diff --git a/containerm/mgr/mgr.go b/containerm/mgr/mgr.go
index a7cafa0..61191e1 100644
--- a/containerm/mgr/mgr.go
+++ b/containerm/mgr/mgr.go
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ func (mgr *containerMgr) Stop(ctx context.Context, id string, stopOpts *types.St
 	}
 	container.Lock()
 	defer container.Unlock()
-	go mgr.applyRestartPolicy(context.Background(), container)
+	mgr.applyRestartPolicy(context.Background(), container)
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -312,10 +312,11 @@ func (mgr *containerMgr) Update(ctx context.Context, id string, updateOpts *type
 		changesMade = true
 	}
 
+	var rpChanged bool
 	if updateOpts.RestartPolicy != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(updateOpts.RestartPolicy, container.HostConfig.RestartPolicy) {
 		mgr.resetContainerRestartManager(container, false)
 		container.HostConfig.RestartPolicy = updateOpts.RestartPolicy
-		changesMade = true
+		changesMade, rpChanged = true, true
 	}
 
 	if changesMade {
@@ -327,6 +328,10 @@ func (mgr *containerMgr) Update(ctx context.Context, id string, updateOpts *type
 			log.ErrorErr(errMeta, failedConfigStoringErrorMsg)
 		}
 	}
+
+	if rpChanged && (container.State.Exited || container.State.Status == types.Stopped) {
+		mgr.applyRestartPolicy(context.Background(), container)
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/containerm/mgr/mgr_internal.go b/containerm/mgr/mgr_internal.go
index 74437b5..382f525 100644
--- a/containerm/mgr/mgr_internal.go
+++ b/containerm/mgr/mgr_internal.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func (mgr *containerMgr) applyRestartPolicy(ctx context.Context, container *type
 				}
 			}
 			if err != nil {
-				mgr.updateConfigToStopped(ctx, container, -1, err)
+				mgr.updateConfigToStopped(ctx, container, -1, err, false)
 			}
 		}()
 	}
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func (mgr *containerMgr) containersToArray() []*types.Container {
 	}
 	return ctrs
 }
-func (mgr *containerMgr) updateConfigToStopped(ctx context.Context, c *types.Container, exitCode int64, err error) error {
+func (mgr *containerMgr) updateConfigToStopped(ctx context.Context, c *types.Container, exitCode int64, err error, releaseContainerResources bool) error {
 	var (
 		code   int64
 		errMsg string
@@ -155,7 +155,10 @@ func (mgr *containerMgr) updateConfigToStopped(ctx context.Context, c *types.Con
 		}
 	}()
 
-	return mgr.releaseContainerResources(c)
+	if releaseContainerResources {
+		return mgr.releaseContainerResources(c)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (mgr *containerMgr) updateConfigToExited(ctx context.Context, c *types.Container, exitCode int64, err error, oomKilled bool) error {
@@ -298,7 +301,7 @@ func (mgr *containerMgr) processStartContainer(ctx context.Context, id string, r
 
 	pid, err = mgr.ctrClient.StartContainer(ctx, container, "")
 	if err != nil {
-		_ = mgr.updateConfigToStopped(ctx, container, -1, err)
+		_ = mgr.updateConfigToStopped(ctx, container, -1, err, true)
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -361,7 +364,7 @@ func (mgr *containerMgr) stopContainer(ctx context.Context, container *types.Con
 		container.ManuallyStopped = false
 		return exitErr
 	}
-	return mgr.updateConfigToStopped(ctx, container, exitCode, exitErr)
+	return mgr.updateConfigToStopped(ctx, container, exitCode, exitErr, true)
 }
 
 func (mgr *containerMgr) stopManagerService(ctx context.Context) error {