diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/pod_workers.go b/pkg/kubelet/pod_workers.go
index 9e1f9efa60..15e7cf668b 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/pod_workers.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/pod_workers.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/util/queue"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/runtime"
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/wait"
 )
 
 // PodWorkers is an abstract interface for testability.
@@ -39,6 +40,14 @@ type PodWorkers interface {
 
 type syncPodFnType func(*api.Pod, *api.Pod, *kubecontainer.PodStatus, kubetypes.SyncPodType) error
 
+const (
+	// jitter factor for resyncInterval
+	workerResyncIntervalJitterFactor = 0.5
+
+	// jitter factor for backOffPeriod
+	workerBackOffPeriodJitterFactor = 0.5
+)
+
 type podWorkers struct {
 	// Protects all per worker fields.
 	podLock sync.Mutex
@@ -209,10 +218,10 @@ func (p *podWorkers) wrapUp(uid types.UID, syncErr error) {
 	switch {
 	case syncErr == nil:
 		// No error; requeue at the regular resync interval.
-		p.workQueue.Enqueue(uid, p.resyncInterval)
+		p.workQueue.Enqueue(uid, wait.Jitter(p.resyncInterval, workerResyncIntervalJitterFactor))
 	default:
 		// Error occurred during the sync; back off and then retry.
-		p.workQueue.Enqueue(uid, p.backOffPeriod)
+		p.workQueue.Enqueue(uid, wait.Jitter(p.backOffPeriod, workerBackOffPeriodJitterFactor))
 	}
 	p.checkForUpdates(uid)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/prober/worker.go b/pkg/kubelet/prober/worker.go
index c3d0f2241c..3441cfc4da 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/prober/worker.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/prober/worker.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package prober
 
 import (
+	"math/rand"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
@@ -93,7 +94,8 @@ func newWorker(
 
 // run periodically probes the container.
 func (w *worker) run() {
-	probeTicker := time.NewTicker(time.Duration(w.spec.PeriodSeconds) * time.Second)
+	probeTickerPeriod := time.Duration(w.spec.PeriodSeconds) * time.Second
+	probeTicker := time.NewTicker(probeTickerPeriod)
 
 	defer func() {
 		// Clean up.
@@ -105,6 +107,10 @@ func (w *worker) run() {
 		w.probeManager.removeWorker(w.pod.UID, w.container.Name, w.probeType)
 	}()
 
+	// If kubelet restarted the probes could be started in rapid succession.
+	// Let the worker wait for a random portion of tickerPeriod before probing.
+	time.Sleep(time.Duration(rand.Float64() * float64(probeTickerPeriod)))
+
 probeLoop:
 	for w.doProbe() {
 		// Wait for next probe tick.