diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/utils/containers.go b/pkg/api/handlers/utils/containers.go
index 798dd8ff65..c937d61a03 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/utils/containers.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/utils/containers.go
@@ -189,11 +189,21 @@ var notRunningStates = []define.ContainerStatus{
 }
 
 func waitRemoved(ctrWait containerWaitFn) (int32, error) {
-	code, err := ctrWait(define.ContainerStateUnknown)
-	if err != nil && errors.Is(err, define.ErrNoSuchCtr) {
-		return code, nil
+	var code int32
+	for {
+		c, err := ctrWait(define.ContainerStateExited)
+		if errors.Is(err, define.ErrNoSuchCtr) {
+			// Make sure to wait until the container has been removed.
+			break
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			return code, err
+		}
+		// If the container doesn't exist, the return code is -1, so
+		// only set it in case of success.
+		code = c
 	}
-	return code, err
+	return code, nil
 }
 
 func waitNextExit(ctx context.Context, containerName string) (int32, error) {
diff --git a/test/apiv2/26-containersWait.at b/test/apiv2/26-containersWait.at
index 41938d5673..3bd4165d06 100644
--- a/test/apiv2/26-containersWait.at
+++ b/test/apiv2/26-containersWait.at
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ CTR="WaitTestingCtr"
 
 t POST "containers/nonExistent/wait?condition=next-exit" 404
 
-podman create --name "${CTR}" --entrypoint '["true"]' "${IMAGE}"
+# Make sure to test a non-zero exit code (see #18889)
+podman create --name "${CTR}" "${IMAGE}" sh -c "exit 3"
 
 t POST "containers/${CTR}/wait?condition=non-existent-cond" 400
 
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ child_pid=$!
 
 # This will block until the background job completes
 t POST "containers/${CTR}/wait?condition=next-exit" 200 \
-  .StatusCode=0 \
+  .StatusCode=3 \
   .Error=null
 wait "${child_pid}"
 
@@ -41,6 +42,10 @@ fi
 child_pid=$!
 
 t POST "containers/${CTR}/wait?condition=removed" 200 \
-  .StatusCode=0 \
+  .StatusCode=3 \
   .Error=null
+# Make sure the container has really been removed after waiting for
+# "condition=removed". This check is racy but should flake in case it doesn't
+# work correctly.
+t POST "containers/${CTR}/wait?condition=next-exit" 404
 wait "${child_pid}"