diff --git a/pkg/runtimeoptions/v1/api.pb.go b/pkg/runtimeoptions/v1/api.pb.go
index 55b930b20..8a30127be 100644
--- a/pkg/runtimeoptions/v1/api.pb.go
+++ b/pkg/runtimeoptions/v1/api.pb.go
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ type Options struct {
 	// ConfigPath specifies the filesystem location of the config file
 	// used by the runtime.
 	ConfigPath string `protobuf:"bytes,2,opt,name=config_path,json=configPath,proto3" json:"config_path,omitempty"`
+	// Blob specifies an in-memory TOML blob passed from containerd's configuration section
+	// for this runtime. This will be used if config_path is not specified.
+	ConfigBody []byte `protobuf:"bytes,3,opt,name=config_body,json=configBody,proto3" json:"config_body,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (x *Options) Reset() {
@@ -80,6 +83,13 @@ func (x *Options) GetConfigPath() string {
 	return ""
 }
 
+func (x *Options) GetConfigBody() []byte {
+	if x != nil {
+		return x.ConfigBody
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 var File_github_com_containerd_containerd_pkg_runtimeoptions_v1_api_proto protoreflect.FileDescriptor
 
 var file_github_com_containerd_containerd_pkg_runtimeoptions_v1_api_proto_rawDesc = []byte{
@@ -88,16 +98,19 @@ var file_github_com_containerd_containerd_pkg_runtimeoptions_v1_api_proto_rawDes
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+	0x33,
 }
 
 var (
diff --git a/pkg/runtimeoptions/v1/api.proto b/pkg/runtimeoptions/v1/api.proto
index 2a975b928..d0ab0e2f9 100644
--- a/pkg/runtimeoptions/v1/api.proto
+++ b/pkg/runtimeoptions/v1/api.proto
@@ -11,4 +11,7 @@ message Options {
 	// ConfigPath specifies the filesystem location of the config file
 	// used by the runtime.
 	string config_path = 2;
+	// Blob specifies an in-memory TOML blob passed from containerd's configuration section
+	// for this runtime. This will be used if config_path is not specified.
+	bytes config_body = 3;
 }