diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1b00864679a..fdad8de931f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 ## Unreleased
 * Feature - Support a HTTP endpoint for `awsvpc` tasks to query metadata
 * Bug - Fixed a bug where `-version` fails due to its dependency on docker client. [#1118](https://github.com/aws/amazon-ecs-agent/pull/1118)
+* Bug - Persist container exit code in agent state file [#1125](https://github.com/aws/amazon-ecs-agent/pull/1125)
 
 ## 1.16.0
 * Feature - Support pulling from Amazon ECR with specified IAM role in task definition
diff --git a/agent/api/container.go b/agent/api/container.go
index db9d3f7fe78..85e9b2db78f 100644
--- a/agent/api/container.go
+++ b/agent/api/container.go
@@ -136,7 +136,14 @@ type Container struct {
 	// metadata file
 	MetadataFileUpdated bool `json:"metadataFileUpdated"`
 
-	knownExitCode     *int
+	// KnownExitCodeUnsafe specifies the exit code for the container.
+	// It is exposed outside of the package so that it's marshalled/unmarshalled in
+	// the JSON body while saving the state.
+	// NOTE: Do not access KnownExitCodeUnsafe directly. Instead, use `GetKnownExitCode`
+	// and `SetKnownExitCode`.
+	KnownExitCodeUnsafe *int `json:"KnownExitCode"`
+
+	// KnownPortBindings is an array of port bindings for the container.
 	KnownPortBindings []PortBinding
 
 	// SteadyStateStatusUnsafe specifies the steady state status for the container
@@ -244,14 +251,16 @@ func (c *Container) SetSentStatus(status ContainerStatus) {
 func (c *Container) SetKnownExitCode(i *int) {
 	c.lock.Lock()
 	defer c.lock.Unlock()
-	c.knownExitCode = i
+
+	c.KnownExitCodeUnsafe = i
 }
 
 // GetKnownExitCode returns the container exit code
 func (c *Container) GetKnownExitCode() *int {
 	c.lock.RLock()
 	defer c.lock.RUnlock()
-	return c.knownExitCode
+
+	return c.KnownExitCodeUnsafe
 }
 
 // SetRegistryAuthCredentials sets the credentials for pulling image from ECR
@@ -370,7 +379,7 @@ func (c *Container) IsEssential() bool {
 	return c.Essential
 }
 
-// LogAuthExecutionRole returns true if the auth is by exectution role
+// AWSLogAuthExecutionRole returns true if the auth is by execution role
 func (c *Container) AWSLogAuthExecutionRole() bool {
 	return c.LogsAuthStrategy == awslogsAuthExecutionRole
 }
diff --git a/agent/statemanager/state_manager_test.go b/agent/statemanager/state_manager_test.go
index 4ddf5643fc2..01d41be1486 100644
--- a/agent/statemanager/state_manager_test.go
+++ b/agent/statemanager/state_manager_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/aws/amazon-ecs-agent/agent/engine/dockerstate"
 	"github.com/aws/amazon-ecs-agent/agent/statemanager"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 func TestStateManagerNonexistantDirectory(t *testing.T) {
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ func TestStateManagerNonexistantDirectory(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestLoadsV1DataCorrectly(t *testing.T) {
 	cleanup, err := setupWindowsTest(filepath.Join(".", "testdata", "v1", "1", "ecs_agent_data.json"))
-	assert.Nil(t, err, "Failed to set up test")
+	require.Nil(t, err, "Failed to set up test")
 	defer cleanup()
 	cfg := &config.Config{DataDir: filepath.Join(".", "testdata", "v1", "1")}
 
@@ -62,11 +63,17 @@ func TestLoadsV1DataCorrectly(t *testing.T) {
 			deadTask = task
 		}
 	}
-	assert.NotNil(t, deadTask)
+
+	require.NotNil(t, deadTask)
 	assert.Equal(t, deadTask.GetSentStatus(), api.TaskStopped)
 	assert.Equal(t, deadTask.Containers[0].SentStatusUnsafe, api.ContainerStopped)
 	assert.Equal(t, deadTask.Containers[0].DesiredStatusUnsafe, api.ContainerStopped)
 	assert.Equal(t, deadTask.Containers[0].KnownStatusUnsafe, api.ContainerStopped)
+
+	exitCode := deadTask.Containers[0].KnownExitCodeUnsafe
+	require.NotNil(t, exitCode)
+	assert.Equal(t, *exitCode, 128)
+
 	expected, _ := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, "2015-04-28T17:29:48.129140193Z")
 	assert.Equal(t, deadTask.GetKnownStatusTime(), expected)
 }