diff --git a/pkg/runtime/containerd/client.go b/pkg/runtime/containerd/client.go
index 3e2f7da88..159cf26b7 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/containerd/client.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/containerd/client.go
@@ -574,6 +574,11 @@ func withDevices(devices []*runtime.Bind) oci.SpecOpts {
 func (cc *ctdClient) StopContainer(container string, timeout *time.Duration) (err error) {
 	cont, err := cc.client.LoadContainer(cc.ctx, container)
 	if err != nil {
+		// If the container is not found, return nil, no-op.
+		if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+			log.Warn(err)
+			err = nil
+		}
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -596,6 +601,11 @@ func (cc *ctdClient) StopContainer(container string, timeout *time.Duration) (er
 
 	task, err := cont.Task(cc.ctx, cio.Load)
 	if err != nil {
+		// If the task is not found, return nil, no-op.
+		if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+			log.Warn(err)
+			err = nil
+		}
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -639,11 +649,21 @@ func (cc *ctdClient) StopContainer(container string, timeout *time.Duration) (er
 func (cc *ctdClient) KillContainer(container, signal string) (err error) {
 	cont, err := cc.client.LoadContainer(cc.ctx, container)
 	if err != nil {
+		// If the container is not found, return nil, no-op.
+		if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+			log.Warn(err)
+			err = nil
+		}
 		return
 	}
 
 	task, err := cont.Task(cc.ctx, cio.Load)
 	if err != nil {
+		// If the task is not found, return nil, no-op.
+		if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+			log.Warn(err)
+			err = nil
+		}
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/docker/client.go b/pkg/runtime/docker/client.go
index ced109fe8..4f7ae2edf 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/docker/client.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/docker/client.go
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	cont "github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/client"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/errdefs"
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	meta "github.com/weaveworks/ignite/pkg/apis/meta/v1alpha1"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/ignite/pkg/preflight"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/ignite/pkg/preflight/checkers"
@@ -183,6 +185,11 @@ func (dc *dockerClient) StopContainer(container string, timeout *time.Duration)
 	<-readyC // wait until removal detection has started
 
 	if err := dc.client.ContainerStop(context.Background(), container, timeout); err != nil {
+		// If the container is not found, return nil, no-op.
+		if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+			log.Warn(err)
+			return nil
+		}
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -199,6 +206,11 @@ func (dc *dockerClient) KillContainer(container, signal string) error {
 	<-readyC // wait until removal detection has started
 
 	if err := dc.client.ContainerKill(context.Background(), container, signal); err != nil {
+		// If the container is not found, return nil, no-op.
+		if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+			log.Warn(err)
+			return nil
+		}
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -218,6 +230,11 @@ func (dc *dockerClient) RemoveContainer(container string) error {
 
 	<-readyC // The ready channel is used to wait until removal detection has started
 	if err := dc.client.ContainerRemove(context.Background(), container, types.ContainerRemoveOptions{}); err != nil {
+		// If the container is not found, return nil, no-op.
+		if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+			log.Warn(err)
+			return nil
+		}
 		return err
 	}