diff --git a/cmd/containerd-shim/main_unix.go b/cmd/containerd-shim/main_unix.go
index c8af6b968..49f16e6ca 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd-shim/main_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd-shim/main_unix.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import (
 	shimlog "github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v1/shim"
 	shimapi "github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v1/shim/v1"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys/reaper"
 	"github.com/containerd/ttrpc"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl"
 	ptypes "github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ func handleSignals(logger *logrus.Entry, signals chan os.Signal, server *ttrpc.S
 		case s := <-signals:
 			switch s {
 			case unix.SIGCHLD:
-				if err := shim.Reap(); err != nil {
+				if err := reaper.Reap(); err != nil {
 					logger.WithError(err).Error("reap exit status")
 				}
 			case unix.SIGTERM, unix.SIGINT:
@@ -291,11 +292,11 @@ func (l *remoteEventsPublisher) Publish(ctx context.Context, topic string, event
 	defer bufPool.Put(b)
 	cmd.Stdout = b
 	cmd.Stderr = b
-	c, err := shim.Default.Start(cmd)
+	c, err := reaper.Default.Start(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	status, err := shim.Default.Wait(cmd, c)
+	status, err := reaper.Default.Wait(cmd, c)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to publish event: %s", b.String())
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/containerd-shim/shim_linux.go b/cmd/containerd-shim/shim_linux.go
index d55646977..4d81aa6d5 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd-shim/shim_linux.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd-shim/shim_linux.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v1/shim"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys/reaper"
 	runc "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
 	"github.com/containerd/ttrpc"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/system"
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func setupSignals() (chan os.Signal, error) {
 	signal.Notify(signals, unix.SIGTERM, unix.SIGINT, unix.SIGCHLD, unix.SIGPIPE)
 	// make sure runc is setup to use the monitor
 	// for waiting on processes
-	runc.Monitor = shim.Default
+	runc.Monitor = reaper.Default
 	// set the shim as the subreaper for all orphaned processes created by the container
 	if err := system.SetSubreaper(1); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/runtime/v1/shim/reaper.go b/runtime/v1/shim/reaper.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 4e002f5dc..000000000
--- a/runtime/v1/shim/reaper.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,131 +0,0 @@
-// +build !windows
-
-/*
-   Copyright The containerd Authors.
-
-   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.
-*/
-
-package shim
-
-import (
-	"os/exec"
-	"sync"
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys"
-	"github.com/containerd/go-runc"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
-)
-
-// ErrNoSuchProcess is returned when the process no longer exists
-var ErrNoSuchProcess = errors.New("no such process")
-
-const bufferSize = 2048
-
-// Reap should be called when the process receives an SIGCHLD.  Reap will reap
-// all exited processes and close their wait channels
-func Reap() error {
-	now := time.Now()
-	exits, err := sys.Reap(false)
-	for _, e := range exits {
-		Default.Notify(runc.Exit{
-			Timestamp: now,
-			Pid:       e.Pid,
-			Status:    e.Status,
-		})
-	}
-	return err
-}
-
-// Default is the default monitor initialized for the package
-var Default = &Monitor{
-	subscribers: make(map[chan runc.Exit]bool),
-}
-
-// Monitor monitors the underlying system for process status changes
-type Monitor struct {
-	sync.Mutex
-
-	subscribers map[chan runc.Exit]bool
-}
-
-// Start starts the command a registers the process with the reaper
-func (m *Monitor) Start(c *exec.Cmd) (chan runc.Exit, error) {
-	ec := m.Subscribe()
-	if err := c.Start(); err != nil {
-		m.Unsubscribe(ec)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return ec, nil
-}
-
-// Wait blocks until a process is signal as dead.
-// User should rely on the value of the exit status to determine if the
-// command was successful or not.
-func (m *Monitor) Wait(c *exec.Cmd, ec chan runc.Exit) (int, error) {
-	for e := range ec {
-		if e.Pid == c.Process.Pid {
-			// make sure we flush all IO
-			c.Wait()
-			m.Unsubscribe(ec)
-			return e.Status, nil
-		}
-	}
-	// return no such process if the ec channel is closed and no more exit
-	// events will be sent
-	return -1, ErrNoSuchProcess
-}
-
-// Subscribe to process exit changes
-func (m *Monitor) Subscribe() chan runc.Exit {
-	c := make(chan runc.Exit, bufferSize)
-	m.Lock()
-	m.subscribers[c] = false
-	m.Unlock()
-	return c
-}
-
-// Unsubscribe to process exit changes
-func (m *Monitor) Unsubscribe(c chan runc.Exit) {
-	m.Lock()
-	delete(m.subscribers, c)
-	close(c)
-	m.Unlock()
-}
-
-// Notify to subscribers exit changes
-func (m *Monitor) Notify(e runc.Exit) {
-retry:
-	m.Lock()
-	for c, v := range m.subscribers {
-		// subscriber has receive this exit
-		if v == true {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		select {
-		case c <- e:
-			m.subscribers[c] = true
-		case <-time.After(time.Millisecond):
-			m.Unlock()
-			goto retry
-		}
-	}
-
-	// reset subscriber's state
-	for c := range m.subscribers {
-		m.subscribers[c] = false
-	}
-	m.Unlock()
-}
diff --git a/runtime/v1/shim/service.go b/runtime/v1/shim/service.go
index f55700135..37eae7f8b 100644
--- a/runtime/v1/shim/service.go
+++ b/runtime/v1/shim/service.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/linux/runctypes"
 	shimapi "github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v1/shim/v1"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys/reaper"
 	runc "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl"
 	ptypes "github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ func NewService(config Config, publisher events.Publisher) (*Service, error) {
 		context:   ctx,
 		processes: make(map[string]process.Process),
 		events:    make(chan interface{}, 128),
-		ec:        Default.Subscribe(),
+		ec:        reaper.Default.Subscribe(),
 	}
 	go s.processExits()
 	if err := s.initPlatform(); err != nil {
diff --git a/runtime/v2/runc/v1/service.go b/runtime/v2/runc/v1/service.go
index c4f5328bf..516a25f0d 100644
--- a/runtime/v2/runc/v1/service.go
+++ b/runtime/v2/runc/v1/service.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/runc/options"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/shim"
 	taskAPI "github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/task"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys/reaper"
 	runcC "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl"
 	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
@@ -70,12 +71,12 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, id string, publisher shim.Publisher, shutdown func
 		id:      id,
 		context: ctx,
 		events:  make(chan interface{}, 128),
-		ec:      shim.Default.Subscribe(),
+		ec:      reaper.Default.Subscribe(),
 		ep:      ep,
 		cancel:  shutdown,
 	}
 	go s.processExits()
-	runcC.Monitor = shim.Default
+	runcC.Monitor = reaper.Default
 	if err := s.initPlatform(); err != nil {
 		shutdown()
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialized platform behavior")
diff --git a/runtime/v2/runc/v2/service.go b/runtime/v2/runc/v2/service.go
index 54e82dba9..9b31b3547 100644
--- a/runtime/v2/runc/v2/service.go
+++ b/runtime/v2/runc/v2/service.go
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/runc/options"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/shim"
 	taskAPI "github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/task"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys/reaper"
 	runcC "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl"
 	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
@@ -83,13 +84,13 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, id string, publisher shim.Publisher, shutdown func
 		id:         id,
 		context:    ctx,
 		events:     make(chan interface{}, 128),
-		ec:         shim.Default.Subscribe(),
+		ec:         reaper.Default.Subscribe(),
 		ep:         ep,
 		cancel:     shutdown,
 		containers: make(map[string]*runc.Container),
 	}
 	go s.processExits()
-	runcC.Monitor = shim.Default
+	runcC.Monitor = reaper.Default
 	if err := s.initPlatform(); err != nil {
 		shutdown()
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialized platform behavior")
diff --git a/runtime/v2/shim/shim_unix.go b/runtime/v2/shim/shim_unix.go
index dc3e6a891..e6dc3e02f 100644
--- a/runtime/v2/shim/shim_unix.go
+++ b/runtime/v2/shim/shim_unix.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"os/signal"
 	"syscall"
 
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys/reaper"
 	"github.com/containerd/fifo"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ func handleSignals(ctx context.Context, logger *logrus.Entry, signals chan os.Si
 		case s := <-signals:
 			switch s {
 			case unix.SIGCHLD:
-				if err := Reap(); err != nil {
+				if err := reaper.Reap(); err != nil {
 					logger.WithError(err).Error("reap exit status")
 				}
 			case unix.SIGPIPE:
diff --git a/runtime/v2/shim/reaper_unix.go b/sys/reaper/reaper_unix.go
similarity index 99%
rename from runtime/v2/shim/reaper_unix.go
rename to sys/reaper/reaper_unix.go
index 45a88db12..4a150a8f9 100644
--- a/runtime/v2/shim/reaper_unix.go
+++ b/sys/reaper/reaper_unix.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
    limitations under the License.
 */
 
-package shim
+package reaper
 
 import (
 	"os/exec"