diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index f2c54e2e3b0..7e2430fdbef 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -639,54 +639,77 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) createNetworkContainer(manifest *api.ContainerManifest) (Dock
 	return kl.runContainer(manifest, container, "")
 }
 
+func (kl *Kubelet) syncManifest(manifest *api.ContainerManifest, keepChannel chan<- DockerId) error {
+	// Make sure we have a network container
+	netId, err := kl.getNetworkContainerId(manifest)
+	if err != nil {
+		glog.Errorf("Failed to introspect network container. (%v)  Skipping container %s", err, manifest.ID)
+		return err
+	}
+	if netId == "" {
+		glog.Infof("Network container doesn't exist, creating")
+		netId, err = kl.createNetworkContainer(manifest)
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.Errorf("Failed to introspect network container. (%v)  Skipping container %s", err, manifest.ID)
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	keepChannel <- netId
+	for _, container := range manifest.Containers {
+		containerId, err := kl.getContainerId(manifest, &container)
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.Errorf("Error finding container: %v skipping id %s.", err, manifest.ID)
+			continue
+		}
+		if containerId == "" {
+			glog.Infof("%+v doesn't exist, creating", container)
+			kl.DockerPuller.Pull(container.Image)
+			if err != nil {
+				glog.Errorf("Failed to create container: %v Skipping container %s", err, manifest.ID)
+				continue
+			}
+			containerId, err = kl.runContainer(manifest, &container, "container:"+string(netId))
+			if err != nil {
+				// TODO(bburns) : Perhaps blacklist a container after N failures?
+				glog.Errorf("Error running container: %v skipping.", err)
+				continue
+			}
+		} else {
+			glog.V(1).Infof("%s exists as %v", container.Name, containerId)
+		}
+		keepChannel <- containerId
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Sync the configured list of containers (desired state) with the host current state
 func (kl *Kubelet) SyncManifests(config []api.ContainerManifest) error {
 	glog.Infof("Desired: %+v", config)
 	var err error
 	dockerIdsToKeep := map[DockerId]bool{}
+	keepChannel := make(chan DockerId)
+	waitGroup := sync.WaitGroup{}
 
 	// Check for any containers that need starting
 	for _, manifest := range config {
-		// Make sure we have a network container
-		netId, err := kl.getNetworkContainerId(&manifest)
-		if err != nil {
-			glog.Errorf("Failed to introspect network container. (%v)  Skipping container %s", err, manifest.ID)
-			continue
-		}
-		if netId == "" {
-			glog.Infof("Network container doesn't exist, creating")
-			netId, err = kl.createNetworkContainer(&manifest)
+		waitGroup.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer util.HandleCrash()
+			defer waitGroup.Done()
+			err := kl.syncManifest(&manifest, keepChannel)
 			if err != nil {
-				glog.Errorf("Failed to create network container: %v Skipping container %s", err, manifest.ID)
-				continue
+				glog.Errorf("Error syncing manifest: %v skipping.", err)
 			}
+		}()
+	}
+	go func() {
+		for id := range keepChannel {
+			dockerIdsToKeep[id] = true
 		}
-		dockerIdsToKeep[netId] = true
-
-		for _, container := range manifest.Containers {
-			containerId, err := kl.getContainerId(&manifest, &container)
-			if err != nil {
-				glog.Errorf("Error detecting container: %v skipping.", err)
-				continue
-			}
-			if containerId == "" {
-				glog.Infof("%+v doesn't exist, creating", container)
-				kl.DockerPuller.Pull(container.Image)
-				if err != nil {
-					glog.Errorf("Error pulling container: %v", err)
-					continue
-				}
-				containerId, err = kl.runContainer(&manifest, &container, "container:"+string(netId))
-				if err != nil {
-					// TODO(bburns) : Perhaps blacklist a container after N failures?
-					glog.Errorf("Error creating container: %v", err)
-					continue
-				}
-			} else {
-				glog.V(1).Infof("%s exists as %v", container.Name, containerId)
-			}
-			dockerIdsToKeep[containerId] = true
-		}
+	}()
+	if len(config) > 0 {
+		waitGroup.Wait()
+		close(keepChannel)
 	}
 
 	// Kill any containers we don't need