diff --git a/server/container_status.go b/server/container_status.go
index 82a51877..1879e244 100644
--- a/server/container_status.go
+++ b/server/container_status.go
@@ -18,9 +18,8 @@ func (s *Server) ContainerStatus(ctx context.Context, req *pb.ContainerStatusReq
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = s.runtime.UpdateStatus(c); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	// best effort if container is still in runc store...
+	s.runtime.UpdateStatus(c)
 
 	containerID := c.ID()
 	image := c.Image()
diff --git a/server/sandbox_status.go b/server/sandbox_status.go
index 9a8c864f..e2d0286c 100644
--- a/server/sandbox_status.go
+++ b/server/sandbox_status.go
@@ -16,9 +16,8 @@ func (s *Server) PodSandboxStatus(ctx context.Context, req *pb.PodSandboxStatusR
 	}
 
 	podInfraContainer := sb.infraContainer
-	if err = s.runtime.UpdateStatus(podInfraContainer); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	// best effort if container is still in runc store...
+	s.runtime.UpdateStatus(podInfraContainer)
 
 	cState := s.runtime.ContainerStatus(podInfraContainer)