diff --git a/cli/update.go b/cli/update.go
index 4a25fbe9c..edbe5262b 100644
--- a/cli/update.go
+++ b/cli/update.go
@@ -165,8 +165,8 @@ other options are ignored.
 		span.SetTag("sandbox", sandboxID)
 
 		// container MUST be running
-		if status.State.State != types.StateRunning {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Container %s is not running", containerID)
+		if state := status.State.State; !(state == types.StateRunning || state == types.StateReady) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Container %s is not running or Ready, the state is %s", containerID, state)
 		}
 
 		r := specs.LinuxResources{
diff --git a/virtcontainers/container.go b/virtcontainers/container.go
index db9715e97..5e1cb9657 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/container.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/container.go
@@ -1029,8 +1029,8 @@ func (c *Container) update(resources specs.LinuxResources) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if c.state.State != types.StateRunning {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Container not running, impossible to update")
+	if state := c.state.State; !(state == types.StateRunning || state == types.StateReady) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Container(%s) not running or ready, impossible to update", state)
 	}
 
 	if c.config.Resources.CPU == nil {