diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/containers/containers.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/containers/containers.go
index ec49ff996..b89015216 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/containers/containers.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/containers/containers.go
@@ -53,11 +53,22 @@ var createCommand = cli.Command{
 	Flags:     append(commands.SnapshotterFlags, commands.ContainerFlags...),
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 		var (
-			id  = context.Args().Get(1)
-			ref = context.Args().First()
+			id     string
+			ref    string
+			config = context.IsSet("config")
 		)
-		if ref == "" {
-			return errors.New("image ref must be provided")
+
+		if config {
+			id = context.Args().First()
+			if context.NArg() > 1 {
+				return errors.New("with spec config file, only container id should be provided")
+			}
+		} else {
+			id = context.Args().Get(1)
+			ref = context.Args().First()
+			if ref == "" {
+				return errors.New("image ref must be provided")
+			}
 		}
 		if id == "" {
 			return errors.New("container id must be provided")
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run.go
index 935730259..c314b1e8c 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run.go
@@ -110,15 +110,26 @@ var Command = cli.Command{
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 		var (
 			err error
+			id  string
+			ref string
 
-			id     = context.Args().Get(1)
-			ref    = context.Args().First()
 			tty    = context.Bool("tty")
 			detach = context.Bool("detach")
+			config = context.IsSet("config")
 		)
 
-		if ref == "" {
-			return errors.New("image ref must be provided")
+		if config {
+			id = context.Args().First()
+			if context.NArg() > 1 {
+				return errors.New("with spec config file, only container id should be provided")
+			}
+		} else {
+			id = context.Args().Get(1)
+			ref = context.Args().First()
+
+			if ref == "" {
+				return errors.New("image ref must be provided")
+			}
 		}
 		if id == "" {
 			return errors.New("container id must be provided")
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_unix.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_unix.go
index ac22078f0..f968379f3 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_unix.go
@@ -34,10 +34,14 @@ import (
 // NewContainer creates a new container
 func NewContainer(ctx gocontext.Context, client *containerd.Client, context *cli.Context) (containerd.Container, error) {
 	var (
-		ref  = context.Args().First()
-		id   = context.Args().Get(1)
-		args = context.Args()[2:]
+		id     string
+		Config = context.IsSet("config")
 	)
+	if Config {
+		id = context.Args().First()
+	} else {
+		id = context.Args().Get(1)
+	}
 
 	if raw := context.String("checkpoint"); raw != "" {
 		im, err := client.GetImage(ctx, raw)
@@ -53,9 +57,14 @@ func NewContainer(ctx gocontext.Context, client *containerd.Client, context *cli
 		spec  containerd.NewContainerOpts
 	)
 
-	if context.IsSet("config") {
+	if Config {
 		opts = append(opts, oci.WithSpecFromFile(context.String("config")))
 	} else {
+		var (
+			ref = context.Args().First()
+			//for container's id is Args[1]
+			args = context.Args()[2:]
+		)
 		opts = append(opts, oci.WithDefaultSpec(), oci.WithDefaultUnixDevices)
 		opts = append(opts, oci.WithEnv(context.StringSlice("env")))
 		opts = append(opts, withMounts(context))