diff --git a/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/common.go b/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/common.go
index c0a058012..31a3656ee 100644
--- a/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/common.go
+++ b/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/common.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func isUnitExists(err error) bool {
 	return isDbusError(err, "org.freedesktop.systemd1.UnitExists")
 }
 
-func startUnit(cm *dbusConnManager, unitName string, properties []systemdDbus.Property) error {
+func startUnit(cm *dbusConnManager, unitName string, properties []systemdDbus.Property, ignoreExist bool) error {
 	statusChan := make(chan string, 1)
 	err := cm.retryOnDisconnect(func(c *systemdDbus.Conn) error {
 		_, err := c.StartTransientUnitContext(context.TODO(), unitName, "replace", properties, statusChan)
@@ -134,7 +134,13 @@ func startUnit(cm *dbusConnManager, unitName string, properties []systemdDbus.Pr
 		if !isUnitExists(err) {
 			return err
 		}
-		return nil
+		if ignoreExist {
+			// TODO: remove this hack.
+			// This is kubelet making sure a slice exists (see
+			// https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/pull/1124).
+			return nil
+		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	timeout := time.NewTimer(30 * time.Second)
diff --git a/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v1.go b/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v1.go
index ab9333cb2..e76449910 100644
--- a/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v1.go
+++ b/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v1.go
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ func (m *LegacyManager) Apply(pid int) error {
 
 	properties = append(properties, c.SystemdProps...)
 
-	if err := startUnit(m.dbus, unitName, properties); err != nil {
+	if err := startUnit(m.dbus, unitName, properties, pid == -1); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v2.go b/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v2.go
index 823bf38fc..3d66ed406 100644
--- a/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v2.go
+++ b/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v2.go
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ func (m *UnifiedManager) Apply(pid int) error {
 
 	properties = append(properties, c.SystemdProps...)
 
-	if err := startUnit(m.dbus, unitName, properties); err != nil {
+	if err := startUnit(m.dbus, unitName, properties, pid == -1); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to start unit %q (properties %+v): %w", unitName, properties, err)
 	}