diff --git a/src/runtime/containerd-shim-v2/service.go b/src/runtime/containerd-shim-v2/service.go
index 795f27e4b5..2903824779 100644
--- a/src/runtime/containerd-shim-v2/service.go
+++ b/src/runtime/containerd-shim-v2/service.go
@@ -312,17 +312,17 @@ func (s *service) Cleanup(ctx context.Context) (_ *taskAPI.DeleteResponse, err e
 
 	switch containerType {
 	case vc.PodSandbox:
-		err = cleanupContainer(ctx, s.id, s.id, path)
+		err = cleanupContainer(ctx, s.sandbox, s.id, path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	case vc.PodContainer:
-		sandboxID, err := oci.SandboxID(ociSpec)
+		_, err := oci.SandboxID(ociSpec)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		err = cleanupContainer(ctx, sandboxID, s.id, path)
+		err = cleanupContainer(ctx, s.sandbox, s.id, path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/src/runtime/containerd-shim-v2/utils.go b/src/runtime/containerd-shim-v2/utils.go
index 95adb93faa..3172483500 100644
--- a/src/runtime/containerd-shim-v2/utils.go
+++ b/src/runtime/containerd-shim-v2/utils.go
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ func cReap(s *service, status int, id, execid string, exitat time.Time) {
 	}
 }
 
-func cleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sid, cid, bundlePath string) error {
+func cleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sandbox vc.VCSandbox, cid, bundlePath string) error {
 	shimLog.WithField("service", "cleanup").WithField("container", cid).Info("Cleanup container")
 
-	err := vci.CleanupContainer(ctx, sid, cid, true)
+	err := vci.CleanupContainer(ctx, sandbox, cid, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		shimLog.WithError(err).WithField("container", cid).Warn("failed to cleanup container")
 		return err
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn.go
index 5b6010d211..b37f65bb06 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn.go
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ type Acrn struct {
 	arch       acrnArch
 	ctx        context.Context
 	store      persistapi.PersistDriver
+	sandbox    *Sandbox
 }
 
 type acrnPlatformInfo struct {
@@ -231,10 +232,9 @@ func (a *Acrn) appendImage(devices []Device, imagePath string) ([]Device, error)
 	// Get sandbox and increment the globalIndex.
 	// This is to make sure the VM rootfs occupies
 	// the first Index which is /dev/vda.
-	sandbox := globalSandbox
 	var err error
 
-	if _, err = sandbox.GetAndSetSandboxBlockIndex(); err != nil {
+	if _, err = a.sandbox.GetAndSetSandboxBlockIndex(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -821,3 +821,7 @@ func (a *Acrn) loadInfo() error {
 func (a *Acrn) isRateLimiterBuiltin() bool {
 	return false
 }
+
+func (a *Acrn) setSandbox(sandbox *Sandbox) {
+	a.sandbox = sandbox
+}
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn_test.go
index 27dbd088e7..eb357b0034 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn_test.go
@@ -230,10 +230,7 @@ func TestAcrnCreateSandbox(t *testing.T) {
 		state: types.SandboxState{BlockIndexMap: make(map[int]struct{})},
 	}
 
-	globalSandbox = sandbox
-	defer func() {
-		globalSandbox = nil
-	}()
+	a.sandbox = sandbox
 
 	//set PID to 1 to ignore hypercall to get UUID and set a random UUID
 	a.state.PID = 1
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/api.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/api.go
index 0335059f4d..5c3f402108 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/api.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/api.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package virtcontainers
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"runtime"
 
 	deviceApi "github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/src/runtime/virtcontainers/device/api"
@@ -135,26 +136,24 @@ func createSandboxFromConfig(ctx context.Context, sandboxConfig SandboxConfig, f
 // CleanupContainer is used by shimv2 to stop and delete a container exclusively, once there is no container
 // in the sandbox left, do stop the sandbox and delete it. Those serial operations will be done exclusively by
 // locking the sandbox.
-func CleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sandboxID, containerID string, force bool) error {
+func CleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sandbox VCSandbox, containerID string, force bool) error {
 	span, ctx := trace(ctx, "CleanupContainer")
 	defer span.Finish()
-
-	if sandboxID == "" {
-		return vcTypes.ErrNeedSandboxID
-	}
-
 	if containerID == "" {
 		return vcTypes.ErrNeedContainerID
 	}
 
-	unlock, err := rwLockSandbox(sandboxID)
+	s, ok := sandbox.(*Sandbox)
+	if !ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf("not a Sandbox reference")
+	}
+
+	unlock, err := rwLockSandbox(s.id)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer unlock()
 
-	s := globalSandbox
-
 	defer s.Release()
 
 	_, err = s.StopContainer(containerID, force)
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/api_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/api_test.go
index 927e450c8d..f0447b3ffb 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/api_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/api_test.go
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ func TestCleanupContainer(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, c := range p.GetAllContainers() {
-		CleanupContainer(ctx, p.ID(), c.ID(), true)
+		CleanupContainer(ctx, p, c.ID(), true)
 	}
 
 	s, ok := p.(*Sandbox)
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go
index 30aedd4c02..6125d16795 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go
@@ -1297,3 +1297,6 @@ func (clh *cloudHypervisor) vmInfo() (chclient.VmInfo, error) {
 func (clh *cloudHypervisor) isRateLimiterBuiltin() bool {
 	return false
 }
+
+func (clh *cloudHypervisor) setSandbox(sandbox *Sandbox) {
+}
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/fc.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/fc.go
index 37fdbdc105..8450006904 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/fc.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/fc.go
@@ -1247,3 +1247,6 @@ func revertBytes(num uint64) uint64 {
 		return 1024*revertBytes(a) + b
 	}
 }
+
+func (fc *firecracker) setSandbox(sandbox *Sandbox) {
+}
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go
index ee7a2b6b73..75834e8da7 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go
@@ -814,4 +814,6 @@ type hypervisor interface {
 
 	// check if hypervisor supports built-in rate limiter.
 	isRateLimiterBuiltin() bool
+
+	setSandbox(sandbox *Sandbox)
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/implementation.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/implementation.go
index 177797ebd2..186b59e87a 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/implementation.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/implementation.go
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ func (impl *VCImpl) CreateSandbox(ctx context.Context, sandboxConfig SandboxConf
 // CleanupContainer is used by shimv2 to stop and delete a container exclusively, once there is no container
 // in the sandbox left, do stop the sandbox and delete it. Those serial operations will be done exclusively by
 // locking the sandbox.
-func (impl *VCImpl) CleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sandboxID, containerID string, force bool) error {
-	return CleanupContainer(ctx, sandboxID, containerID, force)
+func (impl *VCImpl) CleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sandbox VCSandbox, containerID string, force bool) error {
+	return CleanupContainer(ctx, sandbox, containerID, force)
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/interfaces.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/interfaces.go
index 365c329db0..8aeed1498f 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/interfaces.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/interfaces.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ type VC interface {
 	SetFactory(ctx context.Context, factory Factory)
 
 	CreateSandbox(ctx context.Context, sandboxConfig SandboxConfig) (VCSandbox, error)
-	CleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sandboxID, containerID string, force bool) error
+	CleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sandbox VCSandbox, containerID string, force bool) error
 }
 
 // VCSandbox is the Sandbox interface
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor.go
index 5dff86fcbd..d7a2480c2b 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor.go
@@ -136,3 +136,6 @@ func (m *mockHypervisor) generateSocket(id string) (interface{}, error) {
 func (m *mockHypervisor) isRateLimiterBuiltin() bool {
 	return false
 }
+
+func (m *mockHypervisor) setSandbox(sandbox *Sandbox) {
+}
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/mock.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/mock.go
index 5a13c76c45..0dd2b579f6 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/mock.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/mock.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package vcmock
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+
 	vc "github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/src/runtime/virtcontainers"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
@@ -49,9 +50,9 @@ func (m *VCMock) CreateSandbox(ctx context.Context, sandboxConfig vc.SandboxConf
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %s (%+v): sandboxConfig: %v", mockErrorPrefix, getSelf(), m, sandboxConfig)
 }
 
-func (m *VCMock) CleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sandboxID, containerID string, force bool) error {
+func (m *VCMock) CleanupContainer(ctx context.Context, sandbox vc.VCSandbox, containerID string, force bool) error {
 	if m.CleanupContainerFunc != nil {
-		return m.CleanupContainerFunc(ctx, sandboxID, containerID, true)
+		return m.CleanupContainerFunc(ctx, sandbox, containerID, true)
 	}
-	return fmt.Errorf("%s: %s (%+v): sandboxID: %v", mockErrorPrefix, getSelf(), m, sandboxID)
+	return fmt.Errorf("%s: %s (%+v): sandbox: %v", mockErrorPrefix, getSelf(), m, sandbox)
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/mock_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/mock_test.go
index 9043b168da..79c543b3cd 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/mock_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/mock_test.go
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	testSandboxID   = "testSandboxID"
 	testContainerID = "testContainerID"
 )
 
 var (
-	loggerTriggered  = 0
-	factoryTriggered = 0
+	loggerTriggered               = 0
+	factoryTriggered              = 0
+	testSandbox      vc.VCSandbox = &Sandbox{}
 )
 
 func TestVCImplementations(t *testing.T) {
@@ -178,21 +178,21 @@ func TestVCMockCleanupContainer(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Nil(m.CleanupContainerFunc)
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
-	err := m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandboxID, testContainerID, false)
+	err := m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandbox, testContainerID, false)
 	assert.Error(err)
 	assert.True(IsMockError(err))
 
-	m.CleanupContainerFunc = func(ctx context.Context, sandboxID, containerID string, force bool) error {
+	m.CleanupContainerFunc = func(ctx context.Context, sandbox vc.VCSandbox, containerID string, force bool) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	err = m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandboxID, testContainerID, false)
+	err = m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandbox, testContainerID, false)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 
 	// reset
 	m.CleanupContainerFunc = nil
 
-	err = m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandboxID, testContainerID, false)
+	err = m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandbox, testContainerID, false)
 	assert.Error(err)
 	assert.True(IsMockError(err))
 }
@@ -204,21 +204,21 @@ func TestVCMockForceCleanupContainer(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Nil(m.CleanupContainerFunc)
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
-	err := m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandboxID, testContainerID, true)
+	err := m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandbox, testContainerID, true)
 	assert.Error(err)
 	assert.True(IsMockError(err))
 
-	m.CleanupContainerFunc = func(ctx context.Context, sandboxID, containerID string, force bool) error {
+	m.CleanupContainerFunc = func(ctx context.Context, sandbox vc.VCSandbox, containerID string, force bool) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	err = m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandboxID, testContainerID, true)
+	err = m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandbox, testContainerID, true)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 
 	// reset
 	m.CleanupContainerFunc = nil
 
-	err = m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandboxID, testContainerID, true)
+	err = m.CleanupContainer(ctx, testSandbox, testContainerID, true)
 	assert.Error(err)
 	assert.True(IsMockError(err))
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/types.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/types.go
index 9caa53232a..de7f034421 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/types.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/vcmock/types.go
@@ -87,6 +87,6 @@ type VCMock struct {
 	SetLoggerFunc  func(ctx context.Context, logger *logrus.Entry)
 	SetFactoryFunc func(ctx context.Context, factory vc.Factory)
 
-	CreateSandboxFunc  func(ctx context.Context, sandboxConfig vc.SandboxConfig) (vc.VCSandbox, error)
-	CleanupContainerFunc func(ctx context.Context, sandboxID, containerID string, force bool) error
+	CreateSandboxFunc    func(ctx context.Context, sandboxConfig vc.SandboxConfig) (vc.VCSandbox, error)
+	CleanupContainerFunc func(ctx context.Context, sandbox vc.VCSandbox, containerID string, force bool) error
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go
index 932139aa01..9d5366611b 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go
@@ -2389,3 +2389,6 @@ func (q *qemu) generateSocket(id string) (interface{}, error) {
 func (q *qemu) isRateLimiterBuiltin() bool {
 	return false
 }
+
+func (q *qemu) setSandbox(sandbox *Sandbox) {
+}
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox.go
index 811bed0205..118ece60e0 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox.go
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@ const (
 	DirMode = os.FileMode(0750) | os.ModeDir
 )
 
-// globalSandbox tracks sandbox globally
-var globalSandbox *Sandbox
-
 // SandboxStatus describes a sandbox status.
 type SandboxStatus struct {
 	ID               string
@@ -503,12 +500,12 @@ func newSandbox(ctx context.Context, sandboxConfig SandboxConfig, factory Factor
 		ctx:             ctx,
 	}
 
+	hypervisor.setSandbox(s)
+
 	if s.newStore, err = persist.GetDriver(); err != nil || s.newStore == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get fs persist driver: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	globalSandbox = s
-
 	defer func() {
 		if retErr != nil {
 			s.Logger().WithError(retErr).WithField("sandboxid", s.id).Error("Create new sandbox failed")
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox_test.go
index 110cd8e9b3..24458a2117 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox_test.go
@@ -301,13 +301,11 @@ func TestSandboxSetSandboxAndContainerState(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// force state to be read from disk
-	p2 := globalSandbox
-
-	if err := testCheckSandboxOnDiskState(p2, newSandboxState); err != nil {
+	if err := testCheckSandboxOnDiskState(p, newSandboxState); err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 	}
 
-	c2, err := p2.findContainer(contID)
+	c2, err := p.findContainer(contID)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 
 	if err := testCheckContainerOnDiskState(c2, newContainerState); err != nil {
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/virtcontainers_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/virtcontainers_test.go
index 6960ffc106..cbec355eaf 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/virtcontainers_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/virtcontainers_test.go
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ var testHyperstartTtySocket = ""
 // cleanUp Removes any stale sandbox/container state that can affect
 // the next test to run.
 func cleanUp() {
-	globalSandbox = nil
 	os.RemoveAll(fs.MockRunStoragePath())
 	os.RemoveAll(fs.MockRunVMStoragePath())
 	syscall.Unmount(getSharePath(testSandboxID), syscall.MNT_DETACH|UmountNoFollow)