diff --git a/pkg/machine/gvproxy.go b/pkg/machine/gvproxy.go
index b1789d3e08..fc236038eb 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/gvproxy.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/gvproxy.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package machine
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/fs"
 	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/define"
@@ -11,7 +13,12 @@ import (
 func CleanupGVProxy(f define.VMFile) error {
 	gvPid, err := f.Read()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("unable to read gvproxy pid file %s: %v", f.GetPath(), err)
+		// The file will also be removed by gvproxy when it exits so
+		// we need to account for the race and can just ignore it here.
+		if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to read gvproxy pid file: %v", err)
 	}
 	proxyPid, err := strconv.Atoi(string(gvPid))
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/machine/shim/host.go b/pkg/machine/shim/host.go
index 8ecd99d9be..d2b776c8bf 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/shim/host.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/shim/host.go
@@ -341,12 +341,9 @@ func Stop(mc *vmconfigs.MachineConfig, mp vmconfigs.VMProvider, dirs *machineDef
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-
-		defer func() {
-			if err := machine.CleanupGVProxy(*gvproxyPidFile); err != nil {
-				logrus.Errorf("unable to clean up gvproxy: %q", err)
-			}
-		}()
+		if err := machine.CleanupGVProxy(*gvproxyPidFile); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("unable to clean up gvproxy: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	return nil