diff --git a/internal/process/defunct_processes.go b/internal/process/defunct_processes.go
index d8873206eb1..c6598cff765 100644
--- a/internal/process/defunct_processes.go
+++ b/internal/process/defunct_processes.go
@@ -16,50 +16,60 @@ const ProcessFS = "/proc"
 
 // Stat represents status information of a process from /proc/[pid]/stat.
 type Stat struct {
+	// Pid is the PID of the process
+	Pid int
+
 	// Comm is the command name (usually the executable filename).
 	Comm string
 
 	// State is the state of the process.
 	State string
+
+	// PPid is the parent PID of the process
+	PPid int
 }
 
-// DefunctProcesses returns the number of zombie processes in the node.
-func DefunctProcesses() (defunctCount uint, retErr error) {
-	return DefunctProcessesForPath(ProcessFS)
+// ParseDefunctProcesses returns the number of defunct processes on the node,
+// as well as the number of defunct children of the current running process.
+func ParseDefunctProcesses() (defunctCount uint, defunctChildren []int, retErr error) {
+	return ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent(ProcessFS, os.Getpid())
 }
 
-// DefunctProcessesForPath retrieves the number of zombie processes from
-// a specific process filesystem.
-func DefunctProcessesForPath(path string) (defunctCount uint, retErr error) {
+// ParseDefunctProcessesForPath retrieves the number of zombie processes from
+// a specific process filesystem, as well as the number of defunct children of a given parent.
+func ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent(path string, parent int) (defunctCount uint, defunctChildren []int, retErr error) {
 	directories, err := os.Open(path)
 	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
+		return 0, defunctChildren, err
 	}
 	defer directories.Close()
 
 	names, err := directories.Readdirnames(-1)
 	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
+		return 0, defunctChildren, err
 	}
 
 	for _, name := range names {
 		// Processes have numeric names. If the name cannot
 		// be parsed to an int, it is not a process name.
-		if _, err := strconv.ParseInt(name, 10, 0); err != nil {
+		pid, err := strconv.ParseInt(name, 10, 0)
+		if err != nil {
 			continue
 		}
 
 		stat, err := processStats(path, name)
 		if err != nil {
-			logrus.Debugf("Failed to get the status of process with PID %s: %v", name, err)
 			continue
 		}
 		if stat.State == "Z" {
-			logrus.Warnf("Found defunct process with PID %s (%s)", name, stat.Comm)
 			defunctCount++
+			logrus.Warnf("Found defunct process with PID %s (%s)", name, stat.Comm)
+			if stat.PPid == parent {
+				defunctChildren = append(defunctChildren, int(pid))
+			}
 		}
 	}
-	return defunctCount, nil
+	return defunctCount, defunctChildren, nil
 }
 
 // processStats returns status information of a process as defined in /proc/[pid]/stat
@@ -73,21 +83,34 @@ func processStats(fsPath, pid string) (*Stat, error) {
 	// /proc/[PID]/stat format is described in proc(5). The second field is process name,
 	// enclosed in parentheses, and it can contain parentheses inside. No other fields
 	// can have parentheses, so look for the last ')'.
-	i := strings.LastIndexByte(data, ')')
-	if i <= 2 || i >= len(data)-1 {
+	commEnd := strings.LastIndexByte(data, ')')
+	if commEnd <= 2 || commEnd >= len(data)-1 {
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("invalid stat data (no comm): %q", data)
 	}
 
-	parts := strings.SplitN(data[:i], " (", 2)
+	parts := strings.SplitN(data[:commEnd], " (", 2)
 	if len(parts) != 2 {
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("invalid stat data (no comm): %q", data)
 	}
 
+	stateIdx := commEnd + 2
+
+	// the fourth field is PPid, and we can start looking after the space after State
+	ppidBegin := stateIdx + 2
+	ppidEnd := strings.IndexByte(data[ppidBegin:], ' ')
+
+	ppid, err := strconv.ParseInt(data[ppidBegin:ppidBegin+ppidEnd], 10, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("invalid stat data (invalid ppid): %q", data[stateIdx+2:ppidEnd])
+	}
+
 	return &Stat{
 		// The command name is field 2.
 		Comm: parts[1],
 
 		// The state is field 3, which is the first two fields and a space after.
-		State: string(data[i+2]),
+		State: string(data[stateIdx]),
+
+		PPid: int(ppid),
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/process/defunct_processes_test.go b/internal/process/defunct_processes_test.go
index 064c55cf0aa..a68ecbf7ccd 100644
--- a/internal/process/defunct_processes_test.go
+++ b/internal/process/defunct_processes_test.go
@@ -11,28 +11,34 @@ import (
 
 // The actual test suite
 var _ = t.Describe("Process", func() {
-	t.Describe("DefunctProcessesForPath", func() {
+	t.Describe("ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent", func() {
 		Context("Should succeed", func() {
 			It("when given a valid path name and there are defunct processes", func() {
-				defunctCount, err := process.DefunctProcessesForPath("./testing/proc_success_1")
+				defunctCount, _, err := process.ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent("./testing/proc_success_1", 0)
 
 				Expect(err).To(BeNil())
 				Expect(defunctCount).To(Equal(uint(7)))
 			})
+			It("to get children when given a valid path name and there are defunct processes", func() {
+				_, children, err := process.ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent("./testing/proc_success_1", 1)
+
+				Expect(err).To(BeNil())
+				Expect(len(children)).To(Equal(2))
+			})
 			It("when given a valid path name but there are no defunct processes", func() {
-				defunctCount, err := process.DefunctProcessesForPath("./testing/proc_success_2")
+				defunctCount, _, err := process.ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent("./testing/proc_success_2", 0)
 
 				Expect(err).To(BeNil())
 				Expect(defunctCount).To(Equal(uint(0)))
 			})
 			It("when given a valid path name but there are no processes", func() {
-				defunctCount, err := process.DefunctProcessesForPath("./testing/proc_success_3")
+				defunctCount, _, err := process.ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent("./testing/proc_success_3", 0)
 
 				Expect(err).To(BeNil())
 				Expect(defunctCount).To(Equal(uint(0)))
 			})
 			It("when given a valid path name but there are no directories", func() {
-				defunctCount, err := process.DefunctProcessesForPath("./testing/proc_success_4")
+				defunctCount, _, err := process.ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent("./testing/proc_success_4", 0)
 
 				Expect(err).To(BeNil())
 				Expect(defunctCount).To(Equal(uint(0)))
@@ -40,14 +46,14 @@ var _ = t.Describe("Process", func() {
 		})
 		Context("Should fail", func() {
 			It("when given an invalid path name", func() {
-				defunctCount, err := process.DefunctProcessesForPath("./test/proc")
+				defunctCount, _, err := process.ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent("./test/proc", 0)
 				formattedErr := fmt.Sprintf("%v", err)
 
 				Expect(formattedErr).To(Equal("open ./test/proc: no such file or directory"))
 				Expect(defunctCount).To(Equal(uint(0)))
 			})
 			It("when the given path name does not belong to a directory", func() {
-				defunctCount, err := process.DefunctProcessesForPath("./testing/proc_fail")
+				defunctCount, _, err := process.ParseDefunctProcessesForPathAndParent("./testing/proc_fail", 0)
 				formattedErr := fmt.Sprintf("%v", err)
 
 				Expect(formattedErr).To(Equal("readdirent ./testing/proc_fail: not a directory"))
diff --git a/internal/process/zombie_monitor.go b/internal/process/zombie_monitor.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d09bdab2057
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/process/zombie_monitor.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+package process
+
+import (
+	"syscall"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+)
+
+// ZombieMonitor is a structure for watching and cleaning up zombies on the node.
+// It is responsible for cleaning up zombies that are children of the currently running process.
+// It does so by occasionally polling for the zombie processes.
+// If any zombies are found, there is a delay between when they're identified and when they're cleaned.
+// This is to ensure ZombieMonitor doesn't interfere with the go runtime's own child management.
+type ZombieMonitor struct {
+	closeChan chan struct{}
+}
+
+// NewZombieMonitor creates and starts the zombie monitor.
+func NewZombieMonitor() *ZombieMonitor {
+	monitor := &ZombieMonitor{
+		closeChan: make(chan struct{}, 1),
+	}
+	go monitor.Start()
+	return monitor
+}
+
+// Shutdown instructs the zombie monitor to stop listening and exit.
+func (zm *ZombieMonitor) Shutdown() {
+	zm.closeChan <- struct{}{}
+}
+
+// Start begins the zombie monitor. It will populate the zombie count,
+// as well as begin the zombie cleaning process.
+func (zm *ZombieMonitor) Start() {
+	for {
+		_, zombieChildren, err := ParseDefunctProcesses()
+		if err != nil {
+			logrus.Warnf("Failed to get defunct process information: %v", err)
+		}
+		select {
+		case <-zm.closeChan:
+			// Since the process will soon shutdown, and its children will be reparented, no need to delay the shutdown to cleanup.
+			return
+		case <-time.After(defaultZombieChildReapPeriod):
+		}
+		for _, child := range zombieChildren {
+			if _, err := syscall.Wait4(child, nil, syscall.WNOHANG, nil); err != nil {
+				logrus.Errorf("Failed to reap child process %d: %v", child, err)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/process/zombie_monitor_defaults.go b/internal/process/zombie_monitor_defaults.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f07da2a187a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/process/zombie_monitor_defaults.go
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+//go:build !test
+// +build !test
+
+package process
+
+import "time"
+
+// defaultZombieChildReapPeriod is the period
+// the zombie monitor will reap defunct children
+var defaultZombieChildReapPeriod = time.Minute * 5
diff --git a/internal/process/zombie_monitor_test.go b/internal/process/zombie_monitor_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9e4aad41364
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/process/zombie_monitor_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package process_test
+
+import (
+	"os/exec"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/process"
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+)
+
+// The actual test suite
+var _ = t.Describe("ZombieMonitor", func() {
+	It("should clean zombie", func() {
+		cmd := createZombie()
+		defer cmd.Wait() // nolint:errcheck
+
+		monitor := process.NewZombieMonitor()
+		defer monitor.Shutdown()
+
+		Eventually(func() int {
+			_, defunctChildren, err := process.ParseDefunctProcesses()
+			Expect(err).To(BeNil())
+			return len(defunctChildren)
+		}, time.Second*10, time.Second).Should(Equal(0))
+	})
+})
+
+func createZombie() *exec.Cmd {
+	cmd := exec.Command("true")
+	err := cmd.Start()
+	Expect(err).To(BeNil())
+
+	_, defunctChildren, err := process.ParseDefunctProcesses()
+	Expect(err).To(BeNil())
+	Expect(len(defunctChildren)).To(Equal(1))
+	return cmd
+}
diff --git a/internal/process/zombie_monitor_test_inject.go b/internal/process/zombie_monitor_test_inject.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e829e2d81fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/process/zombie_monitor_test_inject.go
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+//go:build test
+// +build test
+
+// All *_inject.go files are meant to be used by tests only. Purpose of this
+// files is to provide a way to inject mocked data into the current setup.
+
+package process
+
+import "time"
+
+// defaultZombieChildReapPeriod reduces the time waited to reap the children
+// for testing purposes
+var defaultZombieChildReapPeriod = time.Second * 5
diff --git a/server/metrics/metrics.go b/server/metrics/metrics.go
index bd2d7330833..ff854771177 100644
--- a/server/metrics/metrics.go
+++ b/server/metrics/metrics.go
@@ -176,12 +176,8 @@ func New(config *libconfig.MetricsConfig) *Metrics {
 				Help:      "Total number of defunct processes in the node",
 			},
 			func() float64 {
-				total, err := process.DefunctProcesses()
-				if err == nil {
-					return float64(total)
-				}
-				logrus.Warn(err)
-				return 0
+				count, _, _ := process.ParseDefunctProcesses() // nolint:errcheck
+				return float64(count)
 			},
 		),
 	}
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index b74c1524833..6386f16ed35 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/lib/sandbox"
 	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/log"
 	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/oci"
+	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/process"
 	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/resourcestore"
 	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/runtimehandlerhooks"
 	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/storage"
@@ -74,6 +75,8 @@ type Server struct {
 	pullOperationsLock sync.Mutex
 
 	resourceStore *resourcestore.ResourceStore
+
+	zombieMonitor *process.ZombieMonitor
 }
 
 // pullArguments are used to identify a pullOperation via an input image name and
@@ -297,6 +300,7 @@ func (s *Server) restore(ctx context.Context) []string {
 // Shutdown attempts to shut down the server's storage cleanly
 func (s *Server) Shutdown(ctx context.Context) error {
 	s.resourceStore.Close()
+	s.zombieMonitor.Shutdown()
 
 	if err := s.ContainerServer.Shutdown(); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -507,6 +511,8 @@ func New(
 		logrus.Debug("Metrics are disabled")
 	}
 
+	s.zombieMonitor = process.NewZombieMonitor()
+
 	return s, nil
 }