diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_image.go b/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_image.go
index 850f109e649..92cc2285bba 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_image.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_image.go
@@ -101,8 +101,11 @@ func (ds *dockerService) RemoveImage(image *runtimeapi.ImageSpec) error {
 			}
 		}
 		return nil
-	} else if err != nil && libdocker.IsImageNotFoundError(err) {
-		return nil
+	}
+	// dockerclient.InspectImageByID doesn't work with digest and repoTags,
+	// it is safe to continue removing it since there is another check below.
+	if err != nil && !libdocker.IsImageNotFoundError(err) {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	_, err = ds.client.RemoveImage(image.Image, dockertypes.ImageRemoveOptions{PruneChildren: true})
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/libdocker/helpers.go b/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/libdocker/helpers.go
index 1dc778ef7b4..5dd59557e9f 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/libdocker/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/libdocker/helpers.go
@@ -133,5 +133,8 @@ func matchImageIDOnly(inspected dockertypes.ImageInspect, image string) bool {
 // isImageNotFoundError returns whether the err is caused by image not found in docker
 // TODO: Use native error tester once ImageNotFoundError is supported in docker-engine client(eg. ImageRemove())
 func isImageNotFoundError(err error) bool {
-	return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "No such image:")
+	if err != nil {
+		return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "No such image:")
+	}
+	return false
 }