diff --git a/api/next.pb.txt b/api/next.pb.txt
index 7f94541fc..4dbf1b736 100755
--- a/api/next.pb.txt
+++ b/api/next.pb.txt
@@ -1117,6 +1117,17 @@ file {
       json_name: "id"
     }
   }
+  message_type {
+    name: "ListContainerMessage"
+    field {
+      name: "container"
+      number: 1
+      label: LABEL_OPTIONAL
+      type: TYPE_MESSAGE
+      type_name: ".containerd.services.containers.v1.Container"
+      json_name: "container"
+    }
+  }
   service {
     name: "Containers"
     method {
@@ -1129,6 +1140,12 @@ file {
       input_type: ".containerd.services.containers.v1.ListContainersRequest"
       output_type: ".containerd.services.containers.v1.ListContainersResponse"
     }
+    method {
+      name: "ListStream"
+      input_type: ".containerd.services.containers.v1.ListContainersRequest"
+      output_type: ".containerd.services.containers.v1.ListContainerMessage"
+      server_streaming: true
+    }
     method {
       name: "Create"
       input_type: ".containerd.services.containers.v1.CreateContainerRequest"
diff --git a/api/services/containers/v1/containers.pb.go b/api/services/containers/v1/containers.pb.go
index a8720bb6f..4d9322164 100644
--- a/api/services/containers/v1/containers.pb.go
+++ b/api/services/containers/v1/containers.pb.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 		UpdateContainerRequest
 		UpdateContainerResponse
 		DeleteContainerRequest
+		ListContainerMessage
 */
 package containers
 
@@ -218,6 +219,14 @@ func (m *DeleteContainerRequest) Reset()                    { *m = DeleteContain
 func (*DeleteContainerRequest) ProtoMessage()               {}
 func (*DeleteContainerRequest) Descriptor() ([]byte, []int) { return fileDescriptorContainers, []int{9} }
 
+type ListContainerMessage struct {
+	Container *Container `protobuf:"bytes,1,opt,name=container" json:"container,omitempty"`
+}
+
+func (m *ListContainerMessage) Reset()                    { *m = ListContainerMessage{} }
+func (*ListContainerMessage) ProtoMessage()               {}
+func (*ListContainerMessage) Descriptor() ([]byte, []int) { return fileDescriptorContainers, []int{10} }
+
 func init() {
 	proto.RegisterType((*Container)(nil), "containerd.services.containers.v1.Container")
 	proto.RegisterType((*Container_Runtime)(nil), "containerd.services.containers.v1.Container.Runtime")
@@ -230,6 +239,7 @@ func init() {
 	proto.RegisterType((*UpdateContainerRequest)(nil), "containerd.services.containers.v1.UpdateContainerRequest")
 	proto.RegisterType((*UpdateContainerResponse)(nil), "containerd.services.containers.v1.UpdateContainerResponse")
 	proto.RegisterType((*DeleteContainerRequest)(nil), "containerd.services.containers.v1.DeleteContainerRequest")
+	proto.RegisterType((*ListContainerMessage)(nil), "containerd.services.containers.v1.ListContainerMessage")
 }
 
 // Reference imports to suppress errors if they are not otherwise used.
@@ -245,6 +255,7 @@ const _ = grpc.SupportPackageIsVersion4
 type ContainersClient interface {
 	Get(ctx context.Context, in *GetContainerRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*GetContainerResponse, error)
 	List(ctx context.Context, in *ListContainersRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*ListContainersResponse, error)
+	ListStream(ctx context.Context, in *ListContainersRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (Containers_ListStreamClient, error)
 	Create(ctx context.Context, in *CreateContainerRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*CreateContainerResponse, error)
 	Update(ctx context.Context, in *UpdateContainerRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*UpdateContainerResponse, error)
 	Delete(ctx context.Context, in *DeleteContainerRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*google_protobuf2.Empty, error)
@@ -276,6 +287,38 @@ func (c *containersClient) List(ctx context.Context, in *ListContainersRequest,
 	return out, nil
 }
 
+func (c *containersClient) ListStream(ctx context.Context, in *ListContainersRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (Containers_ListStreamClient, error) {
+	stream, err := grpc.NewClientStream(ctx, &_Containers_serviceDesc.Streams[0], c.cc, "/containerd.services.containers.v1.Containers/ListStream", opts...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	x := &containersListStreamClient{stream}
+	if err := x.ClientStream.SendMsg(in); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if err := x.ClientStream.CloseSend(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return x, nil
+}
+
+type Containers_ListStreamClient interface {
+	Recv() (*ListContainerMessage, error)
+	grpc.ClientStream
+}
+
+type containersListStreamClient struct {
+	grpc.ClientStream
+}
+
+func (x *containersListStreamClient) Recv() (*ListContainerMessage, error) {
+	m := new(ListContainerMessage)
+	if err := x.ClientStream.RecvMsg(m); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return m, nil
+}
+
 func (c *containersClient) Create(ctx context.Context, in *CreateContainerRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*CreateContainerResponse, error) {
 	out := new(CreateContainerResponse)
 	err := grpc.Invoke(ctx, "/containerd.services.containers.v1.Containers/Create", in, out, c.cc, opts...)
@@ -308,6 +351,7 @@ func (c *containersClient) Delete(ctx context.Context, in *DeleteContainerReques
 type ContainersServer interface {
 	Get(context.Context, *GetContainerRequest) (*GetContainerResponse, error)
 	List(context.Context, *ListContainersRequest) (*ListContainersResponse, error)
+	ListStream(*ListContainersRequest, Containers_ListStreamServer) error
 	Create(context.Context, *CreateContainerRequest) (*CreateContainerResponse, error)
 	Update(context.Context, *UpdateContainerRequest) (*UpdateContainerResponse, error)
 	Delete(context.Context, *DeleteContainerRequest) (*google_protobuf2.Empty, error)
@@ -353,6 +397,27 @@ func _Containers_List_Handler(srv interface{}, ctx context.Context, dec func(int
 	return interceptor(ctx, in, info, handler)
 }
 
+func _Containers_ListStream_Handler(srv interface{}, stream grpc.ServerStream) error {
+	m := new(ListContainersRequest)
+	if err := stream.RecvMsg(m); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return srv.(ContainersServer).ListStream(m, &containersListStreamServer{stream})
+}
+
+type Containers_ListStreamServer interface {
+	Send(*ListContainerMessage) error
+	grpc.ServerStream
+}
+
+type containersListStreamServer struct {
+	grpc.ServerStream
+}
+
+func (x *containersListStreamServer) Send(m *ListContainerMessage) error {
+	return x.ServerStream.SendMsg(m)
+}
+
 func _Containers_Create_Handler(srv interface{}, ctx context.Context, dec func(interface{}) error, interceptor grpc.UnaryServerInterceptor) (interface{}, error) {
 	in := new(CreateContainerRequest)
 	if err := dec(in); err != nil {
@@ -432,7 +497,13 @@ var _Containers_serviceDesc = grpc.ServiceDesc{
 			Handler:    _Containers_Delete_Handler,
 		},
 	},
-	Streams:  []grpc.StreamDesc{},
+	Streams: []grpc.StreamDesc{
+		{
+			StreamName:    "ListStream",
+			Handler:       _Containers_ListStream_Handler,
+			ServerStreams: true,
+		},
+	},
 	Metadata: "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/containers/v1/containers.proto",
 }
 
@@ -842,6 +913,34 @@ func (m *DeleteContainerRequest) MarshalTo(dAtA []byte) (int, error) {
 	return i, nil
 }
 
+func (m *ListContainerMessage) Marshal() (dAtA []byte, err error) {
+	size := m.Size()
+	dAtA = make([]byte, size)
+	n, err := m.MarshalTo(dAtA)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return dAtA[:n], nil
+}
+
+func (m *ListContainerMessage) MarshalTo(dAtA []byte) (int, error) {
+	var i int
+	_ = i
+	var l int
+	_ = l
+	if m.Container != nil {
+		dAtA[i] = 0xa
+		i++
+		i = encodeVarintContainers(dAtA, i, uint64(m.Container.Size()))
+		n13, err := m.Container.MarshalTo(dAtA[i:])
+		if err != nil {
+			return 0, err
+		}
+		i += n13
+	}
+	return i, nil
+}
+
 func encodeVarintContainers(dAtA []byte, offset int, v uint64) int {
 	for v >= 1<<7 {
 		dAtA[offset] = uint8(v&0x7f | 0x80)
@@ -1004,6 +1103,16 @@ func (m *DeleteContainerRequest) Size() (n int) {
 	return n
 }
 
+func (m *ListContainerMessage) Size() (n int) {
+	var l int
+	_ = l
+	if m.Container != nil {
+		l = m.Container.Size()
+		n += 1 + l + sovContainers(uint64(l))
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
 func sovContainers(x uint64) (n int) {
 	for {
 		n++
@@ -1158,6 +1267,16 @@ func (this *DeleteContainerRequest) String() string {
 	}, "")
 	return s
 }
+func (this *ListContainerMessage) String() string {
+	if this == nil {
+		return "nil"
+	}
+	s := strings.Join([]string{`&ListContainerMessage{`,
+		`Container:` + strings.Replace(fmt.Sprintf("%v", this.Container), "Container", "Container", 1) + `,`,
+		`}`,
+	}, "")
+	return s
+}
 func valueToStringContainers(v interface{}) string {
 	rv := reflect.ValueOf(v)
 	if rv.IsNil() {
@@ -2562,6 +2681,89 @@ func (m *DeleteContainerRequest) Unmarshal(dAtA []byte) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+func (m *ListContainerMessage) Unmarshal(dAtA []byte) error {
+	l := len(dAtA)
+	iNdEx := 0
+	for iNdEx < l {
+		preIndex := iNdEx
+		var wire uint64
+		for shift := uint(0); ; shift += 7 {
+			if shift >= 64 {
+				return ErrIntOverflowContainers
+			}
+			if iNdEx >= l {
+				return io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+			}
+			b := dAtA[iNdEx]
+			iNdEx++
+			wire |= (uint64(b) & 0x7F) << shift
+			if b < 0x80 {
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		fieldNum := int32(wire >> 3)
+		wireType := int(wire & 0x7)
+		if wireType == 4 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("proto: ListContainerMessage: wiretype end group for non-group")
+		}
+		if fieldNum <= 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("proto: ListContainerMessage: illegal tag %d (wire type %d)", fieldNum, wire)
+		}
+		switch fieldNum {
+		case 1:
+			if wireType != 2 {
+				return fmt.Errorf("proto: wrong wireType = %d for field Container", wireType)
+			}
+			var msglen int
+			for shift := uint(0); ; shift += 7 {
+				if shift >= 64 {
+					return ErrIntOverflowContainers
+				}
+				if iNdEx >= l {
+					return io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+				}
+				b := dAtA[iNdEx]
+				iNdEx++
+				msglen |= (int(b) & 0x7F) << shift
+				if b < 0x80 {
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			if msglen < 0 {
+				return ErrInvalidLengthContainers
+			}
+			postIndex := iNdEx + msglen
+			if postIndex > l {
+				return io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+			}
+			if m.Container == nil {
+				m.Container = &Container{}
+			}
+			if err := m.Container.Unmarshal(dAtA[iNdEx:postIndex]); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			iNdEx = postIndex
+		default:
+			iNdEx = preIndex
+			skippy, err := skipContainers(dAtA[iNdEx:])
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if skippy < 0 {
+				return ErrInvalidLengthContainers
+			}
+			if (iNdEx + skippy) > l {
+				return io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+			}
+			iNdEx += skippy
+		}
+	}
+
+	if iNdEx > l {
+		return io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+	}
+	return nil
+}
 func skipContainers(dAtA []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	l := len(dAtA)
 	iNdEx := 0
@@ -2672,54 +2874,57 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 var fileDescriptorContainers = []byte{
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-	0x95, 0x94, 0x84, 0xf2, 0x47, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00,
+	// 820 bytes of a gzipped FileDescriptorProto
+	0x1f, 0x8b, 0x08, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0xff, 0xb4, 0x56, 0xcb, 0x6e, 0x13, 0x49,
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+	0xaf, 0xa5, 0xd3, 0x93, 0x4e, 0x5d, 0x69, 0xd8, 0x66, 0xa5, 0x61, 0x5b, 0x54, 0xd3, 0x2d, 0xec,
+	0x36, 0xa3, 0x4b, 0xcd, 0xd1, 0x2b, 0x04, 0xbb, 0x5d, 0xbd, 0x81, 0x49, 0xf8, 0x3b, 0xa9, 0x74,
+	0x97, 0x22, 0x91, 0xe2, 0xb8, 0x36, 0xb5, 0xd1, 0x42, 0x88, 0x53, 0x02, 0x8c, 0x12, 0xc9, 0xea,
+	0x2e, 0xc9, 0xd9, 0x96, 0xdd, 0xb2, 0x59, 0x76, 0xc5, 0x5b, 0xf9, 0x40, 0xf9, 0x9f, 0x96, 0x6d,
+	0xb7, 0x0c, 0x5c, 0x61, 0x51, 0xbd, 0x73, 0x5c, 0xd1, 0xac, 0x1e, 0xdf, 0xfa, 0x77, 0x78, 0x0b,
+	0x9b, 0x0e, 0x0d, 0x36, 0x8b, 0xc3, 0x9b, 0xc7, 0x3a, 0x36, 0x9a, 0x47, 0xa6, 0x46, 0xda, 0x3c,
+	0xa3, 0x30, 0x9c, 0x41, 0x75, 0x13, 0x13, 0xaa, 0x99, 0x8e, 0x9f, 0x50, 0xfa, 0x20, 0x42, 0x7a,
+	0x33, 0xa0, 0x88, 0x72, 0x10, 0xd7, 0x9b, 0x92, 0x50, 0x14, 0xca, 0xe9, 0x9a, 0xd8, 0x3f, 0x2f,
+	0xc4, 0xef, 0x6f, 0xa9, 0x71, 0xbd, 0x89, 0x0e, 0x40, 0x34, 0xb4, 0x3a, 0x36, 0x88, 0x14, 0x2f,
+	0x26, 0xca, 0x99, 0xea, 0x8a, 0xf2, 0xd3, 0xa3, 0x2a, 0x83, 0xaa, 0xca, 0x1e, 0x83, 0x6e, 0x5b,
+	0xd4, 0xed, 0xa9, 0xbc, 0x0e, 0xca, 0xc2, 0x9c, 0x6e, 0x6a, 0x2d, 0x2c, 0x25, 0xbc, 0x66, 0xaa,
+	0x1f, 0xa0, 0x47, 0x90, 0x72, 0x3b, 0x96, 0xc7, 0x51, 0x4a, 0x16, 0x85, 0x72, 0xa6, 0x7a, 0x67,
+	0xa6, 0x46, 0xaa, 0x8f, 0x55, 0x83, 0x22, 0xa8, 0x0c, 0x49, 0xe2, 0xe0, 0x86, 0x34, 0xc7, 0x8a,
+	0x65, 0x15, 0x5f, 0x0d, 0x25, 0x50, 0x43, 0xd9, 0xb0, 0x7a, 0x2a, 0xcb, 0x40, 0x45, 0xc8, 0x10,
+	0x4b, 0x73, 0xc8, 0x89, 0x4d, 0x29, 0x76, 0x25, 0x91, 0xb1, 0x8a, 0xfe, 0x84, 0x16, 0xe0, 0xb7,
+	0x20, 0x3c, 0x6a, 0xe3, 0x9e, 0x94, 0xba, 0x9c, 0xf2, 0x10, 0xf7, 0xd0, 0x26, 0x40, 0xc3, 0xc5,
+	0x1a, 0xc5, 0xcd, 0x23, 0x8d, 0x4a, 0xf3, 0xac, 0xa9, 0x3c, 0xd2, 0xf4, 0x71, 0x30, 0x82, 0xda,
+	0xfc, 0xd9, 0x79, 0x21, 0xf6, 0xfe, 0x4b, 0x41, 0x50, 0xd3, 0x1c, 0xb7, 0x41, 0xbd, 0x22, 0x1d,
+	0xa7, 0x19, 0x14, 0x49, 0xcf, 0x52, 0x84, 0xe3, 0x36, 0x28, 0xaa, 0x03, 0xe0, 0xd7, 0x14, 0x5b,
+	0x44, 0xb7, 0x2d, 0x22, 0x01, 0x1b, 0xda, 0xbd, 0x99, 0xb4, 0xdc, 0x1e, 0xc0, 0xd9, 0xe0, 0x6a,
+	0x49, 0xaf, 0x8d, 0x1a, 0xa9, 0x2a, 0xaf, 0x42, 0x26, 0x32, 0x59, 0xf4, 0x07, 0x24, 0x3c, 0x59,
+	0xd8, 0xe5, 0x51, 0xbd, 0xa5, 0x37, 0xe3, 0xae, 0x66, 0x74, 0xb0, 0x14, 0xf7, 0x67, 0xcc, 0x82,
+	0xb5, 0xf8, 0x8a, 0x20, 0xef, 0x43, 0x8a, 0xcf, 0x0a, 0x21, 0x48, 0x5a, 0x9a, 0x89, 0x39, 0x8e,
+	0xad, 0x91, 0x02, 0x29, 0xdb, 0xa1, 0x8c, 0x7a, 0xfc, 0x07, 0x93, 0x0b, 0x92, 0xe4, 0x43, 0xf8,
+	0x7d, 0x88, 0xee, 0x18, 0x36, 0xff, 0x45, 0xd9, 0x4c, 0x2a, 0x19, 0x72, 0x2c, 0xdd, 0x82, 0x3f,
+	0x77, 0x31, 0x1d, 0x08, 0xa2, 0xe2, 0x57, 0x1d, 0x4c, 0xe8, 0x24, 0x8b, 0x94, 0x4e, 0x20, 0x7b,
+	0x39, 0x9d, 0x38, 0xb6, 0x45, 0x30, 0x3a, 0x80, 0xf4, 0x40, 0x62, 0x06, 0xcb, 0x54, 0xff, 0x9f,
+	0x65, 0x10, 0x5c, 0xf8, 0xb0, 0x48, 0x69, 0x09, 0xfe, 0xda, 0xd3, 0x49, 0xd8, 0x8a, 0x04, 0xd4,
+	0x24, 0x48, 0x1d, 0xeb, 0x06, 0xc5, 0x2e, 0x91, 0x84, 0x62, 0xa2, 0x9c, 0x56, 0x83, 0xb0, 0x64,
+	0x40, 0x6e, 0x18, 0xc2, 0xe9, 0xa9, 0x00, 0x61, 0x63, 0x06, 0xbb, 0x1a, 0xbf, 0x48, 0x95, 0xd2,
+	0x4b, 0xc8, 0x6d, 0xb2, 0xeb, 0x3c, 0x22, 0xde, 0xaf, 0x17, 0xa3, 0x0d, 0x7f, 0x8f, 0xf4, 0xba,
+	0x31, 0xe5, 0x3f, 0x0a, 0x90, 0x7b, 0xc2, 0x3c, 0x76, 0xf3, 0x27, 0x43, 0xeb, 0x90, 0xf1, 0xfd,
+	0xcc, 0xde, 0x73, 0x7e, 0x6b, 0x47, 0x1f, 0x82, 0x1d, 0xef, 0xc9, 0xdf, 0xd7, 0x48, 0x5b, 0xe5,
+	0xcf, 0x86, 0xb7, 0xf6, 0x64, 0x19, 0x21, 0x7a, 0x63, 0xb2, 0x2c, 0x42, 0x6e, 0x0b, 0x1b, 0x78,
+	0x8c, 0x2a, 0x93, 0xcc, 0x52, 0x87, 0xec, 0xa5, 0xfb, 0xb8, 0x8f, 0x09, 0xf1, 0xde, 0xff, 0x07,
+	0xd7, 0xe4, 0x16, 0x61, 0x55, 0xfd, 0x36, 0x07, 0x10, 0x5e, 0x78, 0xd4, 0x85, 0xc4, 0x2e, 0xa6,
+	0xe8, 0xee, 0x14, 0xe5, 0xc6, 0xd8, 0x5e, 0x5e, 0x9e, 0x19, 0xc7, 0xe5, 0x7e, 0x03, 0x49, 0xef,
+	0xa8, 0x68, 0x9a, 0xbf, 0xcc, 0xb1, 0xb6, 0x96, 0x57, 0xaf, 0x80, 0xe4, 0xcd, 0xdf, 0x09, 0x00,
+	0xde, 0xd6, 0x21, 0x75, 0xb1, 0x66, 0x5e, 0x83, 0xc3, 0xf2, 0xac, 0x48, 0x3e, 0xd1, 0x45, 0x01,
+	0x9d, 0x82, 0xe8, 0x3b, 0x14, 0x4d, 0x73, 0x90, 0xf1, 0x0f, 0x87, 0xbc, 0x76, 0x15, 0x28, 0x17,
+	0xe1, 0x14, 0x44, 0xdf, 0x0b, 0x53, 0x11, 0x18, 0xef, 0xef, 0xa9, 0x08, 0x4c, 0x72, 0xdc, 0x73,
+	0x10, 0x7d, 0x7f, 0x4c, 0x45, 0x60, 0xbc, 0x95, 0xe4, 0xdc, 0x88, 0xf3, 0xb7, 0xbd, 0x2f, 0xc1,
+	0xda, 0x8b, 0xb3, 0x8b, 0x7c, 0xec, 0xf3, 0x45, 0x3e, 0xf6, 0xb6, 0x9f, 0x17, 0xce, 0xfa, 0x79,
+	0xe1, 0x53, 0x3f, 0x2f, 0x7c, 0xed, 0xe7, 0x85, 0x67, 0x3b, 0xd7, 0xf8, 0xb8, 0x5d, 0x0f, 0xa3,
+	0xa7, 0xb1, 0xba, 0xc8, 0x7a, 0xde, 0xfe, 0x1e, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xd0, 0xae, 0xca, 0xcb,
+	0x2f, 0x0b, 0x00, 0x00,
 }
diff --git a/api/services/containers/v1/containers.proto b/api/services/containers/v1/containers.proto
index b7b32d949..d491f46cf 100644
--- a/api/services/containers/v1/containers.proto
+++ b/api/services/containers/v1/containers.proto
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ option go_package = "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/containers/v1
 service Containers {
 	rpc Get(GetContainerRequest) returns (GetContainerResponse);
 	rpc List(ListContainersRequest) returns (ListContainersResponse);
+	rpc ListStream(ListContainersRequest) returns (stream ListContainerMessage);
 	rpc Create(CreateContainerRequest) returns (CreateContainerResponse);
 	rpc Update(UpdateContainerRequest) returns (UpdateContainerResponse);
 	rpc Delete(DeleteContainerRequest) returns (google.protobuf.Empty);
@@ -156,3 +157,7 @@ message UpdateContainerResponse {
 message DeleteContainerRequest {
 	string id = 1;
 }
+
+message ListContainerMessage {
+	Container container = 1;
+}
diff --git a/containerstore.go b/containerstore.go
index ee3d8c727..2756e2a68 100644
--- a/containerstore.go
+++ b/containerstore.go
@@ -18,11 +18,15 @@ package containerd
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"io"
 
 	containersapi "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/containers/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/containers"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	ptypes "github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 )
 
 type remoteContainers struct {
@@ -50,15 +54,56 @@ func (r *remoteContainers) Get(ctx context.Context, id string) (containers.Conta
 }
 
 func (r *remoteContainers) List(ctx context.Context, filters ...string) ([]containers.Container, error) {
+	containers, err := r.stream(ctx, filters...)
+	if err != nil {
+		if err == errStreamNotAvailable {
+			return r.list(ctx, filters...)
+		}
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return containers, nil
+}
+
+func (r *remoteContainers) list(ctx context.Context, filters ...string) ([]containers.Container, error) {
 	resp, err := r.client.List(ctx, &containersapi.ListContainersRequest{
 		Filters: filters,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errdefs.FromGRPC(err)
 	}
-
 	return containersFromProto(resp.Containers), nil
+}
 
+var errStreamNotAvailable = errors.New("streaming api not available")
+
+func (r *remoteContainers) stream(ctx context.Context, filters ...string) ([]containers.Container, error) {
+	session, err := r.client.ListStream(ctx, &containersapi.ListContainersRequest{
+		Filters: filters,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errdefs.FromGRPC(err)
+	}
+	var containers []containers.Container
+	for {
+		c, err := session.Recv()
+		if err != nil {
+			if err == io.EOF {
+				return containers, nil
+			}
+			if s, ok := status.FromError(err); ok {
+				if s.Code() == codes.Unimplemented {
+					return nil, errStreamNotAvailable
+				}
+			}
+			return nil, errdefs.FromGRPC(err)
+		}
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return containers, ctx.Err()
+		default:
+			containers = append(containers, containerFromProto(c.Container))
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func (r *remoteContainers) Create(ctx context.Context, container containers.Container) (containers.Container, error) {
diff --git a/services/containers/local.go b/services/containers/local.go
index 424bc21e6..6f4b3d4d3 100644
--- a/services/containers/local.go
+++ b/services/containers/local.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package containers
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io"
 
 	"github.com/boltdb/bolt"
 	eventstypes "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/events"
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ import (
 	ptypes "github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	grpcm "google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 )
 
@@ -78,18 +80,30 @@ func (l *local) Get(ctx context.Context, req *api.GetContainerRequest, _ ...grpc
 
 func (l *local) List(ctx context.Context, req *api.ListContainersRequest, _ ...grpc.CallOption) (*api.ListContainersResponse, error) {
 	var resp api.ListContainersResponse
-
 	return &resp, errdefs.ToGRPC(l.withStoreView(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, store containers.Store) error {
 		containers, err := store.List(ctx, req.Filters...)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-
 		resp.Containers = containersToProto(containers)
 		return nil
 	}))
 }
 
+func (l *local) ListStream(ctx context.Context, req *api.ListContainersRequest, _ ...grpc.CallOption) (api.Containers_ListStreamClient, error) {
+	stream := &localStream{
+		ctx: ctx,
+	}
+	return stream, errdefs.ToGRPC(l.withStoreView(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, store containers.Store) error {
+		containers, err := store.List(ctx, req.Filters...)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		stream.containers = containersToProto(containers)
+		return nil
+	}))
+}
+
 func (l *local) Create(ctx context.Context, req *api.CreateContainerRequest, _ ...grpc.CallOption) (*api.CreateContainerResponse, error) {
 	var resp api.CreateContainerResponse
 
@@ -188,3 +202,44 @@ func (l *local) withStoreView(ctx context.Context, fn func(ctx context.Context,
 func (l *local) withStoreUpdate(ctx context.Context, fn func(ctx context.Context, store containers.Store) error) error {
 	return l.db.Update(l.withStore(ctx, fn))
 }
+
+type localStream struct {
+	ctx        context.Context
+	containers []api.Container
+	i          int
+}
+
+func (s *localStream) Recv() (*api.ListContainerMessage, error) {
+	if s.i >= len(s.containers) {
+		return nil, io.EOF
+	}
+	c := s.containers[s.i]
+	s.i++
+	return &api.ListContainerMessage{
+		Container: &c,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+func (s *localStream) Context() context.Context {
+	return s.ctx
+}
+
+func (s *localStream) CloseSend() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *localStream) Header() (grpcm.MD, error) {
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
+func (s *localStream) Trailer() grpcm.MD {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *localStream) SendMsg(m interface{}) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *localStream) RecvMsg(m interface{}) error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/services/containers/service.go b/services/containers/service.go
index 89c072cbb..897964aca 100644
--- a/services/containers/service.go
+++ b/services/containers/service.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package containers
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io"
 
 	api "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/containers/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
@@ -71,6 +72,31 @@ func (s *service) List(ctx context.Context, req *api.ListContainersRequest) (*ap
 	return s.local.List(ctx, req)
 }
 
+func (s *service) ListStream(req *api.ListContainersRequest, stream api.Containers_ListStreamServer) error {
+	containers, err := s.local.ListStream(stream.Context(), req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-stream.Context().Done():
+			return nil
+		default:
+			c, err := containers.Recv()
+			if err != nil {
+				if err == io.EOF {
+					return nil
+				}
+				return err
+			}
+			if err := stream.Send(c); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (s *service) Create(ctx context.Context, req *api.CreateContainerRequest) (*api.CreateContainerResponse, error) {
 	return s.local.Create(ctx, req)
 }