diff --git a/backend/src/main.rs b/backend/src/main.rs
index aa3eee4a18..f92ba6602e 100644
--- a/backend/src/main.rs
+++ b/backend/src/main.rs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ use windmill_common::{
         Mode, GIT_VERSION, HOSTNAME, MODE_AND_ADDONS,
     },
     worker::{
-        reload_custom_tags_setting, Connection, HUB_CACHE_DIR, TMP_DIR, TMP_LOGS_DIR, WORKER_GROUP,
+        reload_custom_tags_setting, Connection, CLOUD_HOSTED, HUB_CACHE_DIR, TMP_DIR, TMP_LOGS_DIR, WORKER_GROUP
     },
     KillpillSender, METRICS_ENABLED,
 };
@@ -268,6 +268,21 @@ async fn windmill_main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         tracing::error!("Failed to install rustls crypto provider");
     }
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "enterprise")]
+    if *CLOUD_HOSTED {
+        // Block access to AWS/GCP metadata endpoints for security in cloud-hosted mode.
+        // This is a best-effort attempt; if it fails, just warn and continue.
+        if let Err(e) = std::process::Command::new("sh")
+            .arg("-c")
+            .arg("iptables -A OUTPUT -d 169.254.169.254 -j DROP && iptables -A FORWARD -d 169.254.169.254 -j DROP")
+            .status()
+        {
+            tracing::warn!("Failed to run iptables to block metadata endpoint: {e}");
+        } else {
+            tracing::info!("Successfully blocked metadata endpoint using iptables");
+        }
+    }
+
     let hostname = HOSTNAME.to_owned();
 
     let mode_and_addons = MODE_AND_ADDONS.clone();
diff --git a/docker/DockerfileNsjail b/docker/DockerfileNsjail
index 4a1e04b8d1..2e9b0b0580 100644
--- a/docker/DockerfileNsjail
+++ b/docker/DockerfileNsjail
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ RUN /usr/bin/java -jar /usr/bin/coursier about
 
 # iptables
 RUN apt-get install -y iptables
-RUN iptables -A OUTPUT -d 169.254.169.254 -j DROP && iptables -A FORWARD -d 169.254.169.254 -j DROP
 
 COPY --from=nsjail /nsjail/nsjail /bin/nsjail