diff --git a/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py b/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
index 693932f022a6..49469aa5007d 100644
--- a/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
+++ b/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
@@ -680,6 +680,10 @@ def execute_complete(self, context: Context, event: dict, **kwargs):
                     message = f"{event['message']}\n{event['stack_trace']}"
                 else:
                     message = event["message"]
+                if self.do_xcom_push:
+                    # In the event of base container failure, we need to kill the xcom sidecar.
+                    # We disregard xcom output and do that here
+                    _ = self.extract_xcom(pod=pod)
                 raise AirflowException(message)
             elif event["status"] == "success":
                 # fetch some logs when pod is executed successfully
diff --git a/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/test_pod.py b/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/test_pod.py
index b896f57ee5d0..fa617a39fd05 100644
--- a/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/test_pod.py
+++ b/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/test_pod.py
@@ -2049,8 +2049,13 @@ def test_async_kpo_wait_termination_before_cleanup_on_failure(
     # assert that it does not push the xcom
     ti_mock.xcom_push.assert_not_called()
 
-    # assert that the xcom are not extracted
-    mock_extract_xcom.assert_not_called()
+    if do_xcom_push:
+        # assert that the xcom are not extracted if do_xcom_push is Fale
+        mock_extract_xcom.assert_called_once()
+    else:
+        # but that it is extracted when do_xcom_push is true because the sidecare
+        # needs to be terminated
+        mock_extract_xcom.assert_not_called()
 
     # check if it waits for the pod to complete
     assert read_pod_mock.call_count == 3