diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index 5d848de88fb..ba4129b8aeb 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -2465,7 +2465,7 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) syncLoopIteration(ctx context.Context, configCh <-chan kubety
 		ready := update.Result == proberesults.Success
 		kl.statusManager.SetContainerReadiness(update.PodUID, update.ContainerID, ready)
 
-		status := ""
+		status := "not ready"
 		if ready {
 			status = "ready"
 		}