diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/BUILD b/pkg/kubelet/BUILD
index e8658366a48..c5013e9017b 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/BUILD
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/BUILD
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ go_test(
         "//pkg/kubelet/server/remotecommand:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/server/stats:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/status:go_default_library",
+        "//pkg/kubelet/status/testing:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/types:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/util/queue:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/util/sliceutils:go_default_library",
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index 06a990754c3..ffdc20de456 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ func NewMainKubelet(kubeCfg *componentconfig.KubeletConfiguration, kubeDeps *Kub
 	}
 	klet.imageManager = imageManager
 
-	klet.statusManager = status.NewManager(kubeClient, klet.podManager)
+	klet.statusManager = status.NewManager(kubeClient, klet.podManager, klet)
 
 	klet.probeManager = prober.NewManager(
 		klet.statusManager,
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_pods.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_pods.go
index 34fdd8d6787..9923961ea98 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_pods.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_pods.go
@@ -727,6 +727,37 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) podIsTerminated(pod *v1.Pod) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// Returns true if all required node-level resources that a pod was consuming have been reclaimed by the kubelet.
+// Reclaiming resources is a prerequisite to deleting a pod from the API server.
+func (kl *Kubelet) OkToDeletePod(pod *v1.Pod) bool {
+	if pod.DeletionTimestamp == nil {
+		// We shouldnt delete pods whose DeletionTimestamp is not set
+		return false
+	}
+	if !notRunning(pod.Status.ContainerStatuses) {
+		// We shouldnt delete pods that still have running containers
+		glog.V(3).Infof("Pod %q is terminated, but some containers are still running", format.Pod(pod))
+		return false
+	}
+	if kl.podVolumesExist(pod.UID) && !kl.kubeletConfiguration.KeepTerminatedPodVolumes {
+		// We shouldnt delete pods whose volumes have not been cleaned up if we are not keeping terminated pod volumes
+		glog.V(3).Infof("Pod %q is terminated, but some volumes have not been cleaned up", format.Pod(pod))
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+// notRunning returns true if every status is terminated or waiting, or the status list
+// is empty.
+func notRunning(statuses []v1.ContainerStatus) bool {
+	for _, status := range statuses {
+		if status.State.Terminated == nil && status.State.Waiting == nil {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 // filterOutTerminatedPods returns the given pods which the status manager
 // does not consider failed or succeeded.
 func (kl *Kubelet) filterOutTerminatedPods(pods []*v1.Pod) []*v1.Pod {
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go
index fcbb6588576..4bd2ab69f17 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/secret"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/server/stats"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/status"
+	statustest "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/status/testing"
 	kubetypes "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/types"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/util/queue"
 	kubeletvolume "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager"
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ func newTestKubeletWithImageList(
 	}
 	kubelet.secretManager = secretManager
 	kubelet.podManager = kubepod.NewBasicPodManager(fakeMirrorClient, kubelet.secretManager)
-	kubelet.statusManager = status.NewManager(fakeKubeClient, kubelet.podManager)
+	kubelet.statusManager = status.NewManager(fakeKubeClient, kubelet.podManager, &statustest.FakePodDeletionSafetyProvider{})
 	kubelet.containerRefManager = kubecontainer.NewRefManager()
 	diskSpaceManager, err := newDiskSpaceManager(mockCadvisor, DiskSpacePolicy{})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/prober/BUILD b/pkg/kubelet/prober/BUILD
index 2f01e8c9ec1..2e70f6c73cb 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/prober/BUILD
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/prober/BUILD
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ go_test(
         "//pkg/kubelet/pod:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/prober/results:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/status:go_default_library",
+        "//pkg/kubelet/status/testing:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/probe:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/util/exec:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/util/intstr:go_default_library",
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/prober/common_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/prober/common_test.go
index 2dcc972c6ef..09c53fce757 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/prober/common_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/prober/common_test.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	kubepod "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/pod"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/prober/results"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/status"
+	statustest "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/status/testing"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/probe"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/exec"
 )
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ func newTestManager() *manager {
 	// Add test pod to pod manager, so that status manager can get the pod from pod manager if needed.
 	podManager.AddPod(getTestPod())
 	m := NewManager(
-		status.NewManager(&fake.Clientset{}, podManager),
+		status.NewManager(&fake.Clientset{}, podManager, &statustest.FakePodDeletionSafetyProvider{}),
 		results.NewManager(),
 		nil, // runner
 		refManager,
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/prober/worker_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/prober/worker_test.go
index 590756a3249..85558bad2d6 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/prober/worker_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/prober/worker_test.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	kubepod "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/pod"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/prober/results"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/status"
+	statustest "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/status/testing"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/probe"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/exec"
 )
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ func TestDoProbe(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			// Clean up.
-			m.statusManager = status.NewManager(&fake.Clientset{}, kubepod.NewBasicPodManager(nil, nil))
+			m.statusManager = status.NewManager(&fake.Clientset{}, kubepod.NewBasicPodManager(nil, nil), &statustest.FakePodDeletionSafetyProvider{})
 			resultsManager(m, probeType).Remove(testContainerID)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/runonce_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/runonce_test.go
index 1a1e39e90ab..e4ab3d38f12 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/runonce_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/runonce_test.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/secret"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/server/stats"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/status"
+	statustest "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/status/testing"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/volume"
 	volumetest "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/volume/testing"
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ func TestRunOnce(t *testing.T) {
 		cadvisor:            cadvisor,
 		nodeLister:          testNodeLister{},
 		nodeInfo:            testNodeInfo{},
-		statusManager:       status.NewManager(nil, podManager),
+		statusManager:       status.NewManager(nil, podManager, &statustest.FakePodDeletionSafetyProvider{}),
 		containerRefManager: kubecontainer.NewRefManager(),
 		podManager:          podManager,
 		os:                  &containertest.FakeOS{},
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/status/BUILD b/pkg/kubelet/status/BUILD
index b9df40b46b0..062564d4ee1 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/status/BUILD
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/status/BUILD
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ go_test(
         "//pkg/kubelet/pod:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/pod/testing:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/secret:go_default_library",
+        "//pkg/kubelet/status/testing:go_default_library",
         "//pkg/kubelet/types:go_default_library",
         "//vendor:github.com/stretchr/testify/assert",
         "//vendor:k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors",
@@ -69,6 +70,9 @@ filegroup(
 
 filegroup(
     name = "all-srcs",
-    srcs = [":package-srcs"],
+    srcs = [
+        ":package-srcs",
+        "//pkg/kubelet/status/testing:all-srcs",
+    ],
     tags = ["automanaged"],
 )
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/status/status_manager.go b/pkg/kubelet/status/status_manager.go
index f4a9aaabc55..b9cbc25681e 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/status/status_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/status/status_manager.go
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ type manager struct {
 	// Map from (mirror) pod UID to latest status version successfully sent to the API server.
 	// apiStatusVersions must only be accessed from the sync thread.
 	apiStatusVersions map[types.UID]uint64
+	podDeletionSafety PodDeletionSafetyProvider
 }
 
 // PodStatusProvider knows how to provide status for a pod.  It's intended to be used by other components
@@ -76,6 +77,12 @@ type PodStatusProvider interface {
 	GetPodStatus(uid types.UID) (v1.PodStatus, bool)
 }
 
+// An object which provides guarantees that a pod can be saftely deleted.
+type PodDeletionSafetyProvider interface {
+	// A function which returns true if the pod can safely be deleted
+	OkToDeletePod(pod *v1.Pod) bool
+}
+
 // Manager is the Source of truth for kubelet pod status, and should be kept up-to-date with
 // the latest v1.PodStatus. It also syncs updates back to the API server.
 type Manager interface {
@@ -102,13 +109,14 @@ type Manager interface {
 
 const syncPeriod = 10 * time.Second
 
-func NewManager(kubeClient clientset.Interface, podManager kubepod.Manager) Manager {
+func NewManager(kubeClient clientset.Interface, podManager kubepod.Manager, podDeletionSafety PodDeletionSafetyProvider) Manager {
 	return &manager{
 		kubeClient:        kubeClient,
 		podManager:        podManager,
 		podStatuses:       make(map[types.UID]versionedPodStatus),
 		podStatusChannel:  make(chan podStatusSyncRequest, 1000), // Buffer up to 1000 statuses
 		apiStatusVersions: make(map[types.UID]uint64),
+		podDeletionSafety: podDeletionSafety,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -380,7 +388,7 @@ func (m *manager) syncBatch() {
 				}
 				syncedUID = mirrorUID
 			}
-			if m.needsUpdate(syncedUID, status) {
+			if m.needsUpdate(syncedUID, status) || m.couldBeDeleted(uid, status.status) {
 				updatedStatuses = append(updatedStatuses, podStatusSyncRequest{uid, status})
 			} else if m.needsReconcile(uid, status.status) {
 				// Delete the apiStatusVersions here to force an update on the pod status
@@ -433,11 +441,7 @@ func (m *manager) syncPod(uid types.UID, status versionedPodStatus) {
 				// We don't handle graceful deletion of mirror pods.
 				return
 			}
-			if pod.DeletionTimestamp == nil {
-				return
-			}
-			if !notRunning(pod.Status.ContainerStatuses) {
-				glog.V(3).Infof("Pod %q is terminated, but some containers are still running", format.Pod(pod))
+			if !m.podDeletionSafety.OkToDeletePod(pod) {
 				return
 			}
 			deleteOptions := metav1.NewDeleteOptions(0)
@@ -462,6 +466,15 @@ func (m *manager) needsUpdate(uid types.UID, status versionedPodStatus) bool {
 	return !ok || latest < status.version
 }
 
+func (m *manager) couldBeDeleted(uid types.UID, status v1.PodStatus) bool {
+	// The pod could be a static pod, so we should translate first.
+	pod, ok := m.podManager.GetPodByUID(uid)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	return !kubepod.IsMirrorPod(pod) && m.podDeletionSafety.OkToDeletePod(pod)
+}
+
 // needsReconcile compares the given status with the status in the pod manager (which
 // in fact comes from apiserver), returns whether the status needs to be reconciled with
 // the apiserver. Now when pod status is inconsistent between apiserver and kubelet,
@@ -562,17 +575,6 @@ func normalizeStatus(pod *v1.Pod, status *v1.PodStatus) *v1.PodStatus {
 	return status
 }
 
-// notRunning returns true if every status is terminated or waiting, or the status list
-// is empty.
-func notRunning(statuses []v1.ContainerStatus) bool {
-	for _, status := range statuses {
-		if status.State.Terminated == nil && status.State.Waiting == nil {
-			return false
-		}
-	}
-	return true
-}
-
 func copyStatus(source *v1.PodStatus) (v1.PodStatus, error) {
 	clone, err := api.Scheme.DeepCopy(source)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/status/status_manager_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/status/status_manager_test.go
index 9540a3a9d86..52210aef25a 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/status/status_manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/status/status_manager_test.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import (
 	kubepod "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/pod"
 	podtest "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/pod/testing"
 	kubesecret "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/secret"
+	statustest "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/status/testing"
 	kubetypes "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/types"
 )
 
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ func (m *manager) testSyncBatch() {
 func newTestManager(kubeClient clientset.Interface) *manager {
 	podManager := kubepod.NewBasicPodManager(podtest.NewFakeMirrorClient(), kubesecret.NewFakeManager())
 	podManager.AddPod(getTestPod())
-	return NewManager(kubeClient, podManager).(*manager)
+	return NewManager(kubeClient, podManager, &statustest.FakePodDeletionSafetyProvider{}).(*manager)
 }
 
 func generateRandomMessage() string {
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/status/testing/BUILD b/pkg/kubelet/status/testing/BUILD
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..93a4a942261
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/status/testing/BUILD
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package(default_visibility = ["//visibility:public"])
+
+licenses(["notice"])
+
+load(
+    "@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl",
+    "go_library",
+)
+
+go_library(
+    name = "go_default_library",
+    srcs = ["fake_pod_deletion_safety.go"],
+    tags = ["automanaged"],
+    deps = [
+        "//pkg/api/v1:go_default_library",
+        "//pkg/kubelet/pod:go_default_library",
+    ],
+)
+
+filegroup(
+    name = "package-srcs",
+    srcs = glob(["**"]),
+    tags = ["automanaged"],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:private"],
+)
+
+filegroup(
+    name = "all-srcs",
+    srcs = [":package-srcs"],
+    tags = ["automanaged"],
+)
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/status/testing/fake_pod_deletion_safety.go b/pkg/kubelet/status/testing/fake_pod_deletion_safety.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c05382907f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/status/testing/fake_pod_deletion_safety.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2016 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package testing
+
+import (
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1"
+	kubepod "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/pod"
+)
+
+type FakePodDeletionSafetyProvider struct{}
+
+func (f *FakePodDeletionSafetyProvider) OkToDeletePod(pod *v1.Pod) bool {
+	return !kubepod.IsMirrorPod(pod) && pod.DeletionTimestamp != nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager/populator/desired_state_of_world_populator.go b/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager/populator/desired_state_of_world_populator.go
index 5e8d8d4137a..e63e4cfbafd 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager/populator/desired_state_of_world_populator.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager/populator/desired_state_of_world_populator.go
@@ -135,7 +135,18 @@ func (dswp *desiredStateOfWorldPopulator) populatorLoopFunc() func() {
 }
 
 func isPodTerminated(pod *v1.Pod) bool {
-	return pod.Status.Phase == v1.PodFailed || pod.Status.Phase == v1.PodSucceeded
+	return pod.Status.Phase == v1.PodFailed || pod.Status.Phase == v1.PodSucceeded || (pod.DeletionTimestamp != nil && notRunning(pod.Status.ContainerStatuses))
+}
+
+// notRunning returns true if every status is terminated or waiting, or the status list
+// is empty.
+func notRunning(statuses []v1.ContainerStatus) bool {
+	for _, status := range statuses {
+		if status.State.Terminated == nil && status.State.Waiting == nil {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
 }
 
 // Iterate through all pods and add to desired state of world if they don't