diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.java
index 0725d42309..37da31a322 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.java
@@ -777,8 +777,13 @@ public void removeVeryOldStoppedContainersFromCache() {
       while (i.hasNext()) {
         Entry<ContainerId, Long> mapEntry = i.next();
         ContainerId cid = mapEntry.getKey();
-        if (mapEntry.getValue() < currentTime) {
-          if (!context.getContainers().containsKey(cid)) {
+        if (mapEntry.getValue() >= currentTime) {
+          break;
+        }
+        if (!context.getContainers().containsKey(cid)) {
+          ApplicationId appId =
+              cid.getApplicationAttemptId().getApplicationId();
+          if (isApplicationStopped(appId)) {
             i.remove();
             try {
               context.getNMStateStore().removeContainer(cid);
@@ -786,8 +791,6 @@ public void removeVeryOldStoppedContainersFromCache() {
               LOG.error("Unable to remove container " + cid + " in store", e);
             }
           }
-        } else {
-          break;
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/TestNodeStatusUpdater.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/TestNodeStatusUpdater.java
index c0831ee022..2477af2512 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/TestNodeStatusUpdater.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/TestNodeStatusUpdater.java
@@ -931,9 +931,8 @@ public void deleteBaseDir() throws IOException {
   public void testRecentlyFinishedContainers() throws Exception {
     NodeManager nm = new NodeManager();
     YarnConfiguration conf = new YarnConfiguration();
-    conf.set(
-        NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.YARN_NODEMANAGER_DURATION_TO_TRACK_STOPPED_CONTAINERS,
-        "10000");                                                             
+    conf.setInt(NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.
+        YARN_NODEMANAGER_DURATION_TO_TRACK_STOPPED_CONTAINERS, 1);
     nm.init(conf);                                                            
     NodeStatusUpdaterImpl nodeStatusUpdater =                                 
         (NodeStatusUpdaterImpl) nm.getNodeStatusUpdater();                    
@@ -948,18 +947,17 @@ public void testRecentlyFinishedContainers() throws Exception {
     nodeStatusUpdater.addCompletedContainer(cId);
     Assert.assertTrue(nodeStatusUpdater.isContainerRecentlyStopped(cId));     
 
+    // verify container remains even after expiration if app
+    // is still active
     nm.getNMContext().getContainers().remove(cId);
-    long time1 = System.currentTimeMillis();                                  
-    int waitInterval = 15;                                                    
-    while (waitInterval-- > 0                                                 
-        && nodeStatusUpdater.isContainerRecentlyStopped(cId)) {               
-      nodeStatusUpdater.removeVeryOldStoppedContainersFromCache();
-      Thread.sleep(1000);                                                     
-    }                                                                         
-    long time2 = System.currentTimeMillis();
-    // By this time the container will be removed from cache. need to verify.
+    Thread.sleep(10);
+    nodeStatusUpdater.removeVeryOldStoppedContainersFromCache();
+    Assert.assertTrue(nodeStatusUpdater.isContainerRecentlyStopped(cId));
+
+    // complete the application and verify container is removed
+    nm.getNMContext().getApplications().remove(appId);
+    nodeStatusUpdater.removeVeryOldStoppedContainersFromCache();
     Assert.assertFalse(nodeStatusUpdater.isContainerRecentlyStopped(cId));
-    Assert.assertTrue((time2 - time1) >= 10000 && (time2 - time1) <= 250000);
   }
 
   @Test(timeout = 90000)