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Purpose The purpose of this study is to use polybenzoxazine (Pbz) functionalized ZrO2 nanoparticles to synthesize polyurethane (PU)-PbZ/ZrO2 nanocomposite. The results derived from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization studies indicated the superior anticorrosive activity of PU-Pbz/ZrO2 nanocomposite coatings compared to those of plain PU coatings. The decreased corrosion current was detected on the scratch of the PU-Pbz/ZrO2 nanocomposite-coated mild steel surface by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) compared to other studied coatings. The superior anticorrosive and mechanical properties of the proposed nanocomposite coatings provide a new horizon in the development of high-performance anticorrosive coatings for various industries. Design/methodology/approach The Pbz functionalized ZrO2 nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in terms of the structural, morphological and thermal properties of these coatings. A different formulation of coatings such as PU, PU-Pbz, PU-ZrO2 and PU-Pbz/ZrO2 were prepared and investigated for their corrosion protection performance on mild steel in natural seawater by electrochemical techniques. The surface morphological studies were done by SEM/EDX and XRD analysis. Findings The superior anticorrosive property of the proposed nanocomposite coatings provides a new horizon in the development of high-performance anticorrosive coatings for various industries. Addition of Pbz wrapped ZrO2 nanoparticles into the PU coating resulted in the blockage of charge transfer at the metal/electrolyte interface, which reduced the dissolution of mild steel. It was revealed from the SEM/EDX analysis that the formation of the corrosion products at the metal/electrolyte interface behaved as the passive layer which reduced the dissolution of steel. Originality/value The inclusion of polybenzoxazine functionalized ZrO2 nanoparticles to the polyurethane coating reinforces the barrier and mechanical properties of PU-Pbz/ZrO2 nanocomposite, which is due to the synergistic effect of ZrO2 and Pbz.