diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index be1f0176333..89631354f7a 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -734,8 +734,11 @@ func NewMainKubelet(kubeCfg *kubeletconfiginternal.KubeletConfiguration,
 			RelistPeriod:    genericPlegRelistPeriod,
 			RelistThreshold: genericPlegRelistThreshold,
 		}
-		klet.eventedPleg = pleg.NewEventedPLEG(klet.containerRuntime, klet.runtimeService, eventChannel,
+		klet.eventedPleg, err = pleg.NewEventedPLEG(klet.containerRuntime, klet.runtimeService, eventChannel,
 			klet.podCache, klet.pleg, eventedPlegMaxStreamRetries, eventedRelistDuration, clock.RealClock{})
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	} else {
 		genericRelistDuration := &pleg.RelistDuration{
 			RelistPeriod:    genericPlegRelistPeriod,
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/pleg/evented.go b/pkg/kubelet/pleg/evented.go
index 1dd176489a5..945adb35b61 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/pleg/evented.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/pleg/evented.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ type EventedPLEG struct {
 	// For testability.
 	clock clock.Clock
 	// GenericPLEG is used to force relist when required.
-	genericPleg PodLifecycleEventGenerator
+	genericPleg podLifecycleEventGeneratorHandler
 	// The maximum number of retries when getting container events from the runtime.
 	eventedPlegMaxStreamRetries int
 	// Indicates relisting related parameters
@@ -87,17 +87,21 @@ type EventedPLEG struct {
 // NewEventedPLEG instantiates a new EventedPLEG object and return it.
 func NewEventedPLEG(runtime kubecontainer.Runtime, runtimeService internalapi.RuntimeService, eventChannel chan *PodLifecycleEvent,
 	cache kubecontainer.Cache, genericPleg PodLifecycleEventGenerator, eventedPlegMaxStreamRetries int,
-	relistDuration *RelistDuration, clock clock.Clock) PodLifecycleEventGenerator {
+	relistDuration *RelistDuration, clock clock.Clock) (PodLifecycleEventGenerator, error) {
+	handler, ok := genericPleg.(podLifecycleEventGeneratorHandler)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%v doesn't implement podLifecycleEventGeneratorHandler interface", genericPleg)
+	}
 	return &EventedPLEG{
 		runtime:                     runtime,
 		runtimeService:              runtimeService,
 		eventChannel:                eventChannel,
 		cache:                       cache,
-		genericPleg:                 genericPleg,
+		genericPleg:                 handler,
 		eventedPlegMaxStreamRetries: eventedPlegMaxStreamRetries,
 		relistDuration:              relistDuration,
 		clock:                       clock,
-	}
+	}, nil
 }
 
 // Watch returns a channel from which the subscriber can receive PodLifecycleEvent events.
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/pleg/pleg.go b/pkg/kubelet/pleg/pleg.go
index 2654f32d6fc..0a44745925b 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/pleg/pleg.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/pleg/pleg.go
@@ -64,10 +64,16 @@ type PodLifecycleEvent struct {
 // PodLifecycleEventGenerator contains functions for generating pod life cycle events.
 type PodLifecycleEventGenerator interface {
 	Start()
-	Stop()
-	Update(relistDuration *RelistDuration)
 	Watch() chan *PodLifecycleEvent
 	Healthy() (bool, error)
-	Relist()
 	UpdateCache(*kubecontainer.Pod, types.UID) (error, bool)
 }
+
+// podLifecycleEventGeneratorHandler contains functions that are useful for different PLEGs
+// and need not be exposed to rest of the kubelet
+type podLifecycleEventGeneratorHandler interface {
+	PodLifecycleEventGenerator
+	Stop()
+	Update(relistDuration *RelistDuration)
+	Relist()
+}