diff --git a/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_stats_windows.go b/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_stats_windows.go
index 40b8eeb07e68..30b163de92a9 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_stats_windows.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_stats_windows.go
@@ -129,6 +129,11 @@ func (c *criService) toPodSandboxStats(sandbox sandboxstore.Sandbox, statsMap ma
 	for _, cntr := range containers {
 		containerMetric := statsMap[cntr.ID]
 
+		if cntr.Status.Get().State() != runtime.ContainerState_CONTAINER_RUNNING {
+			// containers that are just created, in a failed state or exited (init containers) will not have stats
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if containerMetric == nil {
 			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to find metrics for container with id %s: %w", cntr.ID, err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_stats_windows_test.go b/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_stats_windows_test.go
index 47bd20faab27..21b18ed14575 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_stats_windows_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_stats_windows_test.go
@@ -112,7 +112,99 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			sandbox: sandboxstore.Sandbox{Metadata: sandboxstore.Metadata{ID: "s1"}},
 			containers: []containerstore.Container{
-				{Metadata: containerstore.Metadata{ID: "c1"}},
+				newContainer("c1", running, nil),
+			},
+			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
+				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
+				UsageNanoCores:       0,
+				WorkingSetBytes:      40,
+			},
+			expectedContainerStats: []expectedStats{
+				{
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+					UsageNanoCores:       0,
+					WorkingSetBytes:      20,
+				},
+			},
+			expectError: false,
+		},
+		"pod stats will include the init container stats": {
+			metrics: map[string]*wstats.Statistics{
+				"c1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+				"s1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+				"i1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+			},
+			sandbox: sandboxstore.Sandbox{Metadata: sandboxstore.Metadata{ID: "s1"}},
+			containers: []containerstore.Container{
+				newContainer("c1", running, nil),
+				newContainer("i1", running, nil),
+			},
+			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
+				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 600,
+				UsageNanoCores:       0,
+				WorkingSetBytes:      60,
+			},
+			expectedContainerStats: []expectedStats{
+				{
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+					UsageNanoCores:       0,
+					WorkingSetBytes:      20,
+				},
+				{
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+					UsageNanoCores:       0,
+					WorkingSetBytes:      20,
+				},
+			},
+			expectError: false,
+		},
+		"pod stats will not include the init container stats if it is stopped": {
+			metrics: map[string]*wstats.Statistics{
+				"c1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+				"s1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+			},
+			sandbox: sandboxstore.Sandbox{Metadata: sandboxstore.Metadata{ID: "s1"}},
+			containers: []containerstore.Container{
+				newContainer("c1", running, nil),
+				newContainer("i1", exitedValid, nil),
+			},
+			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
+				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
+				UsageNanoCores:       0,
+				WorkingSetBytes:      40,
+			},
+			expectedContainerStats: []expectedStats{
+				{
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+					UsageNanoCores:       0,
+					WorkingSetBytes:      20,
+				},
+			},
+			expectError: false,
+		},
+		"pod stats will not include the init container stats if it is stopped in failed state": {
+			metrics: map[string]*wstats.Statistics{
+				"c1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+				"s1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+			},
+			sandbox: sandboxstore.Sandbox{Metadata: sandboxstore.Metadata{ID: "s1"}},
+			containers: []containerstore.Container{
+				newContainer("c1", running, nil),
+				newContainer("i1", exitedInvalid, nil),
 			},
 			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
 				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
@@ -139,13 +231,10 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			sandbox: sandboxPod("s1", initialStatsTimestamp, 400),
 			containers: []containerstore.Container{
-				{
-					Metadata: containerstore.Metadata{ID: "c1"},
-					Stats: &stats.ContainerStats{
-						Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
-						UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
-					},
-				},
+				newContainer("c1", running, &stats.ContainerStats{
+					Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+				}),
 			},
 			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
 				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 800,
@@ -170,13 +259,10 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			sandbox: sandboxPod("s1", initialStatsTimestamp, 200),
 			containers: []containerstore.Container{
-				{
-					Metadata: containerstore.Metadata{ID: "c1"},
-					Stats: &stats.ContainerStats{
-						Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
-						UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
-					},
-				},
+				newContainer("c1", running, &stats.ContainerStats{
+					Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+				}),
 			},
 			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
 				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
@@ -201,13 +287,10 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			sandbox: sandboxPod("s1", initialStatsTimestamp, 200),
 			containers: []containerstore.Container{
-				{
-					Metadata: containerstore.Metadata{ID: "c1"},
-					Stats: &stats.ContainerStats{
-						Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
-						UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
-					},
-				},
+				newContainer("c1", running, &stats.ContainerStats{
+					Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+				}),
 			},
 			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
 				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
@@ -230,7 +313,7 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 				assert.NotNil(t, err)
 				return
 			}
-
+			assert.Nil(t, err)
 			assert.Equal(t, test.expectedPodStats.UsageCoreNanoSeconds, actualPodStats.Cpu.UsageCoreNanoSeconds.Value)
 			assert.Equal(t, test.expectedPodStats.UsageNanoCores, actualPodStats.Cpu.UsageNanoCores.Value)
 
@@ -266,6 +349,33 @@ func windowsStat(timestamp time.Time, cpu uint64, memory uint64) *wstats.Statist
 	}
 }
 
+func newContainer(id string, status containerstore.Status, stats *stats.ContainerStats) containerstore.Container {
+	cntr, err := containerstore.NewContainer(containerstore.Metadata{ID: id}, containerstore.WithFakeStatus(status))
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	if stats != nil {
+		cntr.Stats = stats
+	}
+	return cntr
+}
+
+var exitedValid = containerstore.Status{
+	StartedAt:  time.Now().UnixNano(),
+	FinishedAt: time.Now().UnixNano(),
+	ExitCode:   0,
+}
+
+var exitedInvalid = containerstore.Status{
+	StartedAt:  time.Now().UnixNano(),
+	FinishedAt: time.Now().UnixNano(),
+	ExitCode:   1,
+}
+
+var running = containerstore.Status{
+	StartedAt: time.Now().UnixNano(),
+}
+
 func Test_criService_saveSandBoxMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 
 	timestamp := time.Now()
diff --git a/pkg/cri/server/sandbox_stats_windows.go b/pkg/cri/server/sandbox_stats_windows.go
index 5de4a42951c7..37704dba3c12 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/server/sandbox_stats_windows.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/server/sandbox_stats_windows.go
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ func (c *criService) podSandboxStats(
 	podSandboxStats.Windows.Cpu = podCPU.Cpu
 	podSandboxStats.Windows.Memory = podCPU.Memory
 	podSandboxStats.Windows.Containers = containerStats
-
 	podSandboxStats.Windows.Network = windowsNetworkUsage(ctx, sandbox, timestamp)
 
 	pidCount, err := c.getSandboxPidCount(ctx, sandbox)
@@ -128,6 +127,11 @@ func (c *criService) toPodSandboxStats(sandbox sandboxstore.Sandbox, statsMap ma
 	for _, cntr := range containers {
 		containerMetric := statsMap[cntr.ID]
 
+		if cntr.Status.Get().State() != runtime.ContainerState_CONTAINER_RUNNING {
+			// containers that are just created, in a failed state or exited (init containers) will not have stats
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if containerMetric == nil {
 			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to find metrics for container with id %s: %w", cntr.ID, err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/cri/server/sandbox_stats_windows_test.go b/pkg/cri/server/sandbox_stats_windows_test.go
index 6bb9efea5671..5a4a6fb1c59b 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/server/sandbox_stats_windows_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/server/sandbox_stats_windows_test.go
@@ -112,7 +112,99 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			sandbox: sandboxstore.Sandbox{Metadata: sandboxstore.Metadata{ID: "s1"}},
 			containers: []containerstore.Container{
-				{Metadata: containerstore.Metadata{ID: "c1"}},
+				newContainer("c1", running, nil),
+			},
+			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
+				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
+				UsageNanoCores:       0,
+				WorkingSetBytes:      40,
+			},
+			expectedContainerStats: []expectedStats{
+				{
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+					UsageNanoCores:       0,
+					WorkingSetBytes:      20,
+				},
+			},
+			expectError: false,
+		},
+		"pod stats will include the init container stats": {
+			metrics: map[string]*wstats.Statistics{
+				"c1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+				"s1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+				"i1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+			},
+			sandbox: sandboxstore.Sandbox{Metadata: sandboxstore.Metadata{ID: "s1"}},
+			containers: []containerstore.Container{
+				newContainer("c1", running, nil),
+				newContainer("i1", running, nil),
+			},
+			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
+				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 600,
+				UsageNanoCores:       0,
+				WorkingSetBytes:      60,
+			},
+			expectedContainerStats: []expectedStats{
+				{
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+					UsageNanoCores:       0,
+					WorkingSetBytes:      20,
+				},
+				{
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+					UsageNanoCores:       0,
+					WorkingSetBytes:      20,
+				},
+			},
+			expectError: false,
+		},
+		"pod stats will not include the init container stats if it is stopped": {
+			metrics: map[string]*wstats.Statistics{
+				"c1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+				"s1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+			},
+			sandbox: sandboxstore.Sandbox{Metadata: sandboxstore.Metadata{ID: "s1"}},
+			containers: []containerstore.Container{
+				newContainer("c1", running, nil),
+				newContainer("i1", exitedValid, nil),
+			},
+			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
+				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
+				UsageNanoCores:       0,
+				WorkingSetBytes:      40,
+			},
+			expectedContainerStats: []expectedStats{
+				{
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+					UsageNanoCores:       0,
+					WorkingSetBytes:      20,
+				},
+			},
+			expectError: false,
+		},
+		"pod stats will not include the init container stats if it is stopped in failed state": {
+			metrics: map[string]*wstats.Statistics{
+				"c1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+				"s1": {
+					Container: windowsStat(currentStatsTimestamp, 200, 20),
+				},
+			},
+			sandbox: sandboxstore.Sandbox{Metadata: sandboxstore.Metadata{ID: "s1"}},
+			containers: []containerstore.Container{
+				newContainer("c1", running, nil),
+				newContainer("i1", exitedInvalid, nil),
 			},
 			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
 				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
@@ -139,13 +231,10 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			sandbox: sandboxPod("s1", initialStatsTimestamp, 400),
 			containers: []containerstore.Container{
-				{
-					Metadata: containerstore.Metadata{ID: "c1"},
-					Stats: &stats.ContainerStats{
-						Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
-						UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
-					},
-				},
+				newContainer("c1", running, &stats.ContainerStats{
+					Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+				}),
 			},
 			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
 				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 800,
@@ -170,13 +259,10 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			sandbox: sandboxPod("s1", initialStatsTimestamp, 200),
 			containers: []containerstore.Container{
-				{
-					Metadata: containerstore.Metadata{ID: "c1"},
-					Stats: &stats.ContainerStats{
-						Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
-						UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
-					},
-				},
+				newContainer("c1", running, &stats.ContainerStats{
+					Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+				}),
 			},
 			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
 				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
@@ -201,13 +287,10 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			sandbox: sandboxPod("s1", initialStatsTimestamp, 200),
 			containers: []containerstore.Container{
-				{
-					Metadata: containerstore.Metadata{ID: "c1"},
-					Stats: &stats.ContainerStats{
-						Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
-						UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
-					},
-				},
+				newContainer("c1", running, &stats.ContainerStats{
+					Timestamp:            initialStatsTimestamp,
+					UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 200,
+				}),
 			},
 			expectedPodStats: expectedStats{
 				UsageCoreNanoSeconds: 400,
@@ -230,7 +313,7 @@ func Test_criService_podSandboxStats(t *testing.T) {
 				assert.NotNil(t, err)
 				return
 			}
-
+			assert.Nil(t, err)
 			assert.Equal(t, test.expectedPodStats.UsageCoreNanoSeconds, actualPodStats.Cpu.UsageCoreNanoSeconds.Value)
 			assert.Equal(t, test.expectedPodStats.UsageNanoCores, actualPodStats.Cpu.UsageNanoCores.Value)
 
@@ -266,6 +349,33 @@ func windowsStat(timestamp time.Time, cpu uint64, memory uint64) *wstats.Statist
 	}
 }
 
+func newContainer(id string, status containerstore.Status, stats *stats.ContainerStats) containerstore.Container {
+	cntr, err := containerstore.NewContainer(containerstore.Metadata{ID: id}, containerstore.WithFakeStatus(status))
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	if stats != nil {
+		cntr.Stats = stats
+	}
+	return cntr
+}
+
+var exitedValid = containerstore.Status{
+	StartedAt:  time.Now().UnixNano(),
+	FinishedAt: time.Now().UnixNano(),
+	ExitCode:   0,
+}
+
+var exitedInvalid = containerstore.Status{
+	StartedAt:  time.Now().UnixNano(),
+	FinishedAt: time.Now().UnixNano(),
+	ExitCode:   1,
+}
+
+var running = containerstore.Status{
+	StartedAt: time.Now().UnixNano(),
+}
+
 func Test_criService_saveSandBoxMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 
 	timestamp := time.Now()