diff --git a/libpod/oci_conmon_linux.go b/libpod/oci_conmon_linux.go
index 6aa7ce6dce..0c1ee61d39 100644
--- a/libpod/oci_conmon_linux.go
+++ b/libpod/oci_conmon_linux.go
@@ -411,8 +411,8 @@ func (r *ConmonOCIRuntime) KillContainer(ctr *Container, signal uint, all bool)
 		if err2 := r.UpdateContainerStatus(ctr); err2 != nil {
 			logrus.Infof("Error updating status for container %s: %v", ctr.ID(), err2)
 		}
-		if ctr.state.State == define.ContainerStateExited {
-			return nil
+		if ctr.ensureState(define.ContainerStateStopped, define.ContainerStateExited) {
+			return define.ErrCtrStateInvalid
 		}
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "error sending signal to container %s", ctr.ID())
 	}