diff --git a/container_test.go b/container_test.go
index a05c09cb1..3844c00bc 100644
--- a/container_test.go
+++ b/container_test.go
@@ -1451,3 +1451,82 @@ func TestContainerExitedAtSet(t *testing.T) {
 		return
 	}
 }
+
+func TestDeleteContainerExecCreated(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	client, err := newClient(t, address)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer client.Close()
+
+	var (
+		image       Image
+		ctx, cancel = testContext()
+		id          = t.Name()
+	)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
+		image, err = client.GetImage(ctx, testImage)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	spec, err := generateSpec(withImageConfig(ctx, image), withProcessArgs("sleep", "100"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
+	container, err := client.NewContainer(ctx, id, WithSpec(spec), withNewSnapshot(id, image))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
+	defer container.Delete(ctx, WithSnapshotCleanup)
+
+	task, err := container.NewTask(ctx, empty())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
+	defer task.Delete(ctx)
+
+	finished := make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	go func() {
+		if _, err := task.Wait(ctx); err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+		close(finished)
+	}()
+
+	if err := task.Start(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// start an exec process without running the original container process info
+	processSpec := spec.Process
+	withExecExitStatus(processSpec, 6)
+	execID := t.Name() + "_exec"
+	process, err := task.Exec(ctx, execID, processSpec, empty())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
+	deleteStatus, err := process.Delete(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
+	if deleteStatus != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected delete exit code 0 but received %d", deleteStatus)
+	}
+	if err := task.Kill(ctx, syscall.SIGKILL); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	<-finished
+}
diff --git a/process.go b/process.go
index aed931eba..620d1a225 100644
--- a/process.go
+++ b/process.go
@@ -152,7 +152,8 @@ func (p *process) Delete(ctx context.Context, opts ...ProcessDeleteOpts) (uint32
 	if err != nil {
 		return UnknownExitStatus, err
 	}
-	if status.Status != Stopped {
+	switch status.Status {
+	case Running, Paused, Pausing:
 		return UnknownExitStatus, errors.Wrapf(errdefs.ErrFailedPrecondition, "process must be stopped before deletion")
 	}
 	if p.io != nil {
diff --git a/windows/process.go b/windows/process.go
index 6aaa9b710..0fe7e2bfd 100644
--- a/windows/process.go
+++ b/windows/process.go
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ func (p *process) Status() runtime.Status {
 	case <-p.exitCh:
 		status = runtime.StoppedStatus
 	default:
+		if p.hcs == nil {
+			return runtime.CreatedStatus
+		}
 		status = runtime.RunningStatus
 	}
 	return status
@@ -83,8 +86,8 @@ func (p *process) Pid() uint32 {
 }
 
 func (p *process) ExitCode() (uint32, time.Time, error) {
-	if p.Status() != runtime.StoppedStatus {
-		return 255, time.Time{}, errors.Wrap(errdefs.ErrFailedPrecondition, "process is not stopped")
+	if s := p.Status(); s != runtime.StoppedStatus && s != runtime.CreatedStatus {
+		return 255, time.Time{}, errors.Wrapf(errdefs.ErrFailedPrecondition, "process is not stopped: %s", s)
 	}
 	return p.exitCode, p.exitTime, nil
 }