diff --git a/daemon/container/container.go b/daemon/container/container.go
index c178fb8f33..a5b3f6a6da 100644
--- a/daemon/container/container.go
+++ b/daemon/container/container.go
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ func (container *Container) GetExecIDs() []string {
 // This is based on the container's restart policy.
 func (container *Container) ShouldRestart() bool {
 	shouldRestart, _, _ := container.RestartManager().ShouldRestart(
-		uint32(container.State.ExitCode()),
+		uint32(container.State.ExitCode),
 		container.HasBeenManuallyStopped,
 		container.State.FinishedAt.Sub(container.State.StartedAt),
 	)
diff --git a/daemon/container/state.go b/daemon/container/state.go
index 3825062c7f..1ddc2f93d5 100644
--- a/daemon/container/state.go
+++ b/daemon/container/state.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ type State struct {
 	RemovalInProgress bool `json:"-"` // No need for this to be persistent on disk.
 	Dead              bool
 	Pid               int
-	ExitCodeValue     int    `json:"ExitCode"`
+	ExitCode          int    `json:"ExitCode"`
 	ErrorMsg          string `json:"Error"` // contains last known error during container start, stop, or remove
 	StartedAt         time.Time
 	FinishedAt        time.Time
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func (s *State) String() string {
 			return fmt.Sprintf("Up %s (Paused)", units.HumanDuration(time.Now().UTC().Sub(s.StartedAt)))
 		}
 		if s.Restarting {
-			return fmt.Sprintf("Restarting (%d) %s ago", s.ExitCodeValue, units.HumanDuration(time.Now().UTC().Sub(s.FinishedAt)))
+			return fmt.Sprintf("Restarting (%d) %s ago", s.ExitCode, units.HumanDuration(time.Now().UTC().Sub(s.FinishedAt)))
 		}
 
 		if h := s.Health; h != nil {
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func (s *State) String() string {
 		return ""
 	}
 
-	return fmt.Sprintf("Exited (%d) %s ago", s.ExitCodeValue, units.HumanDuration(time.Now().UTC().Sub(s.FinishedAt)))
+	return fmt.Sprintf("Exited (%d) %s ago", s.ExitCode, units.HumanDuration(time.Now().UTC().Sub(s.FinishedAt)))
 }
 
 // StateString returns the container's current [ContainerState], based on the
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func (s *State) Wait(ctx context.Context, condition container.WaitCondition) <-c
 
 	if s.conditionAlreadyMet(condition) {
 		resultC <- StateStatus{
-			exitCode: s.ExitCodeValue,
+			exitCode: s.ExitCode,
 			err:      s.Err(),
 		}
 
@@ -235,16 +235,10 @@ func (s *State) GetPID() int {
 	return s.Pid
 }
 
-// ExitCode returns current exitcode for the state. Take lock before if state
-// may be shared.
-func (s *State) ExitCode() int {
-	return s.ExitCodeValue
-}
-
 // SetExitCode sets current exitcode for the state. Take lock before if state
 // may be shared.
 func (s *State) SetExitCode(ec int) {
-	s.ExitCodeValue = ec
+	s.ExitCode = ec
 }
 
 // SetRunning sets the running state along with StartedAt time.
@@ -266,7 +260,7 @@ func (s *State) setRunning(ctr libcontainerdtypes.Container, tsk libcontainerdty
 	if start != nil {
 		s.Paused = false
 	}
-	s.ExitCodeValue = 0
+	s.ExitCode = 0
 	s.ctr = ctr
 	s.task = tsk
 	if tsk != nil {
@@ -291,7 +285,7 @@ func (s *State) SetStopped(exitStatus *ExitStatus) {
 	} else {
 		s.FinishedAt = exitStatus.ExitedAt
 	}
-	s.ExitCodeValue = exitStatus.ExitCode
+	s.ExitCode = exitStatus.ExitCode
 
 	s.notifyAndClear(&s.stopWaiters)
 }
@@ -306,7 +300,7 @@ func (s *State) SetRestarting(exitStatus *ExitStatus) {
 	s.Paused = false
 	s.Pid = 0
 	s.FinishedAt = time.Now().UTC()
-	s.ExitCodeValue = exitStatus.ExitCode
+	s.ExitCode = exitStatus.ExitCode
 
 	s.notifyAndClear(&s.stopWaiters)
 }
@@ -419,7 +413,7 @@ func (s *State) Err() error {
 
 func (s *State) notifyAndClear(waiters *[]chan<- StateStatus) {
 	result := StateStatus{
-		exitCode: s.ExitCodeValue,
+		exitCode: s.ExitCode,
 		err:      s.Err(),
 	}
 
diff --git a/daemon/container/state_test.go b/daemon/container/state_test.go
index 9c1887f346..382e45f31c 100644
--- a/daemon/container/state_test.go
+++ b/daemon/container/state_test.go
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ func TestStateRunStop(t *testing.T) {
 		if s.Pid != i {
 			t.Fatalf("Pid %v, expected %v", s.Pid, i)
 		}
-		if s.ExitCode() != 0 {
-			t.Fatalf("ExitCode %v, expected 0", s.ExitCode())
+		if s.ExitCode != 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("ExitCode %v, expected 0", s.ExitCode)
 		}
 
 		// Now that it's running, a wait with WaitConditionNotRunning
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ func TestStateRunStop(t *testing.T) {
 		if s.IsRunning() {
 			t.Fatal("State is running")
 		}
-		if s.ExitCode() != i {
-			t.Fatalf("ExitCode %v, expected %v", s.ExitCode(), i)
+		if s.ExitCode != i {
+			t.Fatalf("ExitCode %v, expected %v", s.ExitCode, i)
 		}
 		if s.Pid != 0 {
 			t.Fatalf("Pid %v, expected 0", s.Pid)
diff --git a/daemon/container/view.go b/daemon/container/view.go
index 5af322e338..bcb792a559 100644
--- a/daemon/container/view.go
+++ b/daemon/container/view.go
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ func (v *View) transform(ctr *Container) *Snapshot {
 		Health:       health,
 		Running:      ctr.State.Running,
 		Paused:       ctr.State.Paused,
-		ExitCode:     ctr.State.ExitCode(),
+		ExitCode:     ctr.State.ExitCode,
 	}
 
 	if snapshot.Names == nil {
diff --git a/daemon/inspect.go b/daemon/inspect.go
index fa7d6d154c..d897373603 100644
--- a/daemon/inspect.go
+++ b/daemon/inspect.go
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) getInspectData(daemonCfg *config.Config, ctr *container.Co
 			OOMKilled:  ctr.State.OOMKilled,
 			Dead:       ctr.State.Dead,
 			Pid:        ctr.State.Pid,
-			ExitCode:   ctr.State.ExitCode(),
+			ExitCode:   ctr.State.ExitCode,
 			Error:      ctr.State.ErrorMsg,
 			StartedAt:  ctr.State.StartedAt.Format(time.RFC3339Nano),
 			FinishedAt: ctr.State.FinishedAt.Format(time.RFC3339Nano),
diff --git a/daemon/start.go b/daemon/start.go
index cf220f7ef8..f09bca316a 100644
--- a/daemon/start.go
+++ b/daemon/start.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) containerStart(ctx context.Context, daemonCfg *configStore
 		if retErr != nil {
 			container.State.SetError(retErr)
 			// if no one else has set it, make sure we don't leave it at zero
-			if container.State.ExitCode() == 0 {
+			if container.State.ExitCode == 0 {
 				container.State.SetExitCode(exitUnknown)
 			}
 			if err := container.CheckpointTo(context.WithoutCancel(ctx), daemon.containersReplica); err != nil {