diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/hostport.go b/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/hostport.go
index 23587e2fde3..10ce366ec82 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/hostport.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/hostport.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 type HostportHandler interface {
-	OpenPodHostportsAndSync(newPod *api.Pod, natInterfaceName string, runningPods []*RunningPod) error
+	OpenPodHostportsAndSync(newPod *RunningPod, natInterfaceName string, runningPods []*RunningPod) error
 	SyncHostports(natInterfaceName string, runningPods []*RunningPod) error
 }
 
@@ -172,12 +172,24 @@ func hostportChainName(cp api.ContainerPort, podFullName string) utiliptables.Ch
 
 // OpenPodHostportsAndSync opens hostports for a new pod, gathers all hostports on
 // node, sets up iptables rules enable them. And finally clean up stale hostports
-func (h *handler) OpenPodHostportsAndSync(newPod *api.Pod, natInterfaceName string, runningPods []*RunningPod) error {
+func (h *handler) OpenPodHostportsAndSync(newPod *RunningPod, natInterfaceName string, runningPods []*RunningPod) error {
 	// try to open pod host port if specified
-	if err := h.openHostports(newPod); err != nil {
+	if err := h.openHostports(newPod.Pod); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// Add the new pod to running pods if it's not running already (e.g. in rkt's case).
+	var found bool
+	for _, p := range runningPods {
+		if p.Pod.UID == newPod.Pod.UID {
+			found = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if !found {
+		runningPods = append(runningPods, newPod)
+	}
+
 	return h.SyncHostports(natInterfaceName, runningPods)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/hostport_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/hostport_test.go
index 5b8159c3ef0..18fa8651653 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/hostport_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/hostport_test.go
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func TestOpenPodHostports(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 
-	err := h.OpenPodHostportsAndSync(tests[0].pod, "br0", runningPods)
+	err := h.OpenPodHostportsAndSync(&RunningPod{Pod: tests[0].pod, IP: net.ParseIP(tests[0].ip)}, "br0", runningPods)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to OpenPodHostportsAndSync: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/testing/fake.go b/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/testing/fake.go
index d2032741375..f5ce6b94cf0 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/testing/fake.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport/testing/fake.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ package testing
 import (
 	"fmt"
 
-	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	kubecontainer "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/container"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/network/hostport"
 )
@@ -30,8 +29,8 @@ func NewFakeHostportHandler() hostport.HostportHandler {
 	return &fakeHandler{}
 }
 
-func (h *fakeHandler) OpenPodHostportsAndSync(newPod *api.Pod, natInterfaceName string, runningPods []*hostport.RunningPod) error {
-	return h.SyncHostports(natInterfaceName, runningPods)
+func (h *fakeHandler) OpenPodHostportsAndSync(newPod *hostport.RunningPod, natInterfaceName string, runningPods []*hostport.RunningPod) error {
+	return h.SyncHostports(natInterfaceName, append(runningPods, newPod))
 }
 
 func (h *fakeHandler) SyncHostports(natInterfaceName string, runningPods []*hostport.RunningPod) error {
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/network/kubenet/kubenet_linux.go b/pkg/kubelet/network/kubenet/kubenet_linux.go
index 9df74596612..e91b74889cf 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/network/kubenet/kubenet_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/network/kubenet/kubenet_linux.go
@@ -349,7 +349,9 @@ func (plugin *kubenetNetworkPlugin) setup(namespace string, name string, id kube
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := plugin.hostportHandler.OpenPodHostportsAndSync(pod, BridgeName, runningPods); err != nil {
+
+	newPod := &hostport.RunningPod{Pod: pod, IP: ip4}
+	if err := plugin.hostportHandler.OpenPodHostportsAndSync(newPod, BridgeName, runningPods); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}