diff --git a/capability/capability.go b/capability/capability.go
index 1b36f5f2..0412cb5f 100644
--- a/capability/capability.go
+++ b/capability/capability.go
@@ -142,3 +142,18 @@ func NewFile2(path string) (Capabilities, error) {
 func LastCap() (Cap, error) {
 	return lastCap()
 }
+
+// AmbientRaise raises specified ambient capabilities for the calling process.
+func AmbientRaise(cap ...Cap) error {
+	return ambientRaise(cap...)
+}
+
+// AmbientLower lowers specified ambient capabilities for the calling process.
+func AmbientLower(cap ...Cap) error {
+	return ambientLower(cap...)
+}
+
+// AmbientClearAll lowers all ambient capabilities for the calling process.
+func AmbientClearAll() error {
+	return ambientClearAll()
+}
diff --git a/capability/capability_linux.go b/capability/capability_linux.go
index 07321955..cefa0ac5 100644
--- a/capability/capability_linux.go
+++ b/capability/capability_linux.go
@@ -117,6 +117,13 @@ func newPid(pid int) (c Capabilities, retErr error) {
 	return
 }
 
+func ignoreEINVAL(err error) error {
+	if errors.Is(err, syscall.EINVAL) {
+		err = nil
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
 type capsV3 struct {
 	hdr     capHeader
 	data    [2]capData
@@ -327,7 +334,7 @@ func (c *capsV3) Load() (err error) {
 	return
 }
 
-func (c *capsV3) Apply(kind CapType) (err error) {
+func (c *capsV3) Apply(kind CapType) error {
 	last, err := LastCap()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -336,21 +343,17 @@ func (c *capsV3) Apply(kind CapType) (err error) {
 		var data [2]capData
 		err = capget(&c.hdr, &data[0])
 		if err != nil {
-			return
+			return err
 		}
 		if (1<<uint(CAP_SETPCAP))&data[0].effective != 0 {
 			for i := Cap(0); i <= last; i++ {
 				if c.Get(BOUNDING, i) {
 					continue
 				}
-				err = prctl(syscall.PR_CAPBSET_DROP, uintptr(i), 0, 0, 0)
+				// Ignore EINVAL since the capability may not be supported in this system.
+				err = ignoreEINVAL(prctl(syscall.PR_CAPBSET_DROP, uintptr(i), 0, 0, 0))
 				if err != nil {
-					// Ignore EINVAL since the capability may not be supported in this system.
-					if err == syscall.EINVAL { //nolint:errorlint // Errors from syscall are bare.
-						err = nil
-						continue
-					}
-					return
+					return err
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -359,33 +362,51 @@ func (c *capsV3) Apply(kind CapType) (err error) {
 	if kind&CAPS == CAPS {
 		err = capset(&c.hdr, &c.data[0])
 		if err != nil {
-			return
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
 	if kind&AMBS == AMBS {
-		err = prctl(pr_CAP_AMBIENT, pr_CAP_AMBIENT_CLEAR_ALL, 0, 0, 0)
-		if err != nil && err != syscall.EINVAL { //nolint:errorlint // Errors from syscall are bare.
-			// Ignore EINVAL as not supported on kernels before 4.3
-			return
+		// Ignore EINVAL as not supported on kernels before 4.3
+		err = ignoreEINVAL(ambientClearAll())
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 		for i := Cap(0); i <= last; i++ {
 			if !c.Get(AMBIENT, i) {
 				continue
 			}
-			err = prctl(pr_CAP_AMBIENT, pr_CAP_AMBIENT_RAISE, uintptr(i), 0, 0)
+			// Ignore EINVAL as not supported on kernels before 4.3
+			err = ignoreEINVAL(ambientRaise(i))
 			if err != nil {
-				// Ignore EINVAL as not supported on kernels before 4.3
-				if err == syscall.EINVAL { //nolint:errorlint // Errors from syscall are bare.
-					err = nil
-					continue
-				}
-				return
+				return err
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	return
+	return nil
+}
+
+func setAmbient(op uintptr, cap ...Cap) error {
+	for _, val := range cap {
+		err := prctl(pr_CAP_AMBIENT, op, uintptr(val), 0, 0)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func ambientRaise(cap ...Cap) error {
+	return setAmbient(pr_CAP_AMBIENT_RAISE, cap...)
+}
+
+func ambientLower(cap ...Cap) error {
+	return setAmbient(pr_CAP_AMBIENT_LOWER, cap...)
+}
+
+func ambientClearAll() error {
+	return prctl(pr_CAP_AMBIENT, pr_CAP_AMBIENT_CLEAR_ALL, 0, 0, 0)
 }
 
 func newFile(path string) (c Capabilities, err error) {
diff --git a/capability/capability_noop.go b/capability/capability_noop.go
index ba819ff0..2138195f 100644
--- a/capability/capability_noop.go
+++ b/capability/capability_noop.go
@@ -24,3 +24,15 @@ func newFile(_ string) (Capabilities, error) {
 func lastCap() (Cap, error) {
 	return -1, errNotSup
 }
+
+func ambientRaise(cap ...Cap) error {
+	return errNotSup
+}
+
+func ambientLower(cap ...Cap) error {
+	return errNotSup
+}
+
+func ambientClearAll() error {
+	return errNotSup
+}
diff --git a/capability/capability_test.go b/capability/capability_test.go
index 2b901ad3..4a14474c 100644
--- a/capability/capability_test.go
+++ b/capability/capability_test.go
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func TestNewPid2Load(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestAmbientCapSet(t *testing.T) {
+func TestApplyCaps(t *testing.T) {
 	if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
 		return
 	}
@@ -193,3 +193,72 @@ func childAmbientCapSet() {
 	}
 	os.Exit(0)
 }
+
+func TestAmbientCapAPI(t *testing.T) {
+	if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
+		return
+	}
+	requirePCapSet(t)
+
+	out := testInChild(t, childAmbientCapSetByAPI)
+
+	t.Logf("output from child:\n%s", out)
+}
+
+func childAmbientCapSetByAPI() {
+	log.SetFlags(log.Lshortfile)
+
+	pid, err := NewPid2(0)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	list := []Cap{CAP_KILL, CAP_CHOWN, CAP_SYS_CHROOT}
+	pid.Set(CAPS|AMBIENT, list...)
+	if err = pid.Apply(CAPS); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err = AmbientRaise(list...); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Check if ambient caps were raised.
+	if err = pid.Load(); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, cap := range list {
+		want := true
+		if got := pid.Get(AMBIENT, cap); want != got {
+			log.Fatalf("Get(AMBIENT, %s): want %v, got %v", cap, want, got)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Lower one ambient cap.
+	const unsetIdx = 1
+	if err = AmbientLower(list[unsetIdx]); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err = pid.Load(); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for i, cap := range list {
+		want := i != unsetIdx
+		if got := pid.Get(AMBIENT, cap); want != got {
+			log.Fatalf("Get(AMBIENT, %s): want %v, got %v", cap, want, got)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Lower all ambient caps
+	if err = AmbientClearAll(); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err = pid.Load(); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, cap := range list {
+		if got := pid.Get(AMBIENT, cap); got {
+			log.Fatalf("Get(AMBIENT, %s): want false, got %v", cap, got)
+		}
+	}
+	os.Exit(0)
+}