diff --git a/cmd/ctr/run_unix.go b/cmd/ctr/run_unix.go
index f6037fc31..e29f3f157 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/run_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/run_unix.go
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func newContainer(ctx gocontext.Context, client *containerd.Client, context *cli
 	)
 	cOpts = append(cOpts, containerd.WithContainerLabels(labelArgs(context.StringSlice("label"))))
 	if context.Bool("rootfs") {
-		opts = append(opts, containerd.WithRootFSPath(ref, context.Bool("readonly")))
+		opts = append(opts, containerd.WithRootFSPath(ref))
 	} else {
 		image, err := client.GetImage(ctx, ref)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -93,11 +93,13 @@ func newContainer(ctx gocontext.Context, client *containerd.Client, context *cli
 		opts = append(opts, containerd.WithImageConfig(image))
 		cOpts = append(cOpts, containerd.WithImage(image))
 		cOpts = append(cOpts, containerd.WithSnapshotter(context.String("snapshotter")))
-		if context.Bool("readonly") {
-			cOpts = append(cOpts, containerd.WithNewSnapshotView(id, image))
-		} else {
-			cOpts = append(cOpts, containerd.WithNewSnapshot(id, image))
-		}
+		// Even when "readonly" is set, we don't use KindView snapshot here. (#1495)
+		// We pass writable snapshot to the OCI runtime, and the runtime remounts it as read-only,
+		// after creating some mount points on demand.
+		cOpts = append(cOpts, containerd.WithNewSnapshot(id, image))
+	}
+	if context.Bool("readonly") {
+		opts = append(opts, containerd.WithRootFSReadonly())
 	}
 	cOpts = append(cOpts, containerd.WithRuntime(context.String("runtime"), nil))
 
diff --git a/spec_opts_unix.go b/spec_opts_unix.go
index 0f32a0d7b..337095cfa 100644
--- a/spec_opts_unix.go
+++ b/spec_opts_unix.go
@@ -138,17 +138,28 @@ func WithImageConfig(i Image) SpecOpts {
 }
 
 // WithRootFSPath specifies unmanaged rootfs path.
-func WithRootFSPath(path string, readonly bool) SpecOpts {
+func WithRootFSPath(path string) SpecOpts {
 	return func(_ context.Context, _ *Client, _ *containers.Container, s *specs.Spec) error {
-		s.Root = &specs.Root{
-			Path:     path,
-			Readonly: readonly,
+		if s.Root == nil {
+			s.Root = &specs.Root{}
 		}
+		s.Root.Path = path
 		// Entrypoint is not set here (it's up to caller)
 		return nil
 	}
 }
 
+// WithRootFSReadonly sets specs.Root.Readonly to true
+func WithRootFSReadonly() SpecOpts {
+	return func(_ context.Context, _ *Client, _ *containers.Container, s *specs.Spec) error {
+		if s.Root == nil {
+			s.Root = &specs.Root{}
+		}
+		s.Root.Readonly = true
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // WithResources sets the provided resources on the spec for task updates
 func WithResources(resources *specs.LinuxResources) UpdateTaskOpts {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, client *Client, r *UpdateTaskInfo) error {