diff --git a/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc b/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc
index 3e9dcd68d68..8f21ddb1182 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ https://github.com/elastic/beats/compare/v7.0.0-alpha2...master[Check the HEAD d
 *Affecting all Beats*
 
 - Fix a race condition with the Kafka pipeline client, it is possible that `Close()` get called before `Connect()` . {issue}11945[11945]
+- Fix memory leak in kubernetes autodiscover provider and add_kubernetes_metadata processor happening when pods are terminated without sending a delete event. {pull}14259[14259]
 
 *Auditbeat*
 
diff --git a/libbeat/autodiscover/providers/kubernetes/kubernetes.go b/libbeat/autodiscover/providers/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
index 98c729c3329..6040e139421 100644
--- a/libbeat/autodiscover/providers/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
+++ b/libbeat/autodiscover/providers/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
@@ -109,24 +109,49 @@ func AutodiscoverBuilder(bus bus.Bus, uuid uuid.UUID, c *common.Config) (autodis
 	}
 
 	watcher.AddEventHandler(kubernetes.ResourceEventHandlerFuncs{
-		AddFunc: func(obj interface{}) {
-			p.logger.Debugf("Watcher Pod add: %+v", obj)
-			p.emit(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod), "start")
-		},
-		UpdateFunc: func(obj interface{}) {
-			p.logger.Debugf("Watcher Pod update: %+v", obj)
-			p.emit(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod), "stop")
-			p.emit(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod), "start")
-		},
-		DeleteFunc: func(obj interface{}) {
-			p.logger.Debugf("Watcher Pod delete: %+v", obj)
-			time.AfterFunc(config.CleanupTimeout, func() { p.emit(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod), "stop") })
-		},
+		AddFunc:    p.handleAdd,
+		UpdateFunc: p.handleUpdate,
+		DeleteFunc: p.handleDelete,
 	})
 
 	return p, nil
 }
 
+// handleAdd emits a start event for the given pod
+func (p *Provider) handleAdd(obj interface{}) {
+	p.logger.Debugf("Watcher Pod add: %+v", obj)
+	p.emit(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod), "start")
+}
+
+// handleUpdate emits events for a given pod depending on the state of the pod,
+// if it is terminating, a stop event is scheduled, if not, a stop and a start
+// events are sent sequentially to recreate the resources assotiated to the pod.
+func (p *Provider) handleUpdate(obj interface{}) {
+	pod := obj.(*kubernetes.Pod)
+	if pod.GetObjectMeta().GetDeletionTimestamp() != nil {
+		p.logger.Debugf("Watcher Pod update (terminating): %+v", obj)
+		// Pod is terminating, don't reload its configuration and ignore the event
+		// if some pod is still running, we will receive more events when containers
+		// terminate.
+		for _, container := range pod.Status.ContainerStatuses {
+			if container.State.Running != nil {
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		time.AfterFunc(p.config.CleanupTimeout, func() { p.emit(pod, "stop") })
+	} else {
+		p.logger.Debugf("Watcher Pod update: %+v", obj)
+		p.emit(pod, "stop")
+		p.emit(pod, "start")
+	}
+}
+
+// handleDelete emits a stop event for the given pod
+func (p *Provider) handleDelete(obj interface{}) {
+	p.logger.Debugf("Watcher Pod delete: %+v", obj)
+	time.AfterFunc(p.config.CleanupTimeout, func() { p.emit(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod), "stop") })
+}
+
 // Start for Runner interface.
 func (p *Provider) Start() {
 	if err := p.watcher.Start(); err != nil {
diff --git a/libbeat/processors/add_kubernetes_metadata/kubernetes.go b/libbeat/processors/add_kubernetes_metadata/kubernetes.go
index ea635314b07..d8cfe20d791 100644
--- a/libbeat/processors/add_kubernetes_metadata/kubernetes.go
+++ b/libbeat/processors/add_kubernetes_metadata/kubernetes.go
@@ -120,14 +120,19 @@ func New(cfg *common.Config) (processors.Processor, error) {
 
 	watcher.AddEventHandler(kubernetes.ResourceEventHandlerFuncs{
 		AddFunc: func(obj interface{}) {
-			processor.addPod(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod))
+			pod := obj.(*kubernetes.Pod)
+			logp.Debug("kubernetes", "%v: adding pod: %s/%s", "add_kubernetes_metadata", pod.GetNamespace(), pod.GetName())
+			processor.addPod(pod)
 		},
 		UpdateFunc: func(obj interface{}) {
-			processor.removePod(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod))
-			processor.addPod(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod))
+			pod := obj.(*kubernetes.Pod)
+			logp.Debug("kubernetes", "%v: updating pod: %s/%s", "add_kubernetes_metadata", pod.GetNamespace(), pod.GetName())
+			processor.updatePod(pod)
 		},
 		DeleteFunc: func(obj interface{}) {
-			processor.removePod(obj.(*kubernetes.Pod))
+			pod := obj.(*kubernetes.Pod)
+			logp.Debug("kubernetes", "%v: removing pod: %s/%s", "add_kubernetes_metadata", pod.GetNamespace(), pod.GetName())
+			processor.removePod(pod)
 		},
 	})
 
@@ -163,6 +168,18 @@ func (k *kubernetesAnnotator) addPod(pod *kubernetes.Pod) {
 	}
 }
 
+func (k *kubernetesAnnotator) updatePod(pod *kubernetes.Pod) {
+	k.removePod(pod)
+
+	// Add it again only if it is not being deleted
+	if pod.GetObjectMeta().GetDeletionTimestamp() != nil {
+		logp.Debug("kubernetes", "%v: removing pod being terminated: %s/%s", "add_kubernetes_metadata", pod.GetNamespace(), pod.GetName())
+		return
+	}
+
+	k.addPod(pod)
+}
+
 func (k *kubernetesAnnotator) removePod(pod *kubernetes.Pod) {
 	indexes := k.indexers.GetIndexes(pod)
 	for _, idx := range indexes {