diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index 6ee5399dbf7..58ae7e9ae52 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -905,8 +905,9 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) Run(updates <-chan kubetypes.PodUpdate) {
 	// handled by pod workers).
 	go util.Until(kl.podKiller, 1*time.Second, util.NeverStop)
 
-	// Run the system oom watcher forever.
+	// Start component sync loops.
 	kl.statusManager.Start()
+	kl.probeManager.Start()
 	// Start the pod lifecycle event generator.
 	kl.pleg.Start()
 	kl.syncLoop(updates, kl)
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/prober/fake_manager.go b/pkg/kubelet/prober/fake_manager.go
index 65742823cb2..a055c0056b0 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/prober/fake_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/prober/fake_manager.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ var _ Manager = FakeManager{}
 func (_ FakeManager) AddPod(_ *api.Pod)        {}
 func (_ FakeManager) RemovePod(_ *api.Pod)     {}
 func (_ FakeManager) CleanupPods(_ []*api.Pod) {}
+func (_ FakeManager) Start()                   {}
 
 func (_ FakeManager) UpdatePodStatus(_ types.UID, podStatus *api.PodStatus) {
 	for i := range podStatus.ContainerStatuses {
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/prober/manager.go b/pkg/kubelet/prober/manager.go
index e6fa47dd2e1..1c3c2498916 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/prober/manager.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/prober/manager.go
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ type Manager interface {
 	// UpdatePodStatus modifies the given PodStatus with the appropriate Ready state for each
 	// container based on container running status, cached probe results and worker states.
 	UpdatePodStatus(types.UID, *api.PodStatus)
+
+	// Start starts the Manager sync loops.
+	Start()
 }
 
 type manager struct {
@@ -79,20 +82,22 @@ func NewManager(
 	runner kubecontainer.ContainerCommandRunner,
 	refManager *kubecontainer.RefManager,
 	recorder record.EventRecorder) Manager {
+
 	prober := newProber(runner, refManager, recorder)
 	readinessManager := results.NewManager()
-	m := &manager{
+	return &manager{
 		statusManager:    statusManager,
 		prober:           prober,
 		readinessManager: readinessManager,
 		livenessManager:  livenessManager,
 		workers:          make(map[probeKey]*worker),
 	}
+}
 
+// Start syncing probe status. This should only be called once.
+func (m *manager) Start() {
 	// Start syncing readiness.
 	go util.Forever(m.updateReadiness, 0)
-
-	return m
 }
 
 // Key uniquely identifying container probes
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/prober/manager_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/prober/manager_test.go
index de9ccd1cc78..06a78d3e176 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/prober/manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/prober/manager_test.go
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ func TestUpdatePodStatus(t *testing.T) {
 func TestUpdateReadiness(t *testing.T) {
 	testPod := getTestPod(readiness, api.Probe{})
 	m := newTestManager()
+	m.Start()
 	m.statusManager.SetPodStatus(&testPod, getTestRunningStatus())
 
 	m.AddPod(&testPod)