diff --git a/libpod/container_log_linux.go b/libpod/container_log_linux.go
index 7e95f2449f43..617e2d6a31c7 100644
--- a/libpod/container_log_linux.go
+++ b/libpod/container_log_linux.go
@@ -97,7 +97,16 @@ func (c *Container) readFromJournal(ctx context.Context, options *logs.LogOption
 	// exponential backoff.
 	var cursor string
 	var cursorError error
-	var containerCouldBeLogging bool
+
+	c.lock.Lock()
+	defer c.lock.Unlock()
+	if err := c.syncContainer(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// the initial could be logging state must be correct, we cannot rely on the start event being still in the journal
+	// https://github.com/containers/podman/issues/16950
+	containerCouldBeLogging := c.ensureState(define.ContainerStateRunning, define.ContainerStateStopping)
+
 	for i := 1; i <= 3; i++ {
 		cursor, cursorError = journal.GetCursor()
 		hundreds := 1
diff --git a/test/system/035-logs.bats b/test/system/035-logs.bats
index f9ac33d2c756..51d28e2d0000 100644
--- a/test/system/035-logs.bats
+++ b/test/system/035-logs.bats
@@ -298,4 +298,49 @@ $contentC" "logs -f on exitted container works"
 
     _log_test_follow journald
 }
+
+function _log_test_follow_since() {
+    local driver=$1
+    cname=$(random_string)
+    content=$(random_string)
+    local events_backend=$(_additional_events_backend $driver)
+
+
+    if [[ -n "${events_backend}" ]]; then
+        skip_if_remote "remote does not support --events-backend"
+    fi
+
+    run_podman ${events_backend} run --log-driver=$driver --name $cname $IMAGE sh -c "echo $content"
+    run_podman ${events_backend} logs --since 0s -f $cname
+    assert "$output" == "" "logs --since -f on exited container works"
+
+    run_podman ${events_backend} rm -t 0 -f $cname
+
+    # Now do the same with a running container to check #16950.
+    run_podman ${events_backend} run --log-driver=$driver --name $cname -d $IMAGE \
+        sh -c "sleep 0.5; while :; do echo $content && sleep 3; done"
+
+    # sleep is required to make sure the podman event backend no longer sees the start event in the log
+    # This value must be greater or equal than the the value given in --since below
+    sleep 0.2
+
+    # Make sure podman logs actually follows by giving a low timeout and check that the command times out
+    PODMAN_TIMEOUT=2 run_podman 124 ${events_backend} logs --since 0.1s -f $cname
+    assert "$output" == "$content
+timeout: sending signal TERM to command ‘$PODMAN’" "logs --since -f on running container works"
+
+    run_podman ${events_backend} rm -t 0 -f $cname
+}
+
+@test "podman logs - --since --follow k8s-file" {
+    _log_test_follow_since k8s-file
+}
+
+@test "podman logs - --since --follow journald" {
+    # We can't use journald on RHEL as rootless: rhbz#1895105
+    skip_if_journald_unavailable
+
+    _log_test_follow_since journald
+}
+
 # vim: filetype=sh