diff --git a/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation.go b/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation.go
index 5caee3e6880..ec8045c0368 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation.go
@@ -2816,6 +2816,19 @@ func validatePodResourceClaimSource(claimSource core.ClaimSource, fldPath *field
 	return allErrs
 }
 
+func validateStartupProbe(probe *core.Probe, fldPath *field.Path) field.ErrorList {
+	allErrs := field.ErrorList{}
+
+	if probe == nil {
+		return allErrs
+	}
+	allErrs = append(allErrs, validateProbe(probe, fldPath)...)
+	if probe.SuccessThreshold != 1 {
+		allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(fldPath.Child("successThreshold"), probe.SuccessThreshold, "must be 1"))
+	}
+	return allErrs
+}
+
 func validateProbe(probe *core.Probe, fldPath *field.Path) field.ErrorList {
 	allErrs := field.ErrorList{}
 
@@ -3214,10 +3227,7 @@ func validateInitContainers(containers []core.Container, regularContainers []cor
 			if ctr.ReadinessProbe != nil {
 				allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Forbidden(idxPath.Child("readinessProbe"), "may not be set for init containers"))
 			}
-			allErrs = append(allErrs, validateProbe(ctr.StartupProbe, idxPath.Child("startupProbe"))...)
-			if ctr.StartupProbe != nil && ctr.StartupProbe.SuccessThreshold != 1 {
-				allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(idxPath.Child("startupProbe", "successThreshold"), ctr.StartupProbe.SuccessThreshold, "must be 1"))
-			}
+			allErrs = append(allErrs, validateStartupProbe(ctr.StartupProbe, idxPath.Child("startupProbe"))...)
 
 		default:
 			// These fields are disallowed for init containers.
@@ -3231,7 +3241,7 @@ func validateInitContainers(containers []core.Container, regularContainers []cor
 				allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Forbidden(idxPath.Child("readinessProbe"), "may not be set for init containers"))
 			}
 			if ctr.StartupProbe != nil {
-				allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Forbidden(idxPath.Child("startupProbe"), "may not be set for init containers"))
+				allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Forbidden(idxPath.Child("startupProbe"), "may not be set for init containers without restartPolicy=Always"))
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -3353,10 +3363,7 @@ func validateContainers(containers []core.Container, volumes map[string]core.Vol
 		if ctr.ReadinessProbe != nil && ctr.ReadinessProbe.TerminationGracePeriodSeconds != nil {
 			allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(path.Child("readinessProbe", "terminationGracePeriodSeconds"), ctr.ReadinessProbe.TerminationGracePeriodSeconds, "must not be set for readinessProbes"))
 		}
-		allErrs = append(allErrs, validateProbe(ctr.StartupProbe, path.Child("startupProbe"))...)
-		if ctr.StartupProbe != nil && ctr.StartupProbe.SuccessThreshold != 1 {
-			allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(path.Child("startupProbe", "successThreshold"), ctr.StartupProbe.SuccessThreshold, "must be 1"))
-		}
+		allErrs = append(allErrs, validateStartupProbe(ctr.StartupProbe, path.Child("startupProbe"))...)
 
 		// These fields are disallowed for regular containers
 		if ctr.RestartPolicy != nil {