diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index be140c9772e..833757ca2ee 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -516,16 +516,6 @@ func NewMainKubelet(kubeCfg *kubeletconfiginternal.KubeletConfiguration,
 	}
 	glog.Infof("Hairpin mode set to %q", hairpinMode)
 
-	// TODO(#36485) Remove this workaround once we fix the init-container issue.
-	// Touch iptables lock file, which will be shared among all processes accessing
-	// the iptables.
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(utilipt.LockfilePath16x, os.O_CREATE, 0600)
-	if err != nil {
-		glog.Warningf("Failed to open iptables lock file: %v", err)
-	} else if err = f.Close(); err != nil {
-		glog.Warningf("Failed to close iptables lock file: %v", err)
-	}
-
 	plug, err := network.InitNetworkPlugin(kubeDeps.NetworkPlugins, crOptions.NetworkPluginName, &criNetworkHost{&networkHost{klet}, &network.NoopPortMappingGetter{}}, hairpinMode, kubeCfg.NonMasqueradeCIDR, int(crOptions.NetworkPluginMTU))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err