diff --git a/internal/actions/update.go b/internal/actions/update.go
index 6b09361..2ef453c 100644
--- a/internal/actions/update.go
+++ b/internal/actions/update.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func CreateUndirectedLinks(containers []container.Container) map[string][]string
 // Each list inside the outer list contains containers that are related by links
 // This method checks for staleness, checks dependencies, sorts the containers and returns the final
 // [][]container.Container
-func PrepareContainerList(client container.Client, params types.UpdateParams) ([][]container.Container, error) {
+func PrepareContainerList(client container.Client, params types.UpdateParams) ([]container.Container, error) {
 
 	containers, err := client.ListContainers(params.Filter)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -56,16 +56,7 @@ func PrepareContainerList(client container.Client, params types.UpdateParams) ([
 
 	checkDependencies(containers)
 
-	var dependencySortedGraphs [][]container.Container
-
-	undirectedNodes := CreateUndirectedLinks(containers)
-	dependencySortedGraphs, err = sorter.SortByDependencies(containers,undirectedNodes)
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return dependencySortedGraphs, nil
+	return containers, nil
 }
 
 // Update looks at the running Docker containers to see if any of the images
@@ -79,14 +70,14 @@ func Update(client container.Client, params types.UpdateParams) error {
 		lifecycle.ExecutePreChecks(client, params)
 	}
 
-	containers, err := client.ListContainers(params.Filter)
+	containers, err := PrepareContainerList(client, params)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	containersToUpdate := []container.Container{}
 	if !params.MonitorOnly {
-		for i := len(containers) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+		for i := 0; i < len(containers); i++ {
 			if !containers[i].IsMonitorOnly() {
 				containersToUpdate = append(containersToUpdate, containers[i])
 			}
@@ -99,7 +90,11 @@ func Update(client container.Client, params types.UpdateParams) error {
 	if params.RollingRestart {
 		performRollingRestart(containersToUpdate, client, params)
 	} else {
-		dependencySortedGraphs, err := PrepareContainerList(client, params)
+		var dependencySortedGraphs [][]container.Container
+
+		undirectedNodes := CreateUndirectedLinks(containersToUpdate)
+		dependencySortedGraphs, err := sorter.SortByDependencies(containersToUpdate,undirectedNodes)
+
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -108,11 +103,11 @@ func Update(client container.Client, params types.UpdateParams) error {
 		for _, dependencyGraph:= range dependencySortedGraphs {
 			stopContainersInReversedOrder(dependencyGraph, client, params)
 			restartContainersInSortedOrder(dependencyGraph, client, params, imageIDs)
+		}
 
-			//clean up after containers updated
-			if params.Cleanup {
-				cleanupImages(client,imageIDs)
-			}
+		//clean up after containers updated
+		if params.Cleanup {
+			cleanupImages(client,imageIDs)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/actions/update_test.go b/internal/actions/update_test.go
index de38520..6e1947a 100644
--- a/internal/actions/update_test.go
+++ b/internal/actions/update_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	container2 "github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	cli "github.com/docker/docker/client"
 	"time"
-
+	"github.com/containrrr/watchtower/pkg/sorter"
 	. "github.com/containrrr/watchtower/internal/actions/mocks"
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
@@ -38,19 +38,19 @@ var _ = Describe("the update action", func() {
 							"test-container-01",
 							"fake-image:latest",
 							time.Now().AddDate(0, 0, -1),
-							make([]string, 0)),
+							nil),
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"test-container-02",
 							"test-container-02",
 							"fake-image:latest",
 							time.Now(),
-							make([]string, 0)),
+							nil),
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"test-container-02",
 							"test-container-02",
 							"fake-image:latest",
 							time.Now(),
-							make([]string, 0)),
+							nil),
 					},
 				},
 				dockerClient,
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ var _ = Describe("the update action", func() {
 						"unique-test-container",
 						"unique-fake-image:latest",
 						time.Now(),
-						make([]string, 0),
+						nil,
 					),
 				)
 				err := actions.Update(client, types.UpdateParams{Cleanup: true})
@@ -109,57 +109,57 @@ var _ = Describe("the update action", func() {
 							"k-container-03",
 							"fake-image:latest",
 							time.Now().Add(time.Second * 4),
-							links[2],),
+							links[2]),
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"k-container-02",
 							"k-container-02",
 							"fake-image:latest",
 							time.Now().Add(time.Second * 2),
-							links[1],),
+							links[1]),
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"k-container-01",
 							"k-container-01",
 							"fake-image:latest",
 							time.Now(),
-							links[0],),
+							links[0]),
 
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"t-container-03",
 							"t-container-03",
 							"fake-image-2:latest",
 							time.Now().Add(time.Second * 4),
-							links[5],),
+							links[5]),
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"t-container-02",
 							"t-container-02",
 							"fake-image-2:latest",
 							time.Now().Add(time.Second * 2),
-							links[4],),
+							links[4]),
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"t-container-01",
 							"t-container-01",
 							"fake-image-2:latest",
 							time.Now(),
-							links[3],),
+							links[3]),
 
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"x-container-01",
 							"x-container-01",
 							"fake-image-1:latest",
 							time.Now(),
-							links[6],),
+							links[6]),
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"x-container-02",
 							"x-container-02",
 							"fake-image-1:latest",
 							time.Now().Add(time.Second * 2),
-							links[6],),
+							links[6]),
 						CreateMockContainer(
 							"x-container-03",
 							"x-container-03",
 							"fake-image-1:latest",
 							time.Now().Add(time.Second * 4),
-							links[6],),
+							links[6]),
 					},
 				},
 				dockerClient,
@@ -170,7 +170,9 @@ var _ = Describe("the update action", func() {
 
 		When("there are multiple containers with links", func() {
 			It("should create appropriate dependency sorted lists", func() {
-				dependencySortedGraphs, err := actions.PrepareContainerList(client, types.UpdateParams{Cleanup: true})
+				containers, err := actions.PrepareContainerList(client, types.UpdateParams{Cleanup: true})
+				undirectedNodes := actions.CreateUndirectedLinks(containers)
+				dependencySortedGraphs, err := sorter.SortByDependencies(containers,undirectedNodes)
 				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
 				var output [][]string
@@ -241,7 +243,8 @@ var _ = Describe("the update action", func() {
 								"test-container-01",
 								"test-container-01",
 								"fake-image1:latest",
-								time.Now()),
+								time.Now(),
+								nil),
 							CreateMockContainerWithConfig(
 								"test-container-02",
 								"test-container-02",
@@ -276,12 +279,14 @@ var _ = Describe("the update action", func() {
 								"test-container-01",
 								"test-container-01",
 								"fake-image:latest",
-								time.Now()),
+								time.Now(),
+								nil),
 							CreateMockContainer(
 								"test-container-02",
 								"test-container-02",
 								"fake-image:latest",
-								time.Now()),
+								time.Now(),
+								nil),
 						},
 					},
 					dockerClient,