diff --git a/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task.go b/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task.go
index 29b309c266..3304a5e601 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task.go
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/Microsoft/hcsshim/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/options"
 	"github.com/Microsoft/hcsshim/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/stats"
+	"github.com/Microsoft/hcsshim/internal/gcs"
+	"github.com/Microsoft/hcsshim/internal/hcs"
 	"github.com/Microsoft/hcsshim/internal/shimdiag"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/task"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 )
@@ -93,3 +96,12 @@ type shimTask interface {
 	// metrics on the UVM may be returned as well.
 	Stats(ctx context.Context) (*stats.Statistics, error)
 }
+
+// isStatsNotFound returns true if the err corresponds to a scenario
+// where statistics cannot be retrieved or found
+func isStatsNotFound(err error) bool {
+	return errdefs.IsNotFound(err) ||
+		hcs.IsNotExist(err) ||
+		hcs.IsOperationInvalidState(err) ||
+		gcs.IsNotExist(err)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task_hcs.go b/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task_hcs.go
index aa93019e1f..9f485375cf 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task_hcs.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task_hcs.go
@@ -674,19 +674,20 @@ func hcsPropertiesToWindowsStats(props *hcsschema.Properties) *stats.Statistics_
 
 func (ht *hcsTask) Stats(ctx context.Context) (*stats.Statistics, error) {
 	s := &stats.Statistics{}
-
 	props, err := ht.c.PropertiesV2(ctx, hcsschema.PTStatistics)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && !isStatsNotFound(err) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if ht.isWCOW {
-		s.Container = hcsPropertiesToWindowsStats(props)
-	} else {
-		s.Container = &stats.Statistics_Linux{Linux: props.Metrics}
+	if props != nil {
+		if ht.isWCOW {
+			s.Container = hcsPropertiesToWindowsStats(props)
+		} else {
+			s.Container = &stats.Statistics_Linux{Linux: props.Metrics}
+		}
 	}
 	if ht.ownsHost && ht.host != nil {
 		vmStats, err := ht.host.Stats(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err != nil && !isStatsNotFound(err) {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		s.VM = vmStats
diff --git a/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task_wcow_podsandbox.go b/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task_wcow_podsandbox.go
index 9f60d6398c..7085e8c03f 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task_wcow_podsandbox.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd-shim-runhcs-v1/task_wcow_podsandbox.go
@@ -244,11 +244,11 @@ func (wpst *wcowPodSandboxTask) Share(ctx context.Context, req *shimdiag.ShareRe
 }
 
 func (wpst *wcowPodSandboxTask) Stats(ctx context.Context) (*stats.Statistics, error) {
+	stats := &stats.Statistics{}
 	vmStats, err := wpst.host.Stats(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && !isStatsNotFound(err) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	stats := &stats.Statistics{}
 	stats.VM = vmStats
 	return stats, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/gcs/bridge.go b/internal/gcs/bridge.go
index 692fdb2f55..d1650ecb4a 100644
--- a/internal/gcs/bridge.go
+++ b/internal/gcs/bridge.go
@@ -182,6 +182,15 @@ func (err *rpcError) Error() string {
 	return "guest RPC failure: " + msg
 }
 
+// IsNotExist is a helper function to determine if the inner rpc error is Not Exist
+func IsNotExist(err error) bool {
+	switch rerr := err.(type) {
+	case *rpcError:
+		return uint32(rerr.result) == hrComputeSystemDoesNotExist
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // Err returns the RPC's result. This may be a transport error or an error from
 // the message response.
 func (call *rpc) Err() error {