diff --git a/pkg/systemd/notifyproxy/notifyproxy.go b/pkg/systemd/notifyproxy/notifyproxy.go
index 4b92d9e6c4..e9dd48c51b 100644
--- a/pkg/systemd/notifyproxy/notifyproxy.go
+++ b/pkg/systemd/notifyproxy/notifyproxy.go
@@ -45,9 +45,16 @@ type NotifyProxy struct {
 	connection *net.UnixConn
 	socketPath string
 	container  Container // optional
+
+	// Channels for synchronizing the goroutine waiting for the READY
+	// message and the one checking if the optional container is still
+	// running.
+	errorChan chan error
+	readyChan chan bool
 }
 
-// New creates a NotifyProxy.  The specified temp directory can be left empty.
+// New creates a NotifyProxy that starts listening immediately.  The specified
+// temp directory can be left empty.
 func New(tmpDir string) (*NotifyProxy, error) {
 	tempFile, err := os.CreateTemp(tmpDir, "-podman-notify-proxy.sock")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -69,7 +76,60 @@ func New(tmpDir string) (*NotifyProxy, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return &NotifyProxy{connection: conn, socketPath: socketPath}, nil
+	errorChan := make(chan error, 1)
+	readyChan := make(chan bool, 1)
+
+	proxy := &NotifyProxy{
+		connection: conn,
+		socketPath: socketPath,
+		errorChan:  errorChan,
+		readyChan:  readyChan,
+	}
+
+	// Start waiting for the READY message in the background.  This way,
+	// the proxy can be created prior to starting the container and
+	// circumvents a race condition on writing/reading on the socket.
+	proxy.waitForReady()
+
+	return proxy, nil
+}
+
+// waitForReady waits for the READY message in the background. The goroutine
+// returns on receiving READY or when the socket is closed.
+func (p *NotifyProxy) waitForReady() {
+	go func() {
+		// Read until the `READY` message is received or the connection
+		// is closed.
+		const bufferSize = 1024
+		sBuilder := strings.Builder{}
+		for {
+			for {
+				buffer := make([]byte, bufferSize)
+				num, err := p.connection.Read(buffer)
+				if err != nil {
+					if !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
+						p.errorChan <- err
+						return
+					}
+				}
+				sBuilder.Write(buffer[:num])
+				if num != bufferSize || buffer[num-1] == '\n' {
+					// Break as we read an entire line that
+					// we can inspect for the `READY`
+					// message.
+					break
+				}
+			}
+
+			for _, line := range strings.Split(sBuilder.String(), "\n") {
+				if line == daemon.SdNotifyReady {
+					p.readyChan <- true
+					return
+				}
+			}
+			sBuilder.Reset()
+		}
+	}()
 }
 
 // SocketPath returns the path of the socket the proxy is listening on.
@@ -105,54 +165,21 @@ type Container interface {
 // the waiting gets canceled and ErrNoReadyMessage is returned.
 func (p *NotifyProxy) WaitAndClose() error {
 	defer func() {
+		// Closing the socket/connection makes sure that the other
+		// goroutine reading/waiting for the READY message returns.
 		if err := p.close(); err != nil {
 			logrus.Errorf("Closing notify proxy: %v", err)
 		}
 	}()
 
-	// Since reading from the connection is blocking, we need to spin up two
-	// goroutines.  One waiting for the `READY` message, the other waiting
-	// for the container to stop running.
-	errorChan := make(chan error, 1)
-	readyChan := make(chan bool, 1)
-
-	go func() {
-		// Read until the `READY` message is received or the connection
-		// is closed.
-		const bufferSize = 1024
-		sBuilder := strings.Builder{}
-		for {
-			for {
-				buffer := make([]byte, bufferSize)
-				num, err := p.connection.Read(buffer)
-				if err != nil {
-					if !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
-						errorChan <- err
-						return
-					}
-				}
-				sBuilder.Write(buffer[:num])
-				if num != bufferSize || buffer[num-1] == '\n' {
-					// Break as we read an entire line that
-					// we can inspect for the `READY`
-					// message.
-					break
-				}
-			}
-
-			for _, line := range strings.Split(sBuilder.String(), "\n") {
-				if line == daemon.SdNotifyReady {
-					readyChan <- true
-					return
-				}
-			}
-			sBuilder.Reset()
-		}
-	}()
-
+	// If the proxy has a container we need to watch it as it may exit
+	// without sending a READY message. The goroutine below returns when
+	// the container exits OR when the function returns (see deferred the
+	// cancel()) in which case we either we've either received the READY
+	// message or encountered an error reading from the socket.
 	if p.container != nil {
 		// Create a cancellable context to make sure the goroutine
-		// below terminates.
+		// below terminates on function return.
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 		defer cancel()
 		go func() {
@@ -162,11 +189,11 @@ func (p *NotifyProxy) WaitAndClose() error {
 			default:
 				state, err := p.container.State()
 				if err != nil {
-					errorChan <- err
+					p.errorChan <- err
 					return
 				}
 				if state != define.ContainerStateRunning {
-					errorChan <- fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrNoReadyMessage, p.container.ID())
+					p.errorChan <- fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrNoReadyMessage, p.container.ID())
 					return
 				}
 				time.Sleep(time.Second)
@@ -176,9 +203,9 @@ func (p *NotifyProxy) WaitAndClose() error {
 
 	// Wait for the ready/error channel.
 	select {
-	case <-readyChan:
+	case <-p.readyChan:
 		return nil
-	case err := <-errorChan:
+	case err := <-p.errorChan:
 		return err
 	}
 }