diff --git a/cli/delete.go b/cli/delete.go
index b775b6a11a..11db6fc5b0 100644
--- a/cli/delete.go
+++ b/cli/delete.go
@@ -105,10 +105,17 @@ func delete(containerID string, force bool) error {
 }
 
 func deleteSandbox(sandboxID string) error {
-	if _, err := vci.StopSandbox(sandboxID); err != nil {
+	status, err := vci.StatusSandbox(sandboxID)
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if oci.StateToOCIState(status.State) != oci.StateStopped {
+		if _, err := vci.StopSandbox(sandboxID); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	if _, err := vci.DeleteSandbox(sandboxID); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cli/delete_test.go b/cli/delete_test.go
index 89c5715466..66debda43e 100644
--- a/cli/delete_test.go
+++ b/cli/delete_test.go
@@ -192,6 +192,23 @@ func TestDeleteSandbox(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Error(err)
 	assert.True(vcmock.IsMockError(err))
 
+	testingImpl.StatusSandboxFunc = func(sandboxID string) (vc.SandboxStatus, error) {
+		return vc.SandboxStatus{
+			ID: sandbox.ID(),
+			State: vc.State{
+				State: vc.StateReady,
+			},
+		}, nil
+	}
+
+	defer func() {
+		testingImpl.StatusSandboxFunc = nil
+	}()
+
+	err = delete(sandbox.ID(), false)
+	assert.Error(err)
+	assert.True(vcmock.IsMockError(err))
+
 	testingImpl.StopSandboxFunc = func(sandboxID string) (vc.VCSandbox, error) {
 		return sandbox, nil
 	}
@@ -297,11 +314,21 @@ func TestDeleteSandboxRunning(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Error(err)
 	assert.False(vcmock.IsMockError(err))
 
+	testingImpl.StatusSandboxFunc = func(sandboxID string) (vc.SandboxStatus, error) {
+		return vc.SandboxStatus{
+			ID: sandbox.ID(),
+			State: vc.State{
+				State: vc.StateRunning,
+			},
+		}, nil
+	}
+
 	testingImpl.StopSandboxFunc = func(sandboxID string) (vc.VCSandbox, error) {
 		return sandbox, nil
 	}
 
 	defer func() {
+		testingImpl.StatusSandboxFunc = nil
 		testingImpl.StopSandboxFunc = nil
 	}()
 
@@ -525,6 +552,15 @@ func TestDeleteCLIFunctionSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 		}, nil
 	}
 
+	testingImpl.StatusSandboxFunc = func(sandboxID string) (vc.SandboxStatus, error) {
+		return vc.SandboxStatus{
+			ID: sandbox.ID(),
+			State: vc.State{
+				State: vc.StateReady,
+			},
+		}, nil
+	}
+
 	testingImpl.StopSandboxFunc = func(sandboxID string) (vc.VCSandbox, error) {
 		return sandbox, nil
 	}