diff --git a/src/windows/common/relay.cpp b/src/windows/common/relay.cpp
index df55bba..70402c1 100644
--- a/src/windows/common/relay.cpp
+++ b/src/windows/common/relay.cpp
@@ -936,7 +936,12 @@ void MultiHandleWait::AddHandle(std::unique_ptr<OverlappedIOHandle>&& handle)
     m_handles.emplace_back(std::move(handle));
 }
 
-void MultiHandleWait::Run(std::optional<std::chrono::milliseconds> Timeout)
+void MultiHandleWait::Cancel()
+{
+    m_cancel = true;
+}
+
+bool MultiHandleWait::Run(std::optional<std::chrono::milliseconds> Timeout)
 {
     std::optional<std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point> deadline;
 
@@ -947,7 +952,7 @@ void MultiHandleWait::Run(std::optional<std::chrono::milliseconds> Timeout)
 
     // Run until all handles are completed.
 
-    while (!m_handles.empty())
+    while (!m_handles.empty() && !m_cancel)
     {
         // Schedule IO on each handle until all are either pending, or completed.
         for (auto i = 0; i < m_handles.size(); i++)
@@ -997,6 +1002,8 @@ void MultiHandleWait::Run(std::optional<std::chrono::milliseconds> Timeout)
             THROW_LAST_ERROR_MSG("Timeout: %lu, Count: %llu", waitTimeout, waitHandles.size());
         }
     }
+
+    return !m_cancel;
 }
 
 IOHandleStatus OverlappedIOHandle::GetState() const
@@ -1004,8 +1011,13 @@ IOHandleStatus OverlappedIOHandle::GetState() const
     return State;
 }
 
+EventHandle::EventHandle(HANDLE Handle, std::function<void()>&& OnSignalled) :
+     Handle(Handle), OnSignalled(std::move(OnSignalled))
+{
+}
+
 EventHandle::EventHandle(wil::unique_event&& Handle, std::function<void()>&& OnSignalled) :
-    Handle(std::move(Handle)), OnSignalled(std::move(OnSignalled))
+    OwnedHandle(std::move(Handle)), Handle(OwnedHandle.get()), OnSignalled(std::move(OnSignalled))
 {
 }
 
@@ -1022,7 +1034,7 @@ void EventHandle::Collect()
 
 HANDLE EventHandle::GetHandle() const
 {
-    return Handle.get();
+    return Handle;
 }
 
 ReadHandle::ReadHandle(wil::unique_handle&& MovedHandle, std::function<void(const gsl::span<char>& Buffer)>&& OnRead) :
diff --git a/src/windows/common/relay.hpp b/src/windows/common/relay.hpp
index e97053a..eb982f5 100644
--- a/src/windows/common/relay.hpp
+++ b/src/windows/common/relay.hpp
@@ -183,12 +183,14 @@ public:
     NON_MOVABLE(EventHandle)
 
     EventHandle(wil::unique_event&& EventHandle, std::function<void()>&& OnSignalled);
+    EventHandle(HANDLE EventHandle, std::function<void()>&& OnSignalled);
     void Schedule() override;
     void Collect() override;
     HANDLE GetHandle() const override;
 
 private:
-    wil::unique_event Handle;
+    wil::unique_event OwnedHandle;
+    HANDLE Handle;
     std::function<void()> OnSignalled;
 };
 
@@ -238,10 +240,12 @@ public:
     MultiHandleWait() = default;
 
     void AddHandle(std::unique_ptr<OverlappedIOHandle>&& handle);
-    void Run(std::optional<std::chrono::milliseconds> Timeout);
+    bool Run(std::optional<std::chrono::milliseconds> Timeout);
+    void Cancel();
 
 private:
     std::vector<std::unique_ptr<OverlappedIOHandle>> m_handles;
+    bool m_cancel = false;
 };
 
 } // namespace wsl::windows::common::relay
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/CMakeLists.txt b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/CMakeLists.txt
index 76eb781..34fdde5 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 set(SOURCES
     application.manifest
+    ContainerEventTracker.cpp
     main.rc
     ServiceMain.cpp
     ServiceProcessLauncher.cpp
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ set(SOURCES
     )
 
 set(HEADERS
+    ContainerEventTracker.h
     ServiceProcessLauncher.h
     WSLAContainer.h
     WSLAProcess.h
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/ContainerEventTracker.cpp b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/ContainerEventTracker.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f0ae5c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/ContainerEventTracker.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+#include "precomp.h"
+#include "ContainerEventTracker.h"
+#include "WSLAVirtualMachine.h"
+#include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
+
+using wsl::windows::service::wsla::ContainerEventTracker;
+using wsl::windows::service::wsla::WSLAVirtualMachine;
+
+ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference::ContainerTrackingReference(ContainerEventTracker* tracker, size_t id) :
+    m_tracker(tracker), m_id(id)
+{
+}
+
+ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference::ContainerTrackingReference(ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference&& other)
+{
+    (*this) = std::move(other);
+}
+
+ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference& ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference::operator=(ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference&& other)
+{
+    m_id = other.m_id;
+    m_tracker = other.m_tracker;
+
+    other.m_tracker = nullptr;
+
+    return *this;
+}
+
+void ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference::Reset()
+{
+    if (m_tracker != nullptr)
+    {
+        m_tracker->UnregisterContainerStateUpdates(m_tracker != nullptr);
+        m_tracker = nullptr;
+    }
+}
+
+ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference::~ContainerTrackingReference()
+{
+    Reset();
+}
+
+ContainerEventTracker::ContainerEventTracker(WSLAVirtualMachine& virtualMachine)
+{
+    ServiceProcessLauncher launcher{"/usr/bin/nerdctl", {"/usr/bin/nerdctl", "events", "--format", "{{json .}}"}, {}, common::ProcessFlags::Stdout};
+
+    // Redirect stderr to /dev/null to avoid pipe deadlocks.
+    launcher.AddFd({.Fd = 2, .Type = WSLAFdTypeLinuxFileOutput, .Path = "/dev/null"});
+
+    auto process = launcher.Launch(virtualMachine);
+    m_thread = std::thread(std::bind(&ContainerEventTracker::Run, this, std::move(process)));
+}
+
+ContainerEventTracker::~ContainerEventTracker()
+{
+    // N.B. No callback should be left when the tracker is destroyed.
+    WI_ASSERT(m_callbacks.empty());
+
+    m_stopEvent.SetEvent();
+    if (m_thread.joinable())
+    {
+        m_thread.join();
+    }
+}
+
+void ContainerEventTracker::OnEvent(const std::string& event)
+{
+    // TODO: log session ID
+    WSL_LOG("NerdCtlEvent", TraceLoggingValue(event.c_str(), "Data"));
+
+    static std::map<std::string, ContainerEvent> events{
+        {"/tasks/create", ContainerEvent::Create},
+        {"/tasks/start", ContainerEvent::Start},
+        {"/tasks/stop", ContainerEvent::Stop},
+        {"/tasks/exit", ContainerEvent::Exit},
+        {"/tasks/destroy", ContainerEvent::Destroy}};
+
+    auto parsed = nlohmann::json::parse(event);
+
+    auto type = parsed.find("Topic");
+    auto details = parsed.find("Event");
+
+    THROW_HR_IF_MSG(E_INVALIDARG, type == parsed.end() || details == parsed.end(), "Failed to parse json: %hs", event.c_str());
+
+    auto it = events.find(type->get<std::string>());
+    if (it == events.end())
+    {
+        return; // Event is not tracked, dropped.
+    }
+
+    // The 'Event' field is a json string,
+    auto innerEventJson = details->get<std::string>();
+    auto innerEvent = nlohmann::json::parse(innerEventJson);
+
+    auto containerId = innerEvent.find("container_id");
+    THROW_HR_IF_MSG(E_INVALIDARG, containerId == innerEvent.end(), "Failed to parse json: %hs", innerEventJson.c_str());
+
+    WSL_LOG(
+        "ContainerStateChange",
+        TraceLoggingValue(containerId->get<std::string>().c_str(), "Id"),
+        TraceLoggingValue((int)it->second, "State"));
+
+    std::lock_guard lock{m_lock};
+
+    auto containerEntry = m_callbacks.find(containerId->get<std::string>());
+    if (containerEntry != m_callbacks.end())
+    {
+        for (auto& [id, callback] : containerEntry->second)
+        {
+            callback(it->second);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void ContainerEventTracker::Run(ServiceRunningProcess& process)
+{
+    std::string pendingBuffer;
+
+    wsl::windows::common::relay::MultiHandleWait io;
+
+    auto onStdout = [&](const gsl::span<char>& buffer) {
+        // nerdctl events' output is line based. Call OnEvent() for each completed line.
+
+        auto begin = buffer.begin();
+        auto end = std::ranges::find(buffer, '\n');
+        while (end != buffer.end())
+        {
+            pendingBuffer.insert(pendingBuffer.end(), begin, end);
+
+            if (!pendingBuffer.empty()) // nerdctl inserts empty lines between events, skip those.
+            {
+                OnEvent(pendingBuffer);
+            }
+
+            pendingBuffer.clear();
+
+            begin = end + 1;
+            end = std::ranges::find(begin, buffer.end(), '\n');
+        }
+
+        pendingBuffer.insert(pendingBuffer.end(), begin, end);
+    };
+
+    auto onStop = [&]() { io.Cancel(); };
+
+    io.AddHandle(std::make_unique<common::relay::ReadHandle>(process.GetStdHandle(1), std::move(onStdout)));
+    io.AddHandle(std::make_unique<common::relay::EventHandle>(m_stopEvent.get(), std::move(onStop)));
+
+    if (io.Run({}))
+    {
+        // TODO: Report error to session.
+        WSL_LOG("Unexpected nerdctl exit");
+    }
+}
+
+ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference ContainerEventTracker::RegisterContainerStateUpdates(
+    const std::string& ContainerId, ContainerStateChangeCallback&& Callback)
+{
+    std::lock_guard lock{m_lock};
+    auto id = callbackId++;
+
+    m_callbacks[ContainerId][id] = std::move(Callback);
+    return ContainerTrackingReference{this, id};
+}
+
+void ContainerEventTracker::UnregisterContainerStateUpdates(size_t Id)
+{
+    std::lock_guard lock{m_lock};
+
+    for (auto& [containerId, callbacks] : m_callbacks)
+    {
+        auto it = callbacks.find(Id);
+        if (it != callbacks.end())
+        {
+            callbacks.erase(it);
+            if (callbacks.empty())
+            {
+                m_callbacks.erase(containerId);
+            }
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    WI_ASSERT(false);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/ContainerEventTracker.h b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/ContainerEventTracker.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4814528
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/ContainerEventTracker.h
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "ServiceProcessLauncher.h"
+
+namespace wsl::windows::service::wsla {
+
+class WSLAVirtualMachine;
+
+enum class ContainerEvent
+{
+    Create,
+    Start,
+    Stop,
+    Exit,
+    Destroy
+};
+
+class ContainerEventTracker
+{
+public:
+    NON_COPYABLE(ContainerEventTracker);
+    NON_MOVABLE(ContainerEventTracker);
+
+    struct ContainerTrackingReference
+    {
+        NON_COPYABLE(ContainerTrackingReference);
+
+        ContainerTrackingReference() = default;
+        ContainerTrackingReference(ContainerEventTracker* tracker, size_t id);
+        ContainerTrackingReference(ContainerTrackingReference&&);
+        ~ContainerTrackingReference();
+
+        ContainerTrackingReference& operator=(ContainerTrackingReference&&);
+
+        void Reset();
+
+        size_t m_id;
+        ContainerEventTracker* m_tracker = nullptr;
+    };
+
+    using ContainerStateChangeCallback = std::function<void(ContainerEvent)>;
+
+    ContainerEventTracker(WSLAVirtualMachine& virtualMachine);
+    ~ContainerEventTracker();
+    void OnEvent(const std::string& event);
+
+    ContainerTrackingReference RegisterContainerStateUpdates(const std::string& ContainerId, ContainerStateChangeCallback&& Callback);
+    void UnregisterContainerStateUpdates(size_t Id);
+
+private:
+    void Run(ServiceRunningProcess& process);
+
+    std::map<std::string, std::map<size_t, ContainerStateChangeCallback>> m_callbacks;
+    std::thread m_thread;
+    wil::unique_event m_stopEvent{wil::EventOptions::ManualReset};
+    std::mutex m_lock;
+    std::atomic<size_t> callbackId;
+};
+} // namespace wsl::windows::service::wsla
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAContainer.cpp b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAContainer.cpp
index 3b770e9..94ff9ec 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAContainer.cpp
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAContainer.cpp
@@ -26,36 +26,18 @@ static std::vector<std::string> defaultNerdctlRunArgs{//"--pull=never", // TODO:
                                                       "--ulimit",
                                                       "nofile=65536:65536"};
 
-WSLAContainer::WSLAContainer(WSLAVirtualMachine* parentVM, ServiceRunningProcess&& containerProcess, const char* name, const char* image) :
-    m_parentVM(parentVM), m_containerProcess(std::move(containerProcess)), m_name(name), m_image(image)
+WSLAContainer::WSLAContainer(WSLAVirtualMachine* parentVM, const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& Options, std::string&& Id, ContainerEventTracker& tracker) :
+    m_parentVM(parentVM), m_name(Options.Name), m_image(Options.Image), m_id(std::move(Id))
 {
     m_state = WslaContainerStateCreated;
 
-    // TODO: Find a better way to wait for the container to be fully started.
-    auto status = GetNerdctlStatus();
-    while (status != "running")
-    {
-        if (status == "exited" || m_containerProcess.State() != WslaProcessStateRunning)
-        {
-            m_state = WslaContainerStateExited;
-            return;
-        }
+    m_trackingReference =
+        tracker.RegisterContainerStateUpdates(m_id, std::bind(&WSLAContainer::OnStateChange, this, std::placeholders::_1));
+}
 
-        // TODO: empty string is returned while the container image is still downloading.
-        // Remove this logic once the image pull is separated from container creation.
-        if (status.has_value() && status != "created")
-        {
-            THROW_HR_MSG(
-                E_UNEXPECTED, "Unexpected nerdctl status '%hs', for container '%hs'", status.value_or("<empty>").c_str(), m_name.c_str());
-        }
-
-        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(100));
-
-        status = GetNerdctlStatus();
-    }
-
-    // TODO: move to start() once create() and start() are split to different methods.
-    m_state = WslaContainerStateRunning;
+WSLAContainer::~WSLAContainer()
+{
+    m_trackingReference.Reset();
 }
 
 const std::string& WSLAContainer::Image() const noexcept
@@ -63,9 +45,89 @@ const std::string& WSLAContainer::Image() const noexcept
     return m_image;
 }
 
-HRESULT WSLAContainer::Start()
+void WSLAContainer::Start(const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& Options)
 {
-    return E_NOTIMPL;
+    std::lock_guard lock{m_lock};
+
+    THROW_HR_IF_MSG(
+        HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(ERROR_INVALID_STATE),
+        m_state != WslaContainerStateCreated,
+        "Cannot start container '%hs', state: %i",
+        m_name.c_str(),
+        m_state);
+
+    ServiceProcessLauncher launcher(nerdctlPath, {nerdctlPath, "start", "-a", m_id}, {}, common::ProcessFlags::None);
+    for (auto i = 0; i < Options.InitProcessOptions.FdsCount; i++)
+    {
+        launcher.AddFd(Options.InitProcessOptions.Fds[i]);
+    }
+
+    m_containerProcess = launcher.Launch(*m_parentVM);
+
+    auto newState = WaitForTransition(WslaContainerStateRunning);
+    THROW_HR_IF_MSG(E_FAIL, newState != WslaContainerStateRunning, "Failed to start container '%hs', state: %i", m_name.c_str(), newState);
+}
+
+WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE WSLAContainer::WaitForTransition(WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE expectedState)
+{
+    wil::shared_event transitionEvent;
+
+    {
+        std::lock_guard lock{m_stateLock};
+        if (m_state == expectedState)
+        {
+            return m_state; // Already in expected state, return immediately
+        }
+
+        transitionEvent = m_stateChangeEvent;
+    }
+
+    m_stateChangeEvent.wait();
+    std::lock_guard lock{m_stateLock};
+
+    return m_state;
+}
+
+void WSLAContainer::OnStateChange(ContainerEvent event)
+{
+    std::lock_guard lock{m_stateLock};
+
+    WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE newState{};
+
+    switch (event)
+    {
+    case ContainerEvent::Start:
+        newState = WslaContainerStateRunning;
+        break;
+    case ContainerEvent::Stop:
+    case ContainerEvent::Exit:
+        newState = WslaContainerStateExited;
+        break;
+    case ContainerEvent::Destroy:
+        newState = WslaContainerStateDeleted;
+        break;
+    default:
+        WI_ASSERT(false);
+    }
+
+    if (newState == m_state)
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    WSL_LOG(
+        "ContainerStateChange",
+        TraceLoggingValue(m_name.c_str(), "Name"),
+        TraceLoggingValue(m_id.c_str(), "Id"),
+        TraceLoggingValue((int)m_state, "OldState"),
+        TraceLoggingValue((int)m_state, "NewState"));
+
+    m_state = newState;
+
+    m_stateChangeEvent.SetEvent();
+
+    // Reset the event for the next state change.
+    m_stateChangeEvent = wil::shared_event{wil::EventOptions::None};
 }
 
 HRESULT WSLAContainer::Stop(int Signal, ULONG TimeoutMs)
@@ -97,28 +159,27 @@ CATCH_RETURN();
 
 WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE WSLAContainer::State() noexcept
 {
-    std::lock_guard lock{m_lock};
-
-    // If the container is running, refresh the init process state before returning.
-    if (m_state == WslaContainerStateRunning && m_containerProcess.State() != WSLAProcessStateRunning)
-    {
-        m_state = WslaContainerStateExited;
-    }
+    std::lock_guard lock{m_stateLock};
 
     return m_state;
 }
 
 HRESULT WSLAContainer::GetState(WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE* Result)
+try
 {
     *Result = State();
 
     return S_OK;
 }
+CATCH_RETURN();
 
 HRESULT WSLAContainer::GetInitProcess(IWSLAProcess** Process)
 try
 {
-    return m_containerProcess.Get().QueryInterface(__uuidof(IWSLAProcess), (void**)Process);
+    std::lock_guard lock{m_lock};
+
+    THROW_HR_IF(HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(ERROR_INVALID_STATE), !m_containerProcess.has_value());
+    return m_containerProcess->Get().QueryInterface(__uuidof(IWSLAProcess), (void**)Process);
 }
 CATCH_RETURN();
 
@@ -133,7 +194,8 @@ try
 }
 CATCH_RETURN();
 
-Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr<WSLAContainer> WSLAContainer::Create(const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& containerOptions, WSLAVirtualMachine& parentVM)
+Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr<WSLAContainer> WSLAContainer::Create(
+    const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& containerOptions, WSLAVirtualMachine& parentVM, ContainerEventTracker& eventTracker)
 {
     // TODO: Switch to nerdctl create, and call nerdctl start in Start().
 
@@ -166,19 +228,25 @@ Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr<WSLAContainer> WSLAContainer::Create(const WSLA_CONTAINER
 
     auto args = PrepareNerdctlRunCommand(containerOptions, std::move(inputOptions));
 
-    ServiceProcessLauncher launcher(nerdctlPath, args, {}, common::ProcessFlags::None);
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < containerOptions.InitProcessOptions.FdsCount; i++)
+    ServiceProcessLauncher launcher(nerdctlPath, args, {});
+    auto result = launcher.Launch(parentVM).WaitAndCaptureOutput();
+
+    // TODO: Have better error codes.
+    THROW_HR_IF_MSG(E_FAIL, result.Code != 0, "Failed to create container: %hs", launcher.FormatResult(result).c_str());
+
+    auto id = result.Output[1];
+    while (!id.empty() && (id.back() == '\n'))
     {
-        launcher.AddFd(containerOptions.InitProcessOptions.Fds[i]);
+        id.pop_back();
     }
 
-    return wil::MakeOrThrow<WSLAContainer>(&parentVM, launcher.Launch(parentVM), containerOptions.Name, containerOptions.Image);
+    return wil::MakeOrThrow<WSLAContainer>(&parentVM, containerOptions, std::move(id), eventTracker);
 }
 
 std::vector<std::string> WSLAContainer::PrepareNerdctlRunCommand(const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& options, std::vector<std::string>&& inputOptions)
 {
     std::vector<std::string> args{nerdctlPath};
-    args.push_back("run");
+    args.push_back("create");
     args.push_back("--name");
     args.push_back(options.Name);
     if (options.ShmSize > 0)
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAContainer.h b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAContainer.h
index 53370bc..4aada0f 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAContainer.h
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAContainer.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Abstract:
 #include "ServiceProcessLauncher.h"
 #include "wslaservice.h"
 #include "WSLAVirtualMachine.h"
+#include "ContainerEventTracker.h"
 
 namespace wsl::windows::service::wsla {
 
@@ -26,9 +27,11 @@ class DECLSPEC_UUID("B1F1C4E3-C225-4CAE-AD8A-34C004DE1AE4") WSLAContainer
 public:
     NON_COPYABLE(WSLAContainer);
 
-    WSLAContainer(WSLAVirtualMachine* parentVM, ServiceRunningProcess&& containerProcess, const char* name, const char* image);
+    WSLAContainer(WSLAVirtualMachine* parentVM, const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& Options, std::string&& Id, ContainerEventTracker& tracker);
+    ~WSLAContainer();
+
+    void Start(const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& Options);
 
-    IFACEMETHOD(Start)() override;
     IFACEMETHOD(Stop)(_In_ int Signal, _In_ ULONG TimeoutMs) override;
     IFACEMETHOD(Delete)() override;
     IFACEMETHOD(GetState)(_Out_ WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE* State) override;
@@ -38,17 +41,24 @@ public:
     const std::string& Image() const noexcept;
     WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE State() noexcept;
 
-    static Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr<WSLAContainer> Create(const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& Options, WSLAVirtualMachine& parentVM);
+    static Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr<WSLAContainer> Create(const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& Options, WSLAVirtualMachine& parentVM, ContainerEventTracker& tracker);
 
 private:
+    void OnStateChange(ContainerEvent event);
+    WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE WaitForTransition(WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE expectedState);
+
     std::optional<std::string> GetNerdctlStatus();
 
-    ServiceRunningProcess m_containerProcess;
+    std::mutex m_lock;
+    std::mutex m_stateLock;
+    wil::shared_event m_stateChangeEvent{wil::EventOptions::None};
+    std::optional<ServiceRunningProcess> m_containerProcess;
     std::string m_name;
     std::string m_image;
+    std::string m_id;
     WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE m_state = WslaContainerStateInvalid;
     WSLAVirtualMachine* m_parentVM = nullptr;
-    std::mutex m_lock;
+    ContainerEventTracker::ContainerTrackingReference m_trackingReference;
 
     static std::vector<std::string> PrepareNerdctlRunCommand(const WSLA_CONTAINER_OPTIONS& options, std::vector<std::string>&& inputOptions);
 };
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLASession.cpp b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLASession.cpp
index dd4aef4..8e1d289 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLASession.cpp
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLASession.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ WSLASession::WSLASession(const WSLA_SESSION_SETTINGS& Settings, WSLAUserSessionI
             throw;
         }
     }
+
+    // Start the event tracker.
+    m_eventTracker.emplace(*m_virtualMachine.Get());
 }
 
 WSLAVirtualMachine::Settings WSLASession::CreateVmSettings(const WSLA_SESSION_SETTINGS& Settings)
@@ -104,6 +107,11 @@ WSLASession::~WSLASession()
 
     std::lock_guard lock{m_lock};
 
+    if (m_eventTracker.has_value())
+    {
+        m_eventTracker.reset();
+    }
+
     if (m_virtualMachine)
     {
         m_virtualMachine->OnSessionTerminated();
@@ -231,11 +239,14 @@ try
     RETURN_HR_IF(E_INVALIDARG, strlen(containerOptions->Image) > WSLA_MAX_IMAGE_NAME_LENGTH);
 
     // TODO: Log entrance into the function.
-    auto container = WSLAContainer::Create(*containerOptions, *m_virtualMachine.Get());
+    auto container = WSLAContainer::Create(*containerOptions, *m_virtualMachine.Get(), *m_eventTracker);
 
     RETURN_IF_FAILED(container.CopyTo(__uuidof(IWSLAContainer), (void**)Container));
 
-    m_containers.emplace(containerOptions->Name, std::move(container));
+    auto [newElement, inserted] = m_containers.emplace(containerOptions->Name, std::move(container));
+    WI_ASSERT(inserted);
+
+    newElement->second->Start(*containerOptions);
 
     return S_OK;
 }
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLASession.h b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLASession.h
index a5d46a9..c34a0d2 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLASession.h
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLASession.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Abstract:
 #include "wslaservice.h"
 #include "WSLAVirtualMachine.h"
 #include "WSLAContainer.h"
+#include "ContainerEventTracker.h"
 
 namespace wsl::windows::service::wsla {
 
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ private:
     WSLA_SESSION_SETTINGS m_sessionSettings; // TODO: Revisit to see if we should have session settings as a member or not
     WSLAUserSessionImpl* m_userSession = nullptr;
     Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr<WSLAVirtualMachine> m_virtualMachine;
+    std::optional<ContainerEventTracker> m_eventTracker;
     std::wstring m_displayName;
     std::filesystem::path m_storageVhdPath;
     std::map<std::string, Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr<WSLAContainer>> m_containers;
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAVirtualMachine.h b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAVirtualMachine.h
index e436cd1..526461f 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAVirtualMachine.h
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAVirtualMachine.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Abstract:
 #include "GuestDeviceManager.h"
 #include "WSLAApi.h"
 #include "WSLAProcess.h"
+#include "ContainerEventTracker.h"
 
 namespace wsl::windows::service::wsla {
 
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/inc/wslaservice.idl b/src/windows/wslaservice/inc/wslaservice.idl
index 5d58de7..957882c 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslaservice/inc/wslaservice.idl
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/inc/wslaservice.idl
@@ -258,7 +258,6 @@ struct WSLA_SESSION_SETTINGS {
 ]
 interface IWSLAContainer : IUnknown
 {
-    HRESULT Start();
     HRESULT Stop([in] int Signal, [in] ULONG TimeoutMs);
     HRESULT Delete(); // TODO: Look into lifetime logic.
     HRESULT GetState([out] enum WSLA_CONTAINER_STATE* State);