diff --git a/linux/proc/init.go b/linux/proc/init.go
index 0d88e9bc5..212e14f63 100644
--- a/linux/proc/init.go
+++ b/linux/proc/init.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/console"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/identifiers"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/runctypes"
 	shimapi "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
@@ -61,13 +60,26 @@ type Init struct {
 	IoGID    int
 }
 
+// NewRunc returns a new runc instance for a process
+func NewRunc(root, path, namespace, runtime, criu string, systemd bool) *runc.Runc {
+	if root == "" {
+		root = RuncRoot
+	}
+	return &runc.Runc{
+		Command:       runtime,
+		Log:           filepath.Join(path, "log.json"),
+		LogFormat:     runc.JSON,
+		PdeathSignal:  syscall.SIGKILL,
+		Root:          filepath.Join(root, namespace),
+		Criu:          criu,
+		SystemdCgroup: systemd,
+	}
+}
+
 // New returns a new init process
 func New(context context.Context, path, workDir, runtimeRoot, namespace, criu string, systemdCgroup bool, platform Platform, r *shimapi.CreateTaskRequest) (*Init, error) {
 	var success bool
 
-	if err := identifiers.Validate(r.ID); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "invalid task id")
-	}
 	var options runctypes.CreateOptions
 	if r.Options != nil {
 		v, err := typeurl.UnmarshalAny(r.Options)
@@ -99,19 +111,7 @@ func New(context context.Context, path, workDir, runtimeRoot, namespace, criu st
 			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to mount rootfs component %v", m)
 		}
 	}
-	root := runtimeRoot
-	if root == "" {
-		root = RuncRoot
-	}
-	runtime := &runc.Runc{
-		Command:       r.Runtime,
-		Log:           filepath.Join(path, "log.json"),
-		LogFormat:     runc.JSON,
-		PdeathSignal:  syscall.SIGKILL,
-		Root:          filepath.Join(root, namespace),
-		Criu:          criu,
-		SystemdCgroup: systemdCgroup,
-	}
+	runtime := NewRunc(runtimeRoot, path, namespace, r.Runtime, criu, systemdCgroup)
 	p := &Init{
 		id:       r.ID,
 		bundle:   r.Bundle,
@@ -339,9 +339,6 @@ func (p *Init) Runtime() *runc.Runc {
 
 // Exec returns a new exec'd process
 func (p *Init) Exec(context context.Context, path string, r *shimapi.ExecProcessRequest) (Process, error) {
-	if err := identifiers.Validate(r.ID); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "invalid exec id")
-	}
 	// process exec request
 	var spec specs.Process
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(r.Spec.Value, &spec); err != nil {
diff --git a/linux/shim/service.go b/linux/shim/service.go
index 25e9ac93a..0347c0b37 100644
--- a/linux/shim/service.go
+++ b/linux/shim/service.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/runctypes"
 	shimapi "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/namespaces"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/reaper"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
 	runc "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
@@ -47,15 +46,15 @@ func NewService(config Config, publisher events.Publisher) (*Service, error) {
 	if config.Namespace == "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("shim namespace cannot be empty")
 	}
-	context := namespaces.WithNamespace(context.Background(), config.Namespace)
-	context = log.WithLogger(context, logrus.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	ctx = log.WithLogger(ctx, logrus.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 		"namespace": config.Namespace,
 		"path":      config.Path,
 		"pid":       os.Getpid(),
 	}))
 	s := &Service{
 		config:    config,
-		context:   context,
+		context:   ctx,
 		processes: make(map[string]proc.Process),
 		events:    make(chan interface{}, 128),
 		ec:        reaper.Default.Subscribe(),
diff --git a/linux/task.go b/linux/task.go
index 235e67166..11b5032d3 100644
--- a/linux/task.go
+++ b/linux/task.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/api/types/task"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/events/exchange"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/identifiers"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/client"
 	shim "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
@@ -167,6 +168,9 @@ func (t *Task) Kill(ctx context.Context, signal uint32, all bool) error {
 
 // Exec creates a new process inside the task
 func (t *Task) Exec(ctx context.Context, id string, opts runtime.ExecOpts) (runtime.Process, error) {
+	if err := identifiers.Validate(id); err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "invalid exec id")
+	}
 	request := &shim.ExecProcessRequest{
 		ID:       id,
 		Stdin:    opts.IO.Stdin,
diff --git a/reaper/reaper.go b/reaper/reaper.go
index d7dfbb2aa..9127fc5a1 100644
--- a/reaper/reaper.go
+++ b/reaper/reaper.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 // ErrNoSuchProcess is returned when the process no longer exists
 var ErrNoSuchProcess = errors.New("no such process")
 
-const bufferSize = 2048
+const bufferSize = 1024
 
 // Reap should be called when the process receives an SIGCHLD.  Reap will reap
 // all exited processes and close their wait channels