diff --git a/validation/pidfile.go b/validation/pidfile.go
index c9ab3b0cb..a63e629d0 100644
--- a/validation/pidfile.go
+++ b/validation/pidfile.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
-	"time"
 
 	tap "github.com/mndrix/tap-go"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runtime-tools/validation/util"
@@ -47,9 +46,6 @@ func main() {
 			}
 			return nil
 		},
-		PreDelete: func(r *util.Runtime) error {
-			return util.WaitingForStatus(*r, util.LifecycleStatusCreated, time.Second*10, time.Second*1)
-		},
 	}
 
 	g := util.GetDefaultGenerator()
diff --git a/validation/util/test.go b/validation/util/test.go
index c5bbf7e4d..603c6adca 100644
--- a/validation/util/test.go
+++ b/validation/util/test.go
@@ -183,11 +183,6 @@ func RuntimeInsideValidate(g *generate.Generator, f PreFunc) (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// FIXME: why do we need this?  Without a sleep here, I get:
-	//   failed to start the container
-	//   container "..." does not exist
-	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
-
 	err = r.Start()
 	if err != nil {
 		os.Stderr.WriteString("failed to start the container\n")