diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_container.go b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_container.go
index 3075566105f..621f06934ab 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_container.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_container.go
@@ -1222,7 +1222,9 @@ func (m *kubeGenericRuntimeManager) computeInitContainerActions(ctx context.Cont
 
 				restartOnFailure := restartOnFailure
 				if utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate.Enabled(features.ContainerRestartRules) {
-					restartOnFailure = kubecontainer.ShouldContainerBeRestarted(container, pod, podStatus)
+					if container.RestartPolicy != nil {
+						restartOnFailure = *container.RestartPolicy != v1.ContainerRestartPolicyNever
+					}
 				}
 				if !restartOnFailure {
 					changes.KillPod = true
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager.go b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager.go
index 26ba815fee2..37762fc0eac 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager.go
@@ -1147,7 +1147,9 @@ func (m *kubeGenericRuntimeManager) computePodActions(ctx context.Context, pod *
 		var reason containerKillReason
 		restart := shouldRestartOnFailure(pod)
 		if utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate.Enabled(features.ContainerRestartRules) {
-			restart = kubecontainer.ShouldContainerBeRestarted(&container, pod, podStatus)
+			if container.RestartPolicy != nil {
+				restart = *container.RestartPolicy != v1.ContainerRestartPolicyNever
+			}
 		}
 		if _, _, changed := containerChanged(&container, containerStatus); changed {
 			message = fmt.Sprintf("Container %s definition changed", container.Name)
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager_test.go
index 118590b7f9d..4dc328bb499 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager_test.go
@@ -2110,6 +2110,11 @@ func TestComputePodActionsWithInitAndEphemeralContainers(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestComputePodActionsWithContainerRestartRules(t *testing.T) {
+	// Make sure existing test cases pass with feature enabled
+	featuregatetesting.SetFeatureGateDuringTest(t, utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate, features.ContainerRestartRules, true)
+	TestComputePodActions(t)
+	TestComputePodActionsWithInitContainers(t)
+
 	var (
 		containerRestartPolicyAlways    = v1.ContainerRestartPolicyAlways
 		containerRestartPolicyOnFailure = v1.ContainerRestartPolicyOnFailure
@@ -2231,7 +2236,6 @@ func TestComputePodActionsWithContainerRestartRules(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	} {
-		featuregatetesting.SetFeatureGateDuringTest(t, utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate, features.ContainerRestartRules, true)
 		pod, status := makeBasePodAndStatus()
 		if test.mutatePodFn != nil {
 			test.mutatePodFn(pod)