enumeration when tailscale0 is present, preventing the
+			// Crostini container and ChromeOS Terminal from starting
+			// cleanly. Default to userspace-networking until the
+			// upstream ChromiumOS bug is fixed.
+			// See https://github.com/tailscale/tailscale/issues/12090
+			// See https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/517069318
+			return "userspace-networking"
+		}
 	}
 	return "tailscale0"
 }
diff --git a/ssh/tailssh/user.go b/ssh/tailssh/user.go
index 0d2bf31e7..8d7775cfb 100644
--- a/ssh/tailssh/user.go
+++ b/ssh/tailssh/user.go
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func defaultPathForUser(u *user.User) string {
 	}
 	isRoot := u.Uid == "0"
 	switch distro.Get() {
-	case distro.Debian:
+	case distro.Debian, distro.Crostini:
 		hi := hostinfo.New()
 		if hi.Distro == "ubuntu" {
 			// distro.Get's Debian includes Ubuntu. But see if it's actually Ubuntu.
diff --git a/version/distro/distro.go b/version/distro/distro.go
index 03c02ccab..5407f8dae 100644
--- a/version/distro/distro.go
+++ b/version/distro/distro.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 const (
 	Debian    = Distro("debian")
+	Crostini  = Distro("crostini") // ChromeOS Crostini Linux container; Debian-based
 	Arch      = Distro("arch")
 	Synology  = Distro("synology")
 	OpenWrt   = Distro("openwrt")
@@ -84,6 +85,11 @@ func linuxDistro() Distro {
 		// Currently supported product families:
 		// - UDM (UniFi Dream Machine, UDM-Pro)
 		return UBNT
+	case have("/opt/google/cros-containers/bin/garcon"):
+		// ChromeOS Crostini ships /opt/google/cros-containers/bin/garcon
+		// in every penguin container. MUST be checked before Debian since
+		// Crostini is Debian-based.
+		return Crostini
 	case have("/etc/debian_version"):
 		return Debian
 	case have("/etc/arch-release"):