diff --git a/libpod/container_internal.go b/libpod/container_internal.go
index 2968d2d48c..aeedbf3f42 100644
--- a/libpod/container_internal.go
+++ b/libpod/container_internal.go
@@ -1544,7 +1544,7 @@ func (c *Container) waitForConmonToExitAndSave() error {
 				logrus.Errorf("Error cleaning up container %s after Conmon exited prematurely: %v", c.ID(), err)
 			}
 
-			return fmt.Errorf("container %s conmon exited prematurely, exit code could not be retrieved: %w", c.ID(), define.ErrInternal)
+			return fmt.Errorf("container %s conmon exited prematurely, exit code could not be retrieved: %w", c.ID(), define.ErrConmonDead)
 		}
 
 		return c.save()
diff --git a/test/system/030-run.bats b/test/system/030-run.bats
index ce36b85ab0..eb0b90a926 100644
--- a/test/system/030-run.bats
+++ b/test/system/030-run.bats
@@ -1778,7 +1778,7 @@ search               | $IMAGE           |
     # Unclear why `-t0` is required here, works locally without.
     # But it shouldn't hurt and does make the test pass...
     PODMAN_TIMEOUT=5 run_podman 125 stop -t0 $cname
-    is "$output" "Error: container .* conmon exited prematurely, exit code could not be retrieved: internal libpod error" "correct error on missing conmon"
+    is "$output" "Error: container .* conmon exited prematurely, exit code could not be retrieved: conmon process killed" "correct error on missing conmon"
 
     # This should be safe because stop is guaranteed to call cleanup?
     run_podman inspect --format "{{ .State.Status }}" $cname
diff --git a/test/system/055-rm.bats b/test/system/055-rm.bats
index c0e674c0c3..6c8e058260 100644
--- a/test/system/055-rm.bats
+++ b/test/system/055-rm.bats
@@ -202,4 +202,20 @@ function __run_healthcheck_container() {
     die "Container never entered 'stopping' state"
 }
 
+# bats test_tags=ci:parallel
+@test "podman rm after killed conmon" {
+    cname=c_$(safename)
+    run_podman run -d --name $cname $IMAGE sleep 1000
+
+    run_podman inspect --format '{{ .State.ConmonPid }}' $cname
+    conmon_pid=$output
+
+    kill -9 ${conmon_pid}
+
+    run_podman rm -f -t0 $cname
+
+    run_podman 125 container inspect $cname
+    assert "$output" =~ "no such container \"$cname\"" "Container should be removed"
+}
+
 # vim: filetype=sh