diff --git a/libcontainer/container_linux.go b/libcontainer/container_linux.go
index e3e2cf2bdb8..f593533b777 100644
--- a/libcontainer/container_linux.go
+++ b/libcontainer/container_linux.go
@@ -225,8 +225,22 @@ func (c *Container) Run(process *Process) error {
 // Exec signals the container to exec the users process at the end of the init.
 func (c *Container) Exec() error {
 	c.m.Lock()
-	defer c.m.Unlock()
-	return c.exec()
+	err := c.exec()
+	if err != nil {
+		c.m.Unlock()
+		return err
+	}
+	c.m.Unlock()
+	s, err := c.currentOCIState()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if c.config.Hooks != nil {
+		if err := c.config.Hooks.Run(configs.Poststart, s); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("run poststart hook %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *Container) exec() error {
@@ -353,19 +367,6 @@ func (c *Container) start(process *Process) (retErr error) {
 
 	if process.Init {
 		c.fifo.Close()
-		if c.config.Hooks != nil {
-			s, err := c.currentOCIState()
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-
-			if err := c.config.Hooks.Run(configs.Poststart, s); err != nil {
-				if err := ignoreTerminateErrors(parent.terminate()); err != nil {
-					logrus.Warn(fmt.Errorf("error running poststart hook: %w", err))
-				}
-				return err
-			}
-		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }