diff --git a/runtime/restart/monitor/monitor.go b/runtime/restart/monitor/monitor.go
index 315720d34..aa8314e2a 100644
--- a/runtime/restart/monitor/monitor.go
+++ b/runtime/restart/monitor/monitor.go
@@ -171,9 +171,15 @@ func (m *monitor) monitor(ctx context.Context) ([]change, error) {
 		// which will result in an `on-failure` restart policy reconcile error.
 		switch desiredStatus {
 		case containerd.Running:
+			switch status.Status {
+			case containerd.Paused, containerd.Pausing:
+				continue
+			default:
+			}
 			if !restart.Reconcile(status, labels) {
 				continue
 			}
+
 			restartCount, _ := strconv.Atoi(labels[restart.CountLabel])
 			changes = append(changes, &startChange{
 				container: c,