diff --git a/pkg/client/unversioned/conditions.go b/pkg/client/unversioned/conditions.go
index 5c284292bff..62dcdf6428e 100644
--- a/pkg/client/unversioned/conditions.go
+++ b/pkg/client/unversioned/conditions.go
@@ -121,6 +121,10 @@ func DeploymentHasDesiredReplicas(c ExtensionsInterface, deployment *extensions.
 // the pod has already reached completed state.
 var ErrPodCompleted = fmt.Errorf("pod ran to completion")
 
+// ErrContainerTerminated is returned by PodContainerRunning in the intermediate
+// state where the pod indicates it's still running, but its container is already terminated
+var ErrContainerTerminated = fmt.Errorf("container terminated")
+
 // PodRunning returns true if the pod is running, false if the pod has not yet reached running state,
 // returns ErrPodCompleted if the pod has run to completion, or an error in any other case.
 func PodRunning(event watch.Event) (bool, error) {
@@ -217,6 +221,9 @@ func PodContainerRunning(containerName string) watch.ConditionFunc {
 				if s.Name != containerName {
 					continue
 				}
+				if s.State.Terminated != nil {
+					return false, ErrContainerTerminated
+				}
 				return s.State.Running != nil, nil
 			}
 			return false, nil