diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_container.go b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_container.go
index 2a1ef3d15cd..631af02b4fe 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_container.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_container.go
@@ -1127,6 +1127,18 @@ func (m *kubeGenericRuntimeManager) computeInitContainerActions(pod *v1.Pod, pod
 					changes.InitContainersToStart = append(changes.InitContainersToStart, i+1)
 				}
 
+				// Restart running sidecar containers which have had their definition changed.
+				if _, _, changed := containerChanged(container, status); changed {
+					changes.ContainersToKill[status.ID] = containerToKillInfo{
+						name:      container.Name,
+						container: container,
+						message:   fmt.Sprintf("Init container %s definition changed", container.Name),
+						reason:    "",
+					}
+					changes.InitContainersToStart = append(changes.InitContainersToStart, i)
+					break
+				}
+
 				// A restartable init container does not have to take into account its
 				// liveness probe when it determines to start the next init container.
 				if container.LivenessProbe != nil {
diff --git a/test/e2e_node/container_lifecycle_test.go b/test/e2e_node/container_lifecycle_test.go
index d75ced5f95e..313f2c6163a 100644
--- a/test/e2e_node/container_lifecycle_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e_node/container_lifecycle_test.go
@@ -3717,7 +3717,7 @@ var _ = SIGDescribe(nodefeature.SidecarContainers, "Containers Lifecycle", func(
 					err = e2epod.WaitForPodCondition(ctx, f.ClientSet, pod.Namespace, pod.Name, "init container attempted to run with updated image",
 						time.Duration(30)*time.Second, func(pod *v1.Pod) (bool, error) {
 							containerStatus := pod.Status.InitContainerStatuses[1]
-							return containerStatus.Image == updatedImage, nil
+							return containerStatus.Image == updatedImage && containerStatus.RestartCount > 1, nil
 						})
 					framework.ExpectNoError(err)