diff --git a/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/ExecutorPodsAllocator.scala b/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/ExecutorPodsAllocator.scala
index d5a42c1ee90ac..3519efd3fcb10 100644
--- a/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/ExecutorPodsAllocator.scala
+++ b/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/ExecutorPodsAllocator.scala
@@ -456,11 +456,11 @@ class ExecutorPodsAllocator(
 
   private def isExecutorIdleTimedOut(state: ExecutorPodState, currentTime: Long): Boolean = {
     try {
-      val startTime = Instant.parse(state.pod.getStatus.getStartTime).toEpochMilli()
-      currentTime - startTime > executorIdleTimeout
+      val creationTime = Instant.parse(state.pod.getMetadata.getCreationTimestamp).toEpochMilli()
+      currentTime - creationTime > executorIdleTimeout
     } catch {
-      case _: Exception =>
-        logDebug(s"Cannot get startTime of pod ${state.pod}")
+      case e: Exception =>
+        logError(s"Cannot get the creationTimestamp of the pod: ${state.pod}", e)
         true
     }
   }
diff --git a/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/ExecutorLifecycleTestUtils.scala b/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/ExecutorLifecycleTestUtils.scala
index 78f11f9aa34d4..de9da0de7da2f 100644
--- a/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/ExecutorLifecycleTestUtils.scala
+++ b/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/ExecutorLifecycleTestUtils.scala
@@ -64,9 +64,11 @@ object ExecutorLifecycleTestUtils {
 
   def pendingExecutor(executorId: Long, rpId: Int = DEFAULT_RESOURCE_PROFILE_ID): Pod = {
     new PodBuilder(podWithAttachedContainerForId(executorId, rpId))
+      .editOrNewMetadata()
+        .withCreationTimestamp(Instant.now.toString)
+        .endMetadata()
       .editOrNewStatus()
         .withPhase("pending")
-        .withStartTime(Instant.now.toString)
         .endStatus()
       .build()
   }