diff --git a/libpod/oci_conmon_common.go b/libpod/oci_conmon_common.go
index 6b0d6bc679..f315d94397 100644
--- a/libpod/oci_conmon_common.go
+++ b/libpod/oci_conmon_common.go
@@ -1261,8 +1261,16 @@ func (r *ConmonOCIRuntime) createOCIContainer(ctr *Container, restoreOptions *Co
 		return 0, err
 	}
 	if err := r.moveConmonToCgroupAndSignal(ctr, cmd, parentStartPipe); err != nil {
-		return 0, err
+		// The child likely already exited in which case the cmd.Wait() below should return the proper error.
+		// EPIPE is expected if the child already exited so not worth to log and kill the process.
+		if !errors.Is(err, syscall.EPIPE) {
+			logrus.Errorf("Failed to signal conmon to start: %v", err)
+			if err := cmd.Process.Kill(); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, syscall.ESRCH) {
+				logrus.Errorf("Failed to kill conmon after error: %v", err)
+			}
+		}
 	}
+
 	/* Wait for initial setup and fork, and reap child */
 	err = cmd.Wait()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/libpod/oci_conmon_linux.go b/libpod/oci_conmon_linux.go
index 9819c83bae..a3a552bc64 100644
--- a/libpod/oci_conmon_linux.go
+++ b/libpod/oci_conmon_linux.go
@@ -162,10 +162,7 @@ func (r *ConmonOCIRuntime) moveConmonToCgroupAndSignal(ctr *Container, cmd *exec
 	}
 
 	/* We set the cgroup, now the child can start creating children */
-	if err := writeConmonPipeData(startFd); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return nil
+	return writeConmonPipeData(startFd)
 }
 
 // GetLimits converts spec resource limits to cgroup consumable limits