diff --git a/pkg/descheduler/pod/pods.go b/pkg/descheduler/pod/pods.go
index 164fb43e4..8b2c3103a 100644
--- a/pkg/descheduler/pod/pods.go
+++ b/pkg/descheduler/pod/pods.go
@@ -292,6 +292,28 @@ func SortPodsBasedOnAge(pods []*v1.Pod) {
 	})
 }
 
+// HasMatchingContainerWaitingState returns true if any container status has a
+// waiting reason present in the given set.
+func HasMatchingContainerWaitingState(statuses []v1.ContainerStatus, states sets.Set[string]) bool {
+	for _, cs := range statuses {
+		if cs.State.Waiting != nil && states.Has(cs.State.Waiting.Reason) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// HasMatchingContainerTerminatedState returns true if any container status has
+// a terminated reason present in the given set.
+func HasMatchingContainerTerminatedState(statuses []v1.ContainerStatus, states sets.Set[string]) bool {
+	for _, cs := range statuses {
+		if cs.State.Terminated != nil && states.Has(cs.State.Terminated.Reason) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 func GroupByNodeName(pods []*v1.Pod) map[string][]*v1.Pod {
 	m := make(map[string][]*v1.Pod)
 	for i := 0; i < len(pods); i++ {
diff --git a/pkg/framework/plugins/removepodshavingtoomanyrestarts/toomanyrestarts.go b/pkg/framework/plugins/removepodshavingtoomanyrestarts/toomanyrestarts.go
index 7e6a1848b..6c806da73 100644
--- a/pkg/framework/plugins/removepodshavingtoomanyrestarts/toomanyrestarts.go
+++ b/pkg/framework/plugins/removepodshavingtoomanyrestarts/toomanyrestarts.go
@@ -84,19 +84,13 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, args runtime.Object, handle frameworktypes.Handle)
 			if states.Has(string(pod.Status.Phase)) {
 				return true
 			}
-
-			containerStatuses := pod.Status.ContainerStatuses
-
-			if tooManyRestartsArgs.IncludingInitContainers {
-				containerStatuses = append(containerStatuses, pod.Status.InitContainerStatuses...)
+			if podutil.HasMatchingContainerWaitingState(pod.Status.ContainerStatuses, states) {
+				return true
 			}
-
-			for _, containerStatus := range containerStatuses {
-				if containerStatus.State.Waiting != nil && states.Has(containerStatus.State.Waiting.Reason) {
-					return true
-				}
+			if tooManyRestartsArgs.IncludingInitContainers &&
+				podutil.HasMatchingContainerWaitingState(pod.Status.InitContainerStatuses, states) {
+				return true
 			}
-
 			return false
 		})
 	}