diff --git a/packages/backend/src/managers/applicationManager.spec.ts b/packages/backend/src/managers/applicationManager.spec.ts
index e6f34d9f9..1fa27be15 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/managers/applicationManager.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/managers/applicationManager.spec.ts
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ describe('pullApplication', () => {
     mockForPullApplication({
       recipeFolderExists: false,
     });
+    mocks.listPodsMock.mockResolvedValue([]);
     vi.spyOn(modelsManager, 'isModelOnDisk').mockReturnValue(false);
     mocks.performDownloadMock.mockResolvedValue('path');
     const recipe: Recipe = {
@@ -306,6 +307,7 @@ describe('pullApplication', () => {
     mockForPullApplication({
       recipeFolderExists: true,
     });
+    mocks.listPodsMock.mockResolvedValue([]);
     vi.spyOn(modelsManager, 'isModelOnDisk').mockReturnValue(false);
     mocks.performDownloadMock.mockResolvedValue('path');
     const recipe: Recipe = {
@@ -334,6 +336,7 @@ describe('pullApplication', () => {
     mockForPullApplication({
       recipeFolderExists: true,
     });
+    mocks.listPodsMock.mockResolvedValue([]);
     vi.spyOn(modelsManager, 'isModelOnDisk').mockReturnValue(true);
     vi.spyOn(modelsManager, 'getLocalModelPath').mockReturnValue('path');
     const recipe: Recipe = {
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/managers/applicationManager.ts b/packages/backend/src/managers/applicationManager.ts
index 7edf13db8..389f7c82b 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/managers/applicationManager.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/managers/applicationManager.ts
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ export class ApplicationManager {
   // Map recipeId => EnvironmentState
   #environments: Map<string, EnvironmentState>;
 
+  protectTasks: Set<string> = new Set();
+
   constructor(
     private appUserDirectory: string,
     private git: GitManager,
@@ -137,6 +139,11 @@ export class ApplicationManager {
         taskUtil,
       );
 
+      // first delete any existing pod with matching labels
+      if (await this.hasEnvironmentPod(recipe.id)) {
+        await this.deleteEnvironment(recipe.id);
+      }
+
       // create a pod containing all the containers to run the application
       const podInfo = await this.createApplicationPod(recipe, model, images, modelPath, taskUtil);
 
@@ -607,6 +614,16 @@ export class ApplicationManager {
 
     this.podmanConnection.onMachineStop(() => {
       // Podman Machine has been stopped, we consider all recipe pods are stopped
+
+      for (const recipeId of this.#environments.keys()) {
+        const taskUtil = new RecipeStatusUtils(recipeId, this.recipeStatusRegistry);
+        taskUtil.setTask({
+          id: `stopped-${recipeId}`,
+          state: 'success',
+          name: `Application stopped manually`,
+        });
+      }
+
       this.#environments.clear();
       this.sendEnvironmentState();
     });
@@ -649,6 +666,13 @@ export class ApplicationManager {
     }
     this.#environments.delete(recipeId);
     this.sendEnvironmentState();
+
+    const taskUtil = new RecipeStatusUtils(recipeId, this.recipeStatusRegistry);
+    taskUtil.setTask({
+      id: `stopped-${recipeId}`,
+      state: 'success',
+      name: `Application stopped manually`,
+    });
   }
 
   forgetPodById(podId: string) {
@@ -665,6 +689,18 @@ export class ApplicationManager {
     }
     this.#environments.delete(recipeId);
     this.sendEnvironmentState();
+
+    const protect = this.protectTasks.has(podId);
+    if (!protect) {
+      const taskUtil = new RecipeStatusUtils(recipeId, this.recipeStatusRegistry);
+      taskUtil.setTask({
+        id: `stopped-${recipeId}`,
+        state: 'success',
+        name: `Application stopped manually`,
+      });
+    } else {
+      this.protectTasks.delete(podId);
+    }
   }
 
   updateEnvironmentState(recipeId: string, state: EnvironmentState): void {
@@ -700,45 +736,31 @@ export class ApplicationManager {
       const envPod = await this.getEnvironmentPod(recipeId);
       try {
         await containerEngine.stopPod(envPod.engineId, envPod.Id);
-        taskUtil.setTask({
-          id: `stopping-${recipeId}`,
-          state: 'success',
-          name: `Application stopped`,
-        });
       } catch (err: unknown) {
         // continue when the pod is already stopped
         if (!String(err).includes('pod already stopped')) {
           taskUtil.setTask({
             id: `stopping-${recipeId}`,
             state: 'error',
-            error: 'error stopping the pod. Please try to remove the pod manually',
+            error: 'error stopping the pod. Please try to stop and remove the pod manually',
             name: `Error stopping application`,
           });
           throw err;
         }
-        taskUtil.setTask({
-          id: `stopping-${recipeId}`,
-          state: 'success',
-          name: `Application stopped`,
-        });
       }
-      taskUtil.setTask({
-        id: `removing-${recipeId}`,
-        state: 'loading',
-        name: `Removing application`,
-      });
+      this.protectTasks.add(envPod.Id);
       await containerEngine.removePod(envPod.engineId, envPod.Id);
       taskUtil.setTask({
-        id: `removing-${recipeId}`,
+        id: `stopping-${recipeId}`,
         state: 'success',
-        name: `Application removed`,
+        name: `Application stopped`,
       });
     } catch (err: unknown) {
       taskUtil.setTask({
         id: `removing-${recipeId}`,
         state: 'error',
         error: 'error removing the pod. Please try to remove the pod manually',
-        name: `Error removing application`,
+        name: `Error stopping application`,
       });
       throw err;
     }
@@ -754,16 +776,25 @@ export class ApplicationManager {
   }
 
   async getEnvironmentPod(recipeId: string): Promise<PodInfo> {
+    const envPod = await this.queryPod(recipeId);
+    if (!envPod) {
+      throw new Error(`no pod found with recipe Id ${recipeId}`);
+    }
+    return envPod;
+  }
+
+  async hasEnvironmentPod(recipeId: string): Promise<boolean> {
+    const envPod = await this.queryPod(recipeId);
+    return !!envPod;
+  }
+
+  async queryPod(recipeId: string): Promise<PodInfo | undefined> {
     if (!containerEngine.listPods || !containerEngine.stopPod || !containerEngine.removePod) {
       // TODO(feloy) this check can be safely removed when podman desktop 1.8 is released
       // and the extension minimal version is set to 1.8
       return;
     }
     const pods = await containerEngine.listPods();
-    const envPod = pods.find(pod => LABEL_RECIPE_ID in pod.Labels && pod.Labels[LABEL_RECIPE_ID] === recipeId);
-    if (!envPod) {
-      throw new Error(`no pod found with recipe Id ${recipeId}`);
-    }
-    return envPod;
+    return pods.find(pod => LABEL_RECIPE_ID in pod.Labels && pod.Labels[LABEL_RECIPE_ID] === recipeId);
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/studio-api-impl.ts b/packages/backend/src/studio-api-impl.ts
index a1a1193d6..ed053ead7 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/studio-api-impl.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/studio-api-impl.ts
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ export class StudioApiImpl implements StudioAPI {
     // Do not wait on the promise as the api would probably timeout before the user answer.
     podmanDesktopApi.window
       .showWarningMessage(
-        `Delete the environment "${recipe.name}"? This will delete the containers running the application and model.`,
+        `Stop the environment "${recipe.name}"? This will delete the containers running the application and model.`,
         'Confirm',
         'Cancel',
       )
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/lib/EnvironmentActions.svelte b/packages/frontend/src/lib/EnvironmentActions.svelte
index 3d602b45d..ba323b676 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/lib/EnvironmentActions.svelte
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/lib/EnvironmentActions.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-import { faPlay, faRotateForward, faTrash } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons';
+import { faPlay, faRotateForward, faStop } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons';
 import ListItemButtonIcon from '/@/lib/button/ListItemButtonIcon.svelte';
 import { studioClient } from '/@/utils/client';
 import type { EnvironmentState } from '@shared/src/models/IEnvironmentState';
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ function startEnvironment() {
   });
 }
 
-function deleteEnvironment() {
+function stopEnvironment() {
   studioClient.requestRemoveEnvironment(recipeId).catch(err => {
     console.error(`Something went wrong while trying to stop environment: ${String(err)}.`);
   });
@@ -34,16 +34,16 @@ function restartEnvironment() {
   icon="{faPlay}"
   onClick="{() => startEnvironment()}"
   title="Start Environment"
-  enabled="{!object?.pod && !runningTask}" />
+  enabled="{(!object?.pod || object?.pod.Status !== 'Running') && !runningTask}" />
 
 <ListItemButtonIcon
-  icon="{faTrash}"
-  onClick="{() => deleteEnvironment()}"
-  title="Delete Environment"
-  enabled="{!!object?.pod}" />
+  icon="{faStop}"
+  onClick="{() => stopEnvironment()}"
+  title="Stop Environment"
+  enabled="{object?.pod.Status === 'Running'}" />
 
 <ListItemButtonIcon
   icon="{faRotateForward}"
   onClick="{() => restartEnvironment()}"
   title="Restart Environment"
-  enabled="{!!object?.pod}" />
+  enabled="{object?.pod.Status === 'Running'}" />
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/lib/RecipeDetails.svelte b/packages/frontend/src/lib/RecipeDetails.svelte
index 74ecf8d13..359cdb877 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/lib/RecipeDetails.svelte
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/lib/RecipeDetails.svelte
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const toggle = () => {
 
       <div class="w-full bg-charcoal-600 rounded-md p-4">
         <div class="flex flex-row items-center">
-          {#if envState}
+          {#if envState && envState.pod.Status === 'Running'}
             <div class="grow whitespace-nowrap overflow-hidden text-ellipsis text-sm text-gray-300">
               {envState.pod.Name}
             </div>
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/lib/table/environment/ColumnStatus.spec.ts b/packages/frontend/src/lib/table/environment/ColumnStatus.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6dcb16165
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/lib/table/environment/ColumnStatus.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+/**********************************************************************
+ * Copyright (C) 2024 Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ ***********************************************************************/
+
+import '@testing-library/jest-dom/vitest';
+import { test, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/svelte';
+import type { EnvironmentCell } from '/@/pages/environments';
+import ColumnStatus from './ColumnStatus.svelte';
+
+test('display Pod Running when no task', async () => {
+  const obj = {
+    recipeId: 'recipe 1',
+    envState: {
+      pod: {
+        Id: 'pod-1',
+      },
+    },
+  } as EnvironmentCell;
+  render(ColumnStatus, { object: obj });
+
+  const text = screen.getByText('Pod running');
+  expect(text).toBeInTheDocument();
+});
+
+test('display latest task', async () => {
+  const obj = {
+    recipeId: 'recipe 1',
+    envState: {
+      pod: {
+        Id: 'pod-1',
+      },
+    },
+    tasks: [
+      {
+        id: 'task1',
+        name: 'task 1 done',
+        state: 'success',
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'task2',
+        name: 'task 2 running',
+        state: 'loading',
+      },
+    ],
+  } as EnvironmentCell;
+  render(ColumnStatus, { object: obj });
+
+  const text = screen.getByText('task 2 running');
+  expect(text).toBeInTheDocument();
+});
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/lib/table/environment/ColumnStatus.svelte b/packages/frontend/src/lib/table/environment/ColumnStatus.svelte
index c26cd059f..a8e5b1648 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/lib/table/environment/ColumnStatus.svelte
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/lib/table/environment/ColumnStatus.svelte
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ $: {
 }
 </script>
 
-{#if task}
-  <div class="text-sm text-gray-700">
+<div class="text-sm text-gray-700">
+  {#if task}
     <TaskItem task="{task}" />
-  </div>
-{/if}
+  {:else if !!object.envState.pod}
+    Pod running
+  {/if}
+</div>