diff --git a/autogen/main/cluster.tf.tmpl b/autogen/main/cluster.tf.tmpl
index d6c3fe4c4..65a3c2565 100644
--- a/autogen/main/cluster.tf.tmpl
+++ b/autogen/main/cluster.tf.tmpl
@@ -483,7 +483,11 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "pools" {
   {% endif %}
 
   node_config {
+    {% if beta_cluster %}
+    image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", var.sandbox_enabled ? "COS_CONTAINERD" : "COS")
+    {% else %}
     image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", "COS")
+    {% endif %}
     machine_type = lookup(each.value, "machine_type", "e2-medium")
     labels = merge(
       lookup(lookup(local.node_pools_labels, "default_values", {}), "cluster_name", true) ? { "cluster_name" = var.name } : {},
diff --git a/modules/beta-private-cluster-update-variant/cluster.tf b/modules/beta-private-cluster-update-variant/cluster.tf
index f8e6ce526..9ca9ab289 100644
--- a/modules/beta-private-cluster-update-variant/cluster.tf
+++ b/modules/beta-private-cluster-update-variant/cluster.tf
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "pools" {
   }
 
   node_config {
-    image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", "COS")
+    image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", var.sandbox_enabled ? "COS_CONTAINERD" : "COS")
     machine_type = lookup(each.value, "machine_type", "e2-medium")
     labels = merge(
       lookup(lookup(local.node_pools_labels, "default_values", {}), "cluster_name", true) ? { "cluster_name" = var.name } : {},
diff --git a/modules/beta-private-cluster/cluster.tf b/modules/beta-private-cluster/cluster.tf
index 5681faa2f..d7d1087ee 100644
--- a/modules/beta-private-cluster/cluster.tf
+++ b/modules/beta-private-cluster/cluster.tf
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "pools" {
   }
 
   node_config {
-    image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", "COS")
+    image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", var.sandbox_enabled ? "COS_CONTAINERD" : "COS")
     machine_type = lookup(each.value, "machine_type", "e2-medium")
     labels = merge(
       lookup(lookup(local.node_pools_labels, "default_values", {}), "cluster_name", true) ? { "cluster_name" = var.name } : {},
diff --git a/modules/beta-public-cluster-update-variant/cluster.tf b/modules/beta-public-cluster-update-variant/cluster.tf
index 5bef8c148..d7b527942 100644
--- a/modules/beta-public-cluster-update-variant/cluster.tf
+++ b/modules/beta-public-cluster-update-variant/cluster.tf
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "pools" {
   }
 
   node_config {
-    image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", "COS")
+    image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", var.sandbox_enabled ? "COS_CONTAINERD" : "COS")
     machine_type = lookup(each.value, "machine_type", "e2-medium")
     labels = merge(
       lookup(lookup(local.node_pools_labels, "default_values", {}), "cluster_name", true) ? { "cluster_name" = var.name } : {},
diff --git a/modules/beta-public-cluster/cluster.tf b/modules/beta-public-cluster/cluster.tf
index 1ead5fcc1..b5cc56768 100644
--- a/modules/beta-public-cluster/cluster.tf
+++ b/modules/beta-public-cluster/cluster.tf
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "pools" {
   }
 
   node_config {
-    image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", "COS")
+    image_type   = lookup(each.value, "image_type", var.sandbox_enabled ? "COS_CONTAINERD" : "COS")
     machine_type = lookup(each.value, "machine_type", "e2-medium")
     labels = merge(
       lookup(lookup(local.node_pools_labels, "default_values", {}), "cluster_name", true) ? { "cluster_name" = var.name } : {},