diff --git a/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation.go b/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation.go
index fcb242a1960..31367a33632 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation.go
@@ -2506,7 +2506,7 @@ func validatePullPolicy(policy core.PullPolicy, fldPath *field.Path) field.Error
 func validateInitContainers(containers, otherContainers []core.Container, deviceVolumes map[string]core.VolumeSource, fldPath *field.Path) field.ErrorList {
 	var allErrs field.ErrorList
 	if len(containers) > 0 {
-		allErrs = append(allErrs, validateContainers(containers, deviceVolumes, fldPath)...)
+		allErrs = append(allErrs, validateContainers(containers, true, deviceVolumes, fldPath)...)
 	}
 
 	allNames := sets.String{}
@@ -2534,7 +2534,7 @@ func validateInitContainers(containers, otherContainers []core.Container, device
 	return allErrs
 }
 
-func validateContainers(containers []core.Container, volumes map[string]core.VolumeSource, fldPath *field.Path) field.ErrorList {
+func validateContainers(containers []core.Container, isInitContainers bool, volumes map[string]core.VolumeSource, fldPath *field.Path) field.ErrorList {
 	allErrs := field.ErrorList{}
 
 	if len(containers) == 0 {
@@ -2591,8 +2591,16 @@ func validateContainers(containers []core.Container, volumes map[string]core.Vol
 		allErrs = append(allErrs, ValidateResourceRequirements(&ctr.Resources, idxPath.Child("resources"))...)
 		allErrs = append(allErrs, ValidateSecurityContext(ctr.SecurityContext, idxPath.Child("securityContext"))...)
 	}
-	// Check for colliding ports across all containers.
-	allErrs = append(allErrs, checkHostPortConflicts(containers, fldPath)...)
+
+	if isInitContainers {
+		// check initContainers one by one since they are running in sequential order.
+		for _, initContainer := range containers {
+			allErrs = append(allErrs, checkHostPortConflicts([]core.Container{initContainer}, fldPath)...)
+		}
+	} else {
+		// Check for colliding ports across all containers.
+		allErrs = append(allErrs, checkHostPortConflicts(containers, fldPath)...)
+	}
 
 	return allErrs
 }
@@ -2922,7 +2930,7 @@ func ValidatePodSpec(spec *core.PodSpec, fldPath *field.Path) field.ErrorList {
 
 	vols, vErrs := ValidateVolumes(spec.Volumes, fldPath.Child("volumes"))
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, vErrs...)
-	allErrs = append(allErrs, validateContainers(spec.Containers, vols, fldPath.Child("containers"))...)
+	allErrs = append(allErrs, validateContainers(spec.Containers, false, vols, fldPath.Child("containers"))...)
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, validateInitContainers(spec.InitContainers, spec.Containers, vols, fldPath.Child("initContainers"))...)
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, validateRestartPolicy(&spec.RestartPolicy, fldPath.Child("restartPolicy"))...)
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, validateDNSPolicy(&spec.DNSPolicy, fldPath.Child("dnsPolicy"))...)
diff --git a/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation_test.go b/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation_test.go
index c6120142aa2..bcc0b9e7ae1 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation_test.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation_test.go
@@ -5163,7 +5163,7 @@ func TestValidateContainers(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{Name: "abc-1234", Image: "image", ImagePullPolicy: "IfNotPresent", TerminationMessagePolicy: "File", SecurityContext: fakeValidSecurityContext(true)},
 	}
-	if errs := validateContainers(successCase, volumeDevices, field.NewPath("field")); len(errs) != 0 {
+	if errs := validateContainers(successCase, false, volumeDevices, field.NewPath("field")); len(errs) != 0 {
 		t.Errorf("expected success: %v", errs)
 	}
 
@@ -5390,7 +5390,67 @@ func TestValidateContainers(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	for k, v := range errorCases {
-		if errs := validateContainers(v, volumeDevices, field.NewPath("field")); len(errs) == 0 {
+		if errs := validateContainers(v, false, volumeDevices, field.NewPath("field")); len(errs) == 0 {
+			t.Errorf("expected failure for %s", k)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateInitContainers(t *testing.T) {
+	volumeDevices := make(map[string]core.VolumeSource)
+	capabilities.SetForTests(capabilities.Capabilities{
+		AllowPrivileged: true,
+	})
+
+	successCase := []core.Container{
+		{
+			Name:  "container-1-same-host-port-different-protocol",
+			Image: "image",
+			Ports: []core.ContainerPort{
+				{ContainerPort: 80, HostPort: 80, Protocol: "TCP"},
+				{ContainerPort: 80, HostPort: 80, Protocol: "UDP"},
+			},
+			ImagePullPolicy:          "IfNotPresent",
+			TerminationMessagePolicy: "File",
+		},
+		{
+			Name:  "container-2-same-host-port-different-protocol",
+			Image: "image",
+			Ports: []core.ContainerPort{
+				{ContainerPort: 80, HostPort: 80, Protocol: "TCP"},
+				{ContainerPort: 80, HostPort: 80, Protocol: "UDP"},
+			},
+			ImagePullPolicy:          "IfNotPresent",
+			TerminationMessagePolicy: "File",
+		},
+	}
+	if errs := validateContainers(successCase, true, volumeDevices, field.NewPath("field")); len(errs) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected success: %v", errs)
+	}
+
+	capabilities.SetForTests(capabilities.Capabilities{
+		AllowPrivileged: false,
+	})
+	errorCases := map[string][]core.Container{
+		"duplicate ports": {
+			{
+				Name:  "abc",
+				Image: "image",
+				Ports: []core.ContainerPort{
+					{
+						ContainerPort: 8080, HostPort: 8080, Protocol: "TCP",
+					},
+					{
+						ContainerPort: 8080, HostPort: 8080, Protocol: "TCP",
+					},
+				},
+				ImagePullPolicy:          "IfNotPresent",
+				TerminationMessagePolicy: "File",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	for k, v := range errorCases {
+		if errs := validateContainers(v, true, volumeDevices, field.NewPath("field")); len(errs) == 0 {
 			t.Errorf("expected failure for %s", k)
 		}
 	}