diff --git a/capability_linux.go b/capability_linux.go
index 8334530..994bb13 100644
--- a/capability_linux.go
+++ b/capability_linux.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"syscall"
@@ -23,43 +24,42 @@ const (
 	linuxCapVer3 = 0x20080522
 )
 
-var capLastCap Cap
-
-func init() {
-	if initLastCap() == nil {
-		CAP_LAST_CAP = capLastCap
-		if capLastCap > 31 {
-			capUpperMask = (uint32(1) << (uint(capLastCap) - 31)) - 1
-		} else {
-			capUpperMask = 0
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func initLastCap() error {
-	if capLastCap != 0 {
-		return nil
-	}
-
+// LastCap returns highest valid capability of the running kernel.
+var LastCap = sync.OnceValues(func() (Cap, error) {
 	f, err := os.Open("/proc/sys/kernel/cap_last_cap")
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return 0, err
 	}
-	defer f.Close()
 
-	var b []byte = make([]byte, 11)
-	_, err = f.Read(b)
+	buf := make([]byte, 11)
+	l, err := f.Read(buf)
+	f.Close()
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return 0, err
 	}
+	buf = buf[:l]
 
-	fmt.Sscanf(string(b), "%d", &capLastCap)
+	last, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimSpace(string(buf)))
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	return Cap(last), nil
+})
 
-	return nil
+func capUpperMask() uint32 {
+	last, err := LastCap()
+	if err != nil || last < 32 {
+		return 0
+	}
+	return (uint32(1) << (uint(last) - 31)) - 1
 }
 
 func mkStringCap(c Capabilities, which CapType) (ret string) {
-	for i, first := Cap(0), true; i <= CAP_LAST_CAP; i++ {
+	last, err := LastCap()
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	for i, first := Cap(0), true; i <= last; i++ {
 		if !c.Get(which, i) {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -179,7 +179,8 @@ func (c *capsV3) Full(which CapType) bool {
 	if (data[0] & 0xffffffff) != 0xffffffff {
 		return false
 	}
-	return (data[1] & capUpperMask) == capUpperMask
+	mask := capUpperMask()
+	return (data[1] & mask) == mask
 }
 
 func (c *capsV3) Set(which CapType, caps ...Cap) {
@@ -327,6 +328,10 @@ func (c *capsV3) Load() (err error) {
 }
 
 func (c *capsV3) Apply(kind CapType) (err error) {
+	last, err := LastCap()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	if kind&BOUNDS == BOUNDS {
 		var data [2]capData
 		err = capget(&c.hdr, &data[0])
@@ -334,7 +339,7 @@ func (c *capsV3) Apply(kind CapType) (err error) {
 			return
 		}
 		if (1<<uint(CAP_SETPCAP))&data[0].effective != 0 {
-			for i := Cap(0); i <= CAP_LAST_CAP; i++ {
+			for i := Cap(0); i <= last; i++ {
 				if c.Get(BOUNDING, i) {
 					continue
 				}
@@ -359,7 +364,7 @@ func (c *capsV3) Apply(kind CapType) (err error) {
 	}
 
 	if kind&AMBS == AMBS {
-		for i := Cap(0); i <= CAP_LAST_CAP; i++ {
+		for i := Cap(0); i <= last; i++ {
 			action := pr_CAP_AMBIENT_LOWER
 			if c.Get(AMBIENT, i) {
 				action = pr_CAP_AMBIENT_RAISE
@@ -440,7 +445,8 @@ func (c *capsFile) Full(which CapType) bool {
 	if (data[0] & 0xffffffff) != 0xffffffff {
 		return false
 	}
-	return (data[1] & capUpperMask) == capUpperMask
+	mask := capUpperMask()
+	return (data[1] & mask) == mask
 }
 
 func (c *capsFile) Set(which CapType, caps ...Cap) {
diff --git a/capability_linux_test.go b/capability_linux_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2d3a5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/capability_linux_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package capability
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestLastCap(t *testing.T) {
+	last, err := LastCap()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Sanity checks.
+	//
+	// Based on the fact Go 1.18+ supports Linux >= 2.6.32, and
+	//   - CAP_MAC_ADMIN (33) was added in 2.6.25;
+	//   - CAP_SYSLOG (34) was added in 2.6.38;
+	//   - CAP_CHECKPOINT_RESTORE (40) was added in 5.9, and it is
+	//     the last added capability as of today (July 2024);
+	// LastCap return value should be between minCap and maxCap.
+	minCap := CAP_MAC_ADMIN
+	maxCap := CAP_CHECKPOINT_RESTORE
+	if last < minCap {
+		t.Fatalf("LastCap returned %d (%s), expected >= %d (%s)",
+			last, last, minCap, minCap)
+	}
+	if last > maxCap {
+		t.Fatalf("LastCap returned %d, expected <= %d (%s). Package needs to be updated.",
+			last, maxCap, maxCap)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/capability_test.go b/capability_test.go
index f974086..f44e9cf 100644
--- a/capability_test.go
+++ b/capability_test.go
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ func TestState(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	last, err := LastCap()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	capf := new(capsFile)
 	capf.data.version = 2
 	for _, tc := range []struct {
@@ -51,9 +55,9 @@ func TestState(t *testing.T) {
 		sets CapType
 		max  Cap
 	}{
-		{"v3", new(capsV3), EFFECTIVE | PERMITTED | BOUNDING, CAP_LAST_CAP},
+		{"v3", new(capsV3), EFFECTIVE | PERMITTED | BOUNDING, last},
 		{"file_v1", new(capsFile), EFFECTIVE | PERMITTED, CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL},
-		{"file_v2", capf, EFFECTIVE | PERMITTED, CAP_LAST_CAP},
+		{"file_v2", capf, EFFECTIVE | PERMITTED, last},
 	} {
 		testEmpty(tc.name, tc.c, tc.sets)
 		tc.c.Fill(CAPS | BOUNDS)
@@ -62,14 +66,14 @@ func TestState(t *testing.T) {
 		tc.c.Clear(CAPS | BOUNDS)
 		testEmpty(tc.name, tc.c, tc.sets)
 		for i := CapType(1); i <= BOUNDING; i <<= 1 {
-			for j := Cap(0); j <= CAP_LAST_CAP; j++ {
+			for j := Cap(0); j <= last; j++ {
 				tc.c.Set(i, j)
 			}
 		}
 		testFull(tc.name, tc.c, tc.sets)
 		testGet(tc.name, tc.c, tc.sets, tc.max)
 		for i := CapType(1); i <= BOUNDING; i <<= 1 {
-			for j := Cap(0); j <= CAP_LAST_CAP; j++ {
+			for j := Cap(0); j <= last; j++ {
 				tc.c.Unset(i, j)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/enum.go b/enum.go
index ad10785..27c89a6 100644
--- a/enum.go
+++ b/enum.go
@@ -300,10 +300,3 @@ const (
 	// Introduced in kernel 5.9
 	CAP_CHECKPOINT_RESTORE = Cap(40)
 )
-
-var (
-	// Highest valid capability of the running kernel.
-	CAP_LAST_CAP = Cap(63)
-
-	capUpperMask = ^uint32(0)
-)