diff --git a/core/provider/digitalocean/task.go b/core/provider/digitalocean/task.go
index 42b8777..e0532fa 100644
--- a/core/provider/digitalocean/task.go
+++ b/core/provider/digitalocean/task.go
@@ -399,7 +399,20 @@ func (p *Provider) RunCommandWhileStopped(ctx context.Context, taskName string,
 		return "", "", 0, err
 	}
 
+<<<<<<< HEAD
 	defer dockerClient.ContainerRemove(ctx, createdContainer.ID, types.ContainerRemoveOptions{Force: true})
+=======
+	defer func() {
+		if _, err := dockerClient.ContainerInspect(ctx, createdContainer.ID); err != nil && dockerclient.IsErrNotFound(err) {
+			// auto-removed, but not detected as autoremoved
+			return
+		}
+
+		if err := dockerClient.ContainerRemove(ctx, createdContainer.ID, types.ContainerRemoveOptions{Force: true}); err != nil {
+			p.logger.Error("failed to remove container", zap.Error(err), zap.String("taskName", taskName), zap.String("id", createdContainer.ID))
+		}
+	}()
+>>>>>>> a5fc9f5 (fix(provider): improve container removal logic)
 
 	err = dockerClient.ContainerStart(ctx, createdContainer.ID, types.ContainerStartOptions{})
 
diff --git a/core/provider/docker/volume.go b/core/provider/docker/volume.go
index dc6f3af..e966c3a 100644
--- a/core/provider/docker/volume.go
+++ b/core/provider/docker/volume.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/filters"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/volume"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/client"
 
 	"github.com/skip-mev/petri/core/v2/provider"
 )
@@ -124,11 +125,15 @@ func (p *Provider) WriteFile(ctx context.Context, id, relPath string, content []
 			return
 		}
 
-		// nolint // will fix later
+		if _, err := p.dockerClient.ContainerInspect(ctx, cc.ID); err != nil && client.IsErrNotFound(err) {
+			// auto-removed, but not detected as autoremoved
+			return
+		}
+
 		if err := p.dockerClient.ContainerRemove(ctx, cc.ID, types.ContainerRemoveOptions{
 			Force: true,
 		}); err != nil {
-			// TODO fix logging
+			logger.Error("failed to remove writefile container", zap.String("id", cc.ID), zap.Error(err))
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -243,11 +248,15 @@ func (p *Provider) ReadFile(ctx context.Context, id, relPath string) ([]byte, er
 	logger.Debug("created getfile container", zap.String("id", cc.ID))
 
 	defer func() {
+		if _, err := p.dockerClient.ContainerInspect(ctx, cc.ID); err != nil && client.IsErrNotFound(err) {
+			// auto-removed, but not detected as autoremoved
+			return
+		}
+
 		if err := p.dockerClient.ContainerRemove(ctx, cc.ID, types.ContainerRemoveOptions{
 			Force: true,
 		}); err != nil {
 			logger.Error("failed cleaning up the getfile container", zap.Error(err))
-			// todo fix logging
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -330,7 +339,10 @@ func (p *Provider) DownloadDir(ctx context.Context, id, relPath, localPath strin
 	}
 
 	defer func() {
-		// nolint // will fix later
+		if _, err := p.dockerClient.ContainerInspect(ctx, cc.ID); err != nil && client.IsErrNotFound(err) {
+			return
+		}
+
 		if err := p.dockerClient.ContainerRemove(ctx, cc.ID, types.ContainerRemoveOptions{
 			Force: true,
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -410,8 +422,8 @@ func (p *Provider) SetVolumeOwner(ctx context.Context, volumeName, uid, gid stri
 			User: "0",
 		},
 		&container.HostConfig{
-			Binds: []string{volumeName + ":" + mountPath},
-			// AutoRemove: true,
+			Binds:      []string{volumeName + ":" + mountPath},
+			AutoRemove: true,
 		},
 		nil, // No networking necessary.
 		nil,
@@ -427,7 +439,11 @@ func (p *Provider) SetVolumeOwner(ctx context.Context, volumeName, uid, gid stri
 			return
 		}
 
-		// nolint // will fix later
+		if _, err := p.dockerClient.ContainerInspect(ctx, cc.ID); err != nil && client.IsErrNotFound(err) {
+			// auto-removed, but not detected as autoremoved
+			return
+		}
+
 		if err := p.dockerClient.ContainerRemove(ctx, cc.ID, types.ContainerRemoveOptions{
 			Force: true,
 		}); err != nil {