diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index 9498eb47279..58aec52cbfd 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -2217,7 +2217,7 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) HandlePodAdditions(pods []*v1.Pod) {
 		if !kl.podWorkers.IsPodTerminationRequested(pod.UID) {
 			// We failed pods that we rejected, so activePods include all admitted
 			// pods that are alive.
-			activePods := kl.filterOutTerminatedPods(existingPods)
+			activePods := kl.filterOutInactivePods(existingPods)
 
 			// Check if we can admit the pod; if not, reject it.
 			if ok, reason, message := kl.canAdmitPod(activePods, pod); !ok {
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_pods.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_pods.go
index 9a8b8cc8a30..1edbbb5113b 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_pods.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_pods.go
@@ -92,16 +92,17 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) listPodsFromDisk() ([]types.UID, error) {
 	return pods, nil
 }
 
-// GetActivePods returns pods that may have a running container (a
-// terminated pod is one that is known to have no running containers and
-// will not get any more).
+// GetActivePods returns pods that have been admitted to the kubelet that
+// are not fully terminated. This is mapped to the "desired state" of the
+// kubelet - what pods should be running.
 //
-// TODO: This method must include pods that have been force deleted from
-// the config source (and thus removed from the pod manager) but are still
-// terminating.
+// WARNING: Currently this list does not include pods that have been force
+// deleted but may still be terminating, which means resources assigned to
+// those pods during admission may still be in use. See
+// https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/104824
 func (kl *Kubelet) GetActivePods() []*v1.Pod {
 	allPods := kl.podManager.GetPods()
-	activePods := kl.filterOutTerminatedPods(allPods)
+	activePods := kl.filterOutInactivePods(allPods)
 	return activePods
 }
 
@@ -968,19 +969,32 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) podResourcesAreReclaimed(pod *v1.Pod) bool {
 	return kl.PodResourcesAreReclaimed(pod, status)
 }
 
-// filterOutTerminatedPods returns pods that are not in a terminal phase
+// filterOutInactivePods returns pods that are not in a terminal phase
 // or are known to be fully terminated. This method should only be used
 // when the set of pods being filtered is upstream of the pod worker, i.e.
 // the pods the pod manager is aware of.
-func (kl *Kubelet) filterOutTerminatedPods(pods []*v1.Pod) []*v1.Pod {
+func (kl *Kubelet) filterOutInactivePods(pods []*v1.Pod) []*v1.Pod {
 	filteredPods := make([]*v1.Pod, 0, len(pods))
 	for _, p := range pods {
+		// if a pod is fully terminated by UID, it should be excluded from the
+		// list of pods
 		if kl.podWorkers.IsPodKnownTerminated(p.UID) {
 			continue
 		}
-		if p.Status.Phase == v1.PodSucceeded || p.Status.Phase == v1.PodFailed {
+
+		// terminal pods are considered inactive UNLESS they are actively terminating
+		isTerminal := p.Status.Phase == v1.PodSucceeded || p.Status.Phase == v1.PodFailed
+		if !isTerminal {
+			// a pod that has been marked terminal within the Kubelet is considered
+			// inactive (may have been rejected by Kubelet admision)
+			if status, ok := kl.statusManager.GetPodStatus(p.UID); ok {
+				isTerminal = status.Phase == v1.PodSucceeded || status.Phase == v1.PodFailed
+			}
+		}
+		if isTerminal && !kl.podWorkers.IsPodTerminationRequested(p.UID) {
 			continue
 		}
+
 		filteredPods = append(filteredPods, p)
 	}
 	return filteredPods
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go
index b95d82f743d..2c072216ee3 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go
@@ -1418,15 +1418,18 @@ func TestNetworkErrorsWithoutHostNetwork(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, err, "expected pod with hostNetwork=true to succeed when network in error")
 }
 
-func TestFilterOutTerminatedPods(t *testing.T) {
+func TestFilterOutInactivePods(t *testing.T) {
 	testKubelet := newTestKubelet(t, false /* controllerAttachDetachEnabled */)
 	defer testKubelet.Cleanup()
 	kubelet := testKubelet.kubelet
-	pods := newTestPods(5)
+	pods := newTestPods(8)
 	now := metav1.NewTime(time.Now())
+
+	// terminal pods are excluded
 	pods[0].Status.Phase = v1.PodFailed
 	pods[1].Status.Phase = v1.PodSucceeded
-	// The pod is terminating, should not filter out.
+
+	// deleted pod is included unless it's known to be terminated
 	pods[2].Status.Phase = v1.PodRunning
 	pods[2].DeletionTimestamp = &now
 	pods[2].Status.ContainerStatuses = []v1.ContainerStatus{
@@ -1436,18 +1439,31 @@ func TestFilterOutTerminatedPods(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		}},
 	}
+
+	// pending and running pods are included
 	pods[3].Status.Phase = v1.PodPending
 	pods[4].Status.Phase = v1.PodRunning
 
-	kubelet.podWorkers.(*fakePodWorkers).running = map[types.UID]bool{
-		pods[2].UID: true,
-		pods[3].UID: true,
-		pods[4].UID: true,
+	// pod that is running but has been rejected by admission is excluded
+	pods[5].Status.Phase = v1.PodRunning
+	kubelet.statusManager.SetPodStatus(pods[5], v1.PodStatus{Phase: v1.PodFailed})
+
+	// pod that is running according to the api but is known terminated is excluded
+	pods[6].Status.Phase = v1.PodRunning
+	kubelet.podWorkers.(*fakePodWorkers).terminated = map[types.UID]bool{
+		pods[6].UID: true,
 	}
 
-	expected := []*v1.Pod{pods[2], pods[3], pods[4]}
+	// pod that is failed but still terminating is included (it may still be consuming
+	// resources)
+	pods[7].Status.Phase = v1.PodFailed
+	kubelet.podWorkers.(*fakePodWorkers).terminationRequested = map[types.UID]bool{
+		pods[7].UID: true,
+	}
+
+	expected := []*v1.Pod{pods[2], pods[3], pods[4], pods[7]}
 	kubelet.podManager.SetPods(pods)
-	actual := kubelet.filterOutTerminatedPods(pods)
+	actual := kubelet.filterOutInactivePods(pods)
 	assert.Equal(t, expected, actual)
 }