diff --git a/src/driver/index.js b/src/driver/index.js
index 51b9968..2d51e16 100644
--- a/src/driver/index.js
+++ b/src/driver/index.js
@@ -1054,6 +1054,15 @@ class CsiBaseDriver {
             normalized_staging_path = staging_target_path;
           }
 
+          // sanity check to ensure the staged path is actually mounted
+          result = await mount.pathIsMounted(normalized_staging_path);
+          if (!result) {
+            throw new GrpcError(
+              grpc.status.FAILED_PRECONDITION,
+              `staging path is not mounted: ${normalized_staging_path}`
+            );
+          }
+
           result = await mount.pathIsMounted(target_path);
           // if not mounted, mount
           if (!result) {
diff --git a/src/utils/mount.js b/src/utils/mount.js
index 187c1d4..25bbd7b 100644
--- a/src/utils/mount.js
+++ b/src/utils/mount.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ FINDMNT_COMMON_OPTIONS = [
   "--nofsroot", // prevents unwanted behavior with cifs volumes
 ];
 
-DEFAUT_TIMEOUT = 30000;
+DEFAUT_TIMEOUT = process.env.MOUNT_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT || 30000;
 
 class Mount {
   constructor(options = {}) {