diff --git a/cli/cli/kurtosis_gateway/connection/provider.go b/cli/cli/kurtosis_gateway/connection/provider.go
index baae3b5967..da2744b412 100644
--- a/cli/cli/kurtosis_gateway/connection/provider.go
+++ b/cli/cli/kurtosis_gateway/connection/provider.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package connection
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"net/url"
+
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/kurtosis/api/golang/engine/kurtosis_engine_rpc_api_bindings"
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/kurtosis/api/golang/engine/lib/kurtosis_context"
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/kurtosis/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_impls/kubernetes/kubernetes_manager"
@@ -15,7 +17,6 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
 	restclient "k8s.io/client-go/rest"
-	"net/url"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -93,10 +94,12 @@ func (provider *GatewayConnectionProvider) ForEnclaveApiContainer(enclaveInfo *k
 	return apiContainerConnection, nil
 }
 
-func (provider *GatewayConnectionProvider) ForUserService(enclaveId string, serviceUuid string, servicePortSpecs map[string]*port_spec.PortSpec) (GatewayConnectionToKurtosis, error) {
-	podPortforwardEndpoint, err := provider.getUserServicePodPortforwardEndpoint(enclaveId, serviceUuid)
+func (provider *GatewayConnectionProvider) ForUserServiceIfRunning(enclaveId string, serviceUuid string, servicePortSpecs map[string]*port_spec.PortSpec) (GatewayConnectionToKurtosis, error) {
+	podPortforwardEndpoint, err := provider.getMaybeUserServicePodPortforwardEndpoint(enclaveId, serviceUuid)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "Expected to be able to find an api endpoint for Kubernetes portforward to a Kurtosis user service with id '%v' in enclave '%v', instead a non-nil error was returned", enclaveId, serviceUuid)
+	} else if podPortforwardEndpoint == nil {
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 	userServiceConnection, err := newLocalPortToPodPortConnection(provider.config, podPortforwardEndpoint, servicePortSpecs)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -167,7 +170,7 @@ func (provider *GatewayConnectionProvider) getApiContainerPodPortforwardEndpoint
 	return provider.kubernetesManager.GetPodPortforwardEndpointUrl(enclaveNamespaceName, apiContainerPodName), nil
 }
 
-func (provider *GatewayConnectionProvider) getUserServicePodPortforwardEndpoint(enclaveId string, serviceUuid string) (*url.URL, error) {
+func (provider *GatewayConnectionProvider) getMaybeUserServicePodPortforwardEndpoint(enclaveId string, serviceUuid string) (*url.URL, error) {
 	userServiceNamespaceName, err := provider.getEnclaveNamespaceNameForEnclaveId(enclaveId)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "Expected to be able to get a Kubernetes namespace corresponding to a Kurtosis enclave with id '%v', instead a non-nil error was returned", enclaveId)
@@ -181,7 +184,10 @@ func (provider *GatewayConnectionProvider) getUserServicePodPortforwardEndpoint(
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "Expected to be able to get running user service pods with labels '%+v' in namespace '%v', instead a non nil error was returned", runningUserServicePodNames, userServiceNamespaceName)
 	}
-	if len(runningUserServicePodNames) != 1 {
+	if len(runningUserServicePodNames) == 0 {
+		// A stopped service has no pod running and no port forward endpoint
+		return nil, nil
+	} else if len(runningUserServicePodNames) != 1 {
 		return nil, stacktrace.NewError("Expected to find exactly 1 running user service pod with guid '%v' in enclave '%v', instead found '%v'", serviceUuid, enclaveId, len(runningUserServicePodNames))
 	}
 	userServicePodName := runningUserServicePodNames[0]
diff --git a/cli/cli/kurtosis_gateway/server/api_container_gateway/api_container_gateway_service_server.go b/cli/cli/kurtosis_gateway/server/api_container_gateway/api_container_gateway_service_server.go
index aea6da1ada..587aaf99dc 100644
--- a/cli/cli/kurtosis_gateway/server/api_container_gateway/api_container_gateway_service_server.go
+++ b/cli/cli/kurtosis_gateway/server/api_container_gateway/api_container_gateway_service_server.go
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ package api_container_gateway
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io"
+	"sync"
+
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/kurtosis/api/golang/core/kurtosis_core_rpc_api_bindings"
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/kurtosis/api/golang/core/lib/binding_constructors"
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/kurtosis/cli/cli/kurtosis_gateway/connection"
@@ -10,8 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/emptypb"
-	"io"
-	"sync"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) AddServices(ctx context.Context
 
 	// Write over the PublicIp and Public Ports fields so the service can be accessed through local port forwarding
 	for serviceNameStr, serviceInfo := range remoteApiContainerResponse.GetSuccessfulServiceNameToServiceInfo() {
-		if err := service.writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithLocalConnectionInformation(serviceInfo); err != nil {
+		if err := service.writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithLocalConnectionInformationIfServiceRunning(serviceInfo); err != nil {
 			err = stacktrace.Propagate(err, "Expected to be able to write over service info fields for service '%v', instead a non-nil error was returned", serviceNameStr)
 			failedServicesPool[serviceNameStr] = err.Error()
 		}
@@ -291,9 +292,10 @@ func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) UploadStarlarkPackage(server ku
 //
 // ====================================================================================================
 
-// writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithLocalConnectionInformation overwites the `MaybePublicPorts` and `MaybePublicIpAdrr` fields to connect to local ports forwarding requests to private ports in Kubernetes
+// writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithLocalConnectionInformationIfServiceRunning overwites the `MaybePublicPorts` and `MaybePublicIpAdrr` fields to connect to local ports forwarding requests to private ports in Kubernetes
 // Only TCP Private Ports are forwarded
-func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithLocalConnectionInformation(serviceInfo *kurtosis_core_rpc_api_bindings.ServiceInfo) error {
+// Does nothing if the service is stopped (no pod running)
+func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithLocalConnectionInformationIfServiceRunning(serviceInfo *kurtosis_core_rpc_api_bindings.ServiceInfo) error {
 	// If the service has no private ports, then don't overwrite any of the service info fields
 	if len(serviceInfo.PrivatePorts) == 0 {
 		return nil
@@ -305,9 +307,11 @@ func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithL
 	cleanUpConnection := true
 	runningLocalConnection, isFound := service.userServiceGuidToLocalConnectionMap[serviceUuid]
 	if !isFound {
-		runningLocalConnection, localConnErr = service.startRunningConnectionForKurtosisService(serviceUuid, serviceInfo.PrivatePorts)
+		runningLocalConnection, localConnErr = service.startRunningConnectionForKurtosisServiceIfRunning(serviceUuid, serviceInfo.PrivatePorts)
 		if localConnErr != nil {
 			return stacktrace.Propagate(localConnErr, "Expected to be able to start a local connection to Kurtosis service '%v', instead a non-nil error was returned", serviceUuid)
+		} else if runningLocalConnection == nil {
+			return nil
 		}
 		defer func() {
 			if cleanUpConnection {
@@ -322,9 +326,9 @@ func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithL
 	return nil
 }
 
-// startRunningConnectionForKurtosisService starts a port forwarding process from kernel assigned local ports to the remote service ports specified
+// startRunningConnectionForKurtosisServiceIfRunning starts a port forwarding process from kernel assigned local ports to the remote service ports specified
 // If privatePortsFromApi is empty, an error is thrown
-func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) startRunningConnectionForKurtosisService(serviceUuid string, privatePortsFromApi map[string]*kurtosis_core_rpc_api_bindings.Port) (*runningLocalServiceConnection, error) {
+func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) startRunningConnectionForKurtosisServiceIfRunning(serviceUuid string, privatePortsFromApi map[string]*kurtosis_core_rpc_api_bindings.Port) (*runningLocalServiceConnection, error) {
 	if len(privatePortsFromApi) == 0 {
 		return nil, stacktrace.NewError("Expected Kurtosis service to have private ports specified for port forwarding, instead no ports were provided")
 	}
@@ -351,9 +355,11 @@ func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) startRunningConnectionForKurtos
 	}
 
 	// Start listening
-	serviceConnection, err := service.connectionProvider.ForUserService(service.enclaveId, serviceUuid, remotePrivatePortSpecs)
+	serviceConnection, err := service.connectionProvider.ForUserServiceIfRunning(service.enclaveId, serviceUuid, remotePrivatePortSpecs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "Expected to be able to start a local connection service with guid '%v' in enclave '%v', instead a non-nil error was returned", serviceUuid, service.enclaveId)
+	} else if serviceConnection == nil {
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 	cleanUpConnection := true
 	defer func() {
@@ -414,7 +420,7 @@ func (service *ApiContainerGatewayServiceServer) updateServicesLocalConnection(s
 
 	serviceUuids := map[string]bool{}
 	for serviceId, serviceInfo := range serviceInfos {
-		if err := service.writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithLocalConnectionInformation(serviceInfo); err != nil {
+		if err := service.writeOverServiceInfoFieldsWithLocalConnectionInformationIfServiceRunning(serviceInfo); err != nil {
 			return stacktrace.Propagate(err, "Expected to be able to write over service info fields for service '%v', instead a non-nil error was returned", serviceId)
 		}
 		serviceUuids[serviceInfo.GetServiceUuid()] = true
diff --git a/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_impls/kubernetes/kubernetes_kurtosis_backend/user_services_functions/stop_user_services.go b/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_impls/kubernetes/kubernetes_kurtosis_backend/user_services_functions/stop_user_services.go
index 6bde645a6a..15434f5ece 100644
--- a/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_impls/kubernetes/kubernetes_kurtosis_backend/user_services_functions/stop_user_services.go
+++ b/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_impls/kubernetes/kubernetes_kurtosis_backend/user_services_functions/stop_user_services.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/kurtosis/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_interface/objects/enclave"
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/kurtosis/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_interface/objects/service"
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/stacktrace"
-	applyconfigurationsv1 "k8s.io/client-go/applyconfigurations/core/v1"
 )
 
 func StopUserServices(
@@ -46,22 +45,6 @@ func StopUserServices(
 			}
 		}
 
-		kubernetesService := resources.Service
-		serviceName := kubernetesService.Name
-		updateConfigurator := func(updatesToApply *applyconfigurationsv1.ServiceApplyConfiguration) {
-			specUpdates := applyconfigurationsv1.ServiceSpec().WithSelector(nil)
-			updatesToApply.WithSpec(specUpdates)
-		}
-		if _, err := kubernetesManager.UpdateService(ctx, namespaceName, serviceName, updateConfigurator); err != nil {
-			erroredUuids[serviceUuid] = stacktrace.Propagate(
-				err,
-				"An error occurred updating service '%v' in namespace '%v' to reflect that it's no longer running",
-				serviceName,
-				namespaceName,
-			)
-			continue
-		}
-
 		successfulUuids[serviceUuid] = true
 	}
 	return successfulUuids, erroredUuids, nil
diff --git a/docs/docs/starlark-reference/plan.md b/docs/docs/starlark-reference/plan.md
index 9fe23e6fa0..710bc39dbe 100644
--- a/docs/docs/starlark-reference/plan.md
+++ b/docs/docs/starlark-reference/plan.md
@@ -539,13 +539,6 @@ plan.start_service(
 )
 ```
 
-:::caution
-
-`start_service` is only available with the Docker backend.
-
-:::
-
-
 stop_service
 ------------
 
@@ -559,12 +552,6 @@ plan.stop_service(
 )
 ```
 
-:::caution
-
-`stop_service` is only available with the Docker backend.
-
-:::
-
 store_service_files
 -------------------
 
diff --git a/internal_testsuites/golang/testsuite/startosis_start_service_test/startosis_start_service_test.go b/internal_testsuites/golang/testsuite/startosis_start_service_test/startosis_start_service_test.go
index aad02d6755..2132e3dff5 100644
--- a/internal_testsuites/golang/testsuite/startosis_start_service_test/startosis_start_service_test.go
+++ b/internal_testsuites/golang/testsuite/startosis_start_service_test/startosis_start_service_test.go
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-//go:build !minikube
-// +build !minikube
-
-// We don't run this test in Kubernetes because the gateway does not support start and stop services
-
 package startosis_stop_service_test
 
 import (
@@ -42,17 +37,19 @@ def run(plan):
 	plan.add_service(name = DATASTORE_SERVICE_NAME, config = config)
 	plan.print("Service " + DATASTORE_SERVICE_NAME + " deployed successfully.")
 `
-	// We start the service we created through the script above with a different script
-	startScript = `
+
+	// We stop and restart the service we created through the script above with a different script
+	stopAndStartScript = `
 DATASTORE_SERVICE_NAME = "` + serviceName + `"
 def run(plan):
+	plan.stop_service(DATASTORE_SERVICE_NAME)
 	plan.start_service(DATASTORE_SERVICE_NAME)
 `
-	// We stop the service we created through the script above with a different script
-	stopScript = `
+	// We start the service we created through the script above with a different script
+	startScript = `
 DATASTORE_SERVICE_NAME = "` + serviceName + `"
 def run(plan):
-	plan.stop_service(DATASTORE_SERVICE_NAME)
+	plan.start_service(DATASTORE_SERVICE_NAME)
 `
 )
 
@@ -96,7 +93,6 @@ Service example-datastore-server-1 deployed successfully.
 		"Error validating datastore server '%s' is healthy",
 		serviceName,
 	)
-
 	logrus.Infof("Validated that all services are healthy")
 
 	// we run the start script and validate that an error is returned since the service is already started.
@@ -107,8 +103,8 @@ Service example-datastore-server-1 deployed successfully.
 	expectedErrorStr := fmt.Sprintf("Service '%v' is already started", serviceName)
 	require.Contains(t, runResult.ExecutionError.ErrorMessage, expectedErrorStr)
 
-	// we run the stop script and validate that the service is unreachable.
-	runResult, err = test_helpers.RunScriptWithDefaultConfig(ctx, enclaveCtx, stopScript)
+	// we run the stop and restart script and validate that the service is unreachable.
+	runResult, err = test_helpers.RunScriptWithDefaultConfig(ctx, enclaveCtx, stopAndStartScript)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Unexpected error executing stop script")
 
 	require.Nil(t, runResult.InterpretationError, "Unexpected interpretation error")
@@ -119,35 +115,13 @@ Service example-datastore-server-1 deployed successfully.
 `
 	require.Regexp(t, expectedScriptOutput, string(runResult.RunOutput))
 
-	require.Error(
-		t,
-		test_helpers.ValidateDatastoreServiceHealthy(context.Background(), enclaveCtx, serviceName, portId),
-		"Error validating datastore server '%s' is not healthy",
-		serviceName,
-	)
-
-	logrus.Infof("Validated that the service is stopped")
-
-	// we run the start script and validate that the service is ready
-	runResult, err = test_helpers.RunScriptWithDefaultConfig(ctx, enclaveCtx, startScript)
-	require.NoError(t, err, "Unexpected error executing start script")
-
-	require.Nil(t, runResult.InterpretationError, "Unexpected interpretation error")
-	require.Empty(t, runResult.ValidationErrors, "Unexpected validation error")
-	require.Nil(t, runResult.ExecutionError, "Unexpected execution error")
-
-	expectedScriptOutput = `Service 'example-datastore-server-1' started
-`
-	require.Regexp(t, expectedScriptOutput, string(runResult.RunOutput))
-
 	require.NoError(
 		t,
 		test_helpers.ValidateDatastoreServiceHealthy(context.Background(), enclaveCtx, serviceName, portId),
 		"Error validating datastore server '%s' is healthy",
 		serviceName,
 	)
-
-	logrus.Infof("Validated that the service is started")
+	logrus.Infof("Validated that the service is restarted")
 
 	// we run the start script and validate that an error is returned since the service is already started.
 	runResult, _ = test_helpers.RunScriptWithDefaultConfig(ctx, enclaveCtx, startScript)
diff --git a/internal_testsuites/golang/testsuite/startosis_stop_service_test/startosis_stop_service_test.go b/internal_testsuites/golang/testsuite/startosis_stop_service_test/startosis_stop_service_test.go
index e53d69b26a..eb00d9c305 100644
--- a/internal_testsuites/golang/testsuite/startosis_stop_service_test/startosis_stop_service_test.go
+++ b/internal_testsuites/golang/testsuite/startosis_stop_service_test/startosis_stop_service_test.go
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-//go:build !minikube
-// +build !minikube
-
-// We don't run this test in Kubernetes because the gateway does not support start and stop services
-
 package startosis_stop_service_test
 
 import (
diff --git a/internal_testsuites/typescript/scripts/test.sh b/internal_testsuites/typescript/scripts/test.sh
index 39d2a45f58..e5bfa66686 100755
--- a/internal_testsuites/typescript/scripts/test.sh
+++ b/internal_testsuites/typescript/scripts/test.sh
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@ DEFAULT_TESTSUITE_CLUSTER_BACKEND="${TESTSUITE_CLUSTER_BACKEND_DOCKER}"
 # network_partition_starlark,network_partition_test,network_soft_partition_test - Networking partitioning is not implemented in kubernetes
 # service_pause_test - Service pausing not implemented in Kubernetes
 # stream_log_test,search_log_test - The centralized logs feature is not implemented in Kubernetes yet
-# startosis_start_service_test,startosis_stop_service_test - The start and stop service feature does not work in Kubernetes due to a required update in the gateway
-KUBERNETES_TEST_IGNORE_PATTERNS="/build/testsuite/(network_partition_starlark|network_partition_test|network_soft_partition_test|service_pause_test|stream_log_test|search_logs_test|startosis_start_service_test|startosis_stop_service_test)"
+KUBERNETES_TEST_IGNORE_PATTERNS="/build/testsuite/(network_partition_starlark|network_partition_test|network_soft_partition_test|service_pause_test|stream_log_test|search_logs_test)"
 
 # ==================================================================================================
 #                                       Arg Parsing & Validation