diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_container.go b/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_container.go
index 86236cac592..2eeabc66380 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_container.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_container.go
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ func (ds *dockerService) ListContainers(filter *runtimeApi.ContainerFilter) ([]*
 
 	opts.Filter = dockerfilters.NewArgs()
 	f := newDockerFilter(&opts.Filter)
+	// Add filter to get *only* (non-sandbox) containers.
+	f.AddLabel(containerTypeLabelKey, containerTypeLabelContainer)
 
 	if filter != nil {
 		if filter.Id != nil {
@@ -54,8 +56,6 @@ func (ds *dockerService) ListContainers(filter *runtimeApi.ContainerFilter) ([]*
 				f.AddLabel(k, v)
 			}
 		}
-		// Filter out sandbox containers.
-		f.AddLabel(containerTypeLabelKey, containerTypeLabelContainer)
 	}
 	containers, err := ds.client.ListContainers(opts)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_sandbox.go b/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_sandbox.go
index c070f0c5713..7e35a2e2a8e 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_sandbox.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/dockershim/docker_sandbox.go
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ func (ds *dockerService) ListPodSandbox(filter *runtimeApi.PodSandboxFilter) ([]
 
 	opts.Filter = dockerfilters.NewArgs()
 	f := newDockerFilter(&opts.Filter)
+	// Add filter to select only sandbox containers.
+	f.AddLabel(containerTypeLabelKey, containerTypeLabelSandbox)
+
 	if filter != nil {
 		if filter.Id != nil {
 			f.Add("id", filter.GetId())
@@ -168,8 +171,6 @@ func (ds *dockerService) ListPodSandbox(filter *runtimeApi.PodSandboxFilter) ([]
 				f.AddLabel(k, v)
 			}
 		}
-		// Filter out sandbox containers.
-		f.AddLabel(containerTypeLabelKey, containerTypeLabelSandbox)
 	}
 	containers, err := ds.client.ListContainers(opts)
 	if err != nil {