diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 60552e91a..386d07aa0 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -140,18 +140,16 @@ func New(address string, opts ...ClientOpt) (*Client, error) {
 	}
 
 	// check namespace labels for default runtime
-	defaultns := "default"
-	if copts.defaultns != "" {
-		defaultns = copts.defaultns
-	}
-	namespaces := c.NamespaceService()
-	ctx := context.Background()
-	if labels, err := namespaces.Labels(ctx, defaultns); err == nil {
-		if defaultRuntime, ok := labels["runtime"]; ok {
-			c.runtime = defaultRuntime
+	if copts.defaultRuntime == "" && copts.defaultns != "" {
+		namespaces := c.NamespaceService()
+		ctx := context.Background()
+		if labels, err := namespaces.Labels(ctx, copts.defaultns); err == nil {
+			if defaultRuntime, ok := labels["containerd.io/defaults/runtime"]; ok {
+				c.runtime = defaultRuntime
+			}
+		} else {
+			return nil, err
 		}
-	} else {
-		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	return c, nil
@@ -170,6 +168,20 @@ func NewWithConn(conn *grpc.ClientConn, opts ...ClientOpt) (*Client, error) {
 		conn:    conn,
 		runtime: fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", plugin.RuntimePlugin, runtime.GOOS),
 	}
+
+	// check namespace labels for default runtime
+	if copts.defaultRuntime == "" && copts.defaultns != "" {
+		namespaces := c.NamespaceService()
+		ctx := context.Background()
+		if labels, err := namespaces.Labels(ctx, copts.defaultns); err == nil {
+			if defaultRuntime, ok := labels["containerd.io/defaults/runtime"]; ok {
+				c.runtime = defaultRuntime
+			}
+		} else {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
 	if copts.services != nil {
 		c.services = *copts.services
 	}
diff --git a/client_test.go b/client_test.go
index 2ed367b85..742140839 100644
--- a/client_test.go
+++ b/client_test.go
@@ -405,11 +405,12 @@ func TestDefaultRuntimeWithNamespaceLabels(t *testing.T) {
 	defer cancel()
 	namespaces := client.NamespaceService()
 	testRuntime := "testRuntime"
-	if err := namespaces.SetLabel(ctx, testNamespace, "runtime", testRuntime); err != nil {
+	runtimeLabel := "containerd.io/defaults/runtime"
+	if err := namespaces.SetLabel(ctx, testNamespace, runtimeLabel, testRuntime); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	testClient, err := newClient(t, address, WithDefaultNamespace(testNamespace))
+	testClient, err := New(address, WithDefaultNamespace(testNamespace))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/container_opts.go b/container_opts.go
index 8f086a729..c04bd2387 100644
--- a/container_opts.go
+++ b/container_opts.go
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ func setSnapshotterIfEmpty(ctx context.Context, client *Client, c *containers.Co
 		namespaceService := client.NamespaceService()
 		if ns, err := namespaces.NamespaceRequired(ctx); err == nil {
 			if labels, err := namespaceService.Labels(ctx, ns); err == nil {
-				if snapshotLabel, ok := labels["snapshotter"]; ok {
+				if snapshotLabel, ok := labels["containerd.io/defaults/snapshotter"]; ok {
 					defaultSnapshotter = snapshotLabel
 				}
 			}