diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/api/v1alpha1/runtime/api.pb.go b/pkg/kubelet/api/v1alpha1/runtime/api.pb.go
index 2c443a57a66..fe6862e0e50 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/api/v1alpha1/runtime/api.pb.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/api/v1alpha1/runtime/api.pb.go
@@ -3065,7 +3065,8 @@ type RuntimeServiceClient interface {
 	// This call is idempotent, and must not return an error if the sandbox has
 	// already been removed.
 	RemovePodSandbox(ctx context.Context, in *RemovePodSandboxRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*RemovePodSandboxResponse, error)
-	// PodSandboxStatus returns the status of the PodSandbox.
+	// PodSandboxStatus returns the status of the PodSandbox. If the PodSandbox is not
+	// present, returns an error.
 	PodSandboxStatus(ctx context.Context, in *PodSandboxStatusRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*PodSandboxStatusResponse, error)
 	// ListPodSandbox returns a list of PodSandboxes.
 	ListPodSandbox(ctx context.Context, in *ListPodSandboxRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*ListPodSandboxResponse, error)
@@ -3085,7 +3086,8 @@ type RuntimeServiceClient interface {
 	RemoveContainer(ctx context.Context, in *RemoveContainerRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*RemoveContainerResponse, error)
 	// ListContainers lists all containers by filters.
 	ListContainers(ctx context.Context, in *ListContainersRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*ListContainersResponse, error)
-	// ContainerStatus returns status of the container.
+	// ContainerStatus returns status of the container. If the container is not
+	// present, returns an error.
 	ContainerStatus(ctx context.Context, in *ContainerStatusRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*ContainerStatusResponse, error)
 	// ExecSync runs a command in a container synchronously.
 	ExecSync(ctx context.Context, in *ExecSyncRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*ExecSyncResponse, error)
@@ -3294,7 +3296,8 @@ type RuntimeServiceServer interface {
 	// This call is idempotent, and must not return an error if the sandbox has
 	// already been removed.
 	RemovePodSandbox(context.Context, *RemovePodSandboxRequest) (*RemovePodSandboxResponse, error)
-	// PodSandboxStatus returns the status of the PodSandbox.
+	// PodSandboxStatus returns the status of the PodSandbox. If the PodSandbox is not
+	// present, returns an error.
 	PodSandboxStatus(context.Context, *PodSandboxStatusRequest) (*PodSandboxStatusResponse, error)
 	// ListPodSandbox returns a list of PodSandboxes.
 	ListPodSandbox(context.Context, *ListPodSandboxRequest) (*ListPodSandboxResponse, error)
@@ -3314,7 +3317,8 @@ type RuntimeServiceServer interface {
 	RemoveContainer(context.Context, *RemoveContainerRequest) (*RemoveContainerResponse, error)
 	// ListContainers lists all containers by filters.
 	ListContainers(context.Context, *ListContainersRequest) (*ListContainersResponse, error)
-	// ContainerStatus returns status of the container.
+	// ContainerStatus returns status of the container. If the container is not
+	// present, returns an error.
 	ContainerStatus(context.Context, *ContainerStatusRequest) (*ContainerStatusResponse, error)
 	// ExecSync runs a command in a container synchronously.
 	ExecSync(context.Context, *ExecSyncRequest) (*ExecSyncResponse, error)
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/api/v1alpha1/runtime/api.proto b/pkg/kubelet/api/v1alpha1/runtime/api.proto
index b9d369fa9ff..14c103b411d 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/api/v1alpha1/runtime/api.proto
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/api/v1alpha1/runtime/api.proto
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ service RuntimeService {
     // This call is idempotent, and must not return an error if the sandbox has
     // already been removed.
     rpc RemovePodSandbox(RemovePodSandboxRequest) returns (RemovePodSandboxResponse) {}
-    // PodSandboxStatus returns the status of the PodSandbox.
+    // PodSandboxStatus returns the status of the PodSandbox. If the PodSandbox is not
+    // present, returns an error.
     rpc PodSandboxStatus(PodSandboxStatusRequest) returns (PodSandboxStatusResponse) {}
     // ListPodSandbox returns a list of PodSandboxes.
     rpc ListPodSandbox(ListPodSandboxRequest) returns (ListPodSandboxResponse) {}
@@ -57,7 +58,8 @@ service RuntimeService {
     rpc RemoveContainer(RemoveContainerRequest) returns (RemoveContainerResponse) {}
     // ListContainers lists all containers by filters.
     rpc ListContainers(ListContainersRequest) returns (ListContainersResponse) {}
-    // ContainerStatus returns status of the container.
+    // ContainerStatus returns status of the container. If the container is not
+    // present, returns an error.
     rpc ContainerStatus(ContainerStatusRequest) returns (ContainerStatusResponse) {}
 
     // ExecSync runs a command in a container synchronously.