diff --git a/container.go b/container.go
index ad60c69ea..c29e15463 100644
--- a/container.go
+++ b/container.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package containerd
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl"
 	prototypes "github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ func (c *container) Spec(ctx context.Context) (*specs.Spec, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var s specs.Spec
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(r.Spec.Value, &s); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/container_opts_unix.go b/container_opts_unix.go
index deda0f70f..40e53c70a 100644
--- a/container_opts_unix.go
+++ b/container_opts_unix.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ package containerd
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/platforms"
 	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
 	protobuf "github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	digest "github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/identity"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ func decodeIndex(ctx context.Context, store content.Store, id digest.Digest) (*v
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(p, &index); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/contrib/seccomp/seccomp.go b/contrib/seccomp/seccomp.go
index 1d4b1bfba..60cda71d3 100644
--- a/contrib/seccomp/seccomp.go
+++ b/contrib/seccomp/seccomp.go
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ package seccomp
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/containers"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/oci"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 )
 
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ func WithProfile(profile string) oci.SpecOpts {
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Cannot load seccomp profile %q: %v", profile, err)
 		}
+		json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(f, s.Linux.Seccomp); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Decoding seccomp profile failed %q: %v", profile, err)
 		}
diff --git a/images/image.go b/images/image.go
index 5fea0dcfc..6f813d80b 100644
--- a/images/image.go
+++ b/images/image.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package images
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -10,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/platforms"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	digest "github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
 	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ func Manifest(ctx context.Context, provider content.Provider, image ocispec.Desc
 			return ocispec.Manifest{}, err
 		}
 	}
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 
 	if err := Walk(ctx, HandlerFunc(func(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) ([]ocispec.Descriptor, error) {
 		switch desc.MediaType {
@@ -216,6 +217,7 @@ func Config(ctx context.Context, provider content.Provider, image ocispec.Descri
 // Platforms returns one or more platforms supported by the image.
 func Platforms(ctx context.Context, provider content.Provider, image ocispec.Descriptor) ([]ocispec.Platform, error) {
 	var platformSpecs []ocispec.Platform
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	return platformSpecs, Walk(ctx, Handlers(HandlerFunc(func(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor) ([]ocispec.Descriptor, error) {
 		if desc.Platform != nil {
 			platformSpecs = append(platformSpecs, *desc.Platform)
@@ -286,6 +288,7 @@ func Check(ctx context.Context, provider content.Provider, image ocispec.Descrip
 
 // Children returns the immediate children of content described by the descriptor.
 func Children(ctx context.Context, provider content.Provider, desc ocispec.Descriptor, platform string) ([]ocispec.Descriptor, error) {
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var descs []ocispec.Descriptor
 	switch desc.MediaType {
 	case MediaTypeDockerSchema2Manifest, ocispec.MediaTypeImageManifest:
@@ -354,6 +357,7 @@ func RootFS(ctx context.Context, provider content.Provider, configDesc ocispec.D
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var config ocispec.Image
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(p, &config); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/images/oci/exporter.go b/images/oci/exporter.go
index 9a559aa6e..477fd1784 100644
--- a/images/oci/exporter.go
+++ b/images/oci/exporter.go
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@ package oci
 import (
 	"archive/tar"
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"io"
 	"sort"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/content"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/images"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/platforms"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	ocispecs "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go"
 	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ func ociLayoutFile(version string) tarRecord {
 		Version: version,
 	}
 
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
+
 	b, err := json.Marshal(layout)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
@@ -144,6 +146,7 @@ func ociIndexRecord(manifests ...ocispec.Descriptor) tarRecord {
 		Manifests: manifests,
 	}
 
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	b, err := json.Marshal(index)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
diff --git a/images/oci/importer.go b/images/oci/importer.go
index f024fafe8..311b34190 100644
--- a/images/oci/importer.go
+++ b/images/oci/importer.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ package oci
 import (
 	"archive/tar"
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/content"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/images"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	digest "github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
 	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ func onUntarIndexJSON(r io.Reader, imageName string) ([]images.Image, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var idx ocispec.Index
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &idx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ func onUntarBlob(ctx context.Context, r io.Reader, store content.Store, name str
 // - images.MediaTypeDockerSchema2Manifest, ocispec.MediaTypeImageManifest
 // - images.MediaTypeDockerSchema2ManifestList, ocispec.MediaTypeImageIndex
 func GetChildrenDescriptors(r io.Reader, desc ocispec.Descriptor) ([]ocispec.Descriptor, error) {
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	switch desc.MediaType {
 	case images.MediaTypeDockerSchema2Manifest, ocispec.MediaTypeImageManifest:
 		var manifest ocispec.Manifest
diff --git a/linux/proc/init.go b/linux/proc/init.go
index 29306ce58..8ad1a1533 100644
--- a/linux/proc/init.go
+++ b/linux/proc/init.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ package proc
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	runc "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl"
 	google_protobuf "github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
@@ -349,6 +349,7 @@ func (p *Init) Runtime() *runc.Runc {
 // exec returns a new exec'd process
 func (p *Init) exec(context context.Context, path string, r *ExecConfig) (Process, error) {
 	// process exec request
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var spec specs.Process
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(r.Spec.Value, &spec); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -406,6 +407,7 @@ func (p *Init) checkpoint(context context.Context, r *CheckpointConfig) error {
 }
 
 func (p *Init) update(context context.Context, r *google_protobuf.Any) error {
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var resources specs.LinuxResources
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(r.Value, &resources); err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/mount/mount_windows.go b/mount/mount_windows.go
index 6d37fda2a..940473d26 100644
--- a/mount/mount_windows.go
+++ b/mount/mount_windows.go
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 package mount
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/Microsoft/hcsshim"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ const ParentLayerPathsFlag = "parentLayerPaths="
 // GetParentPaths of the mount
 func (m *Mount) GetParentPaths() ([]string, error) {
 	var parentLayerPaths []string
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	for _, option := range m.Options {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(option, ParentLayerPathsFlag) {
 			err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(option[len(ParentLayerPathsFlag):]), &parentLayerPaths)
diff --git a/oci/spec_opts_unix.go b/oci/spec_opts_unix.go
index 3e6d82c78..40f33753d 100644
--- a/oci/spec_opts_unix.go
+++ b/oci/spec_opts_unix.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ package oci
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -17,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/images"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/mount"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/namespaces"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/user"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ func WithLinuxNamespace(ns specs.LinuxNamespace) SpecOpts {
 // WithImageConfig configures the spec to from the configuration of an Image
 func WithImageConfig(image Image) SpecOpts {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, client Client, c *containers.Container, s *specs.Spec) error {
+		json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 		ic, err := image.Config(ctx)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/oci/spec_opts_windows.go b/oci/spec_opts_windows.go
index 796ad5598..e8751caed 100644
--- a/oci/spec_opts_windows.go
+++ b/oci/spec_opts_windows.go
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ package oci
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/containers"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/content"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/images"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 )
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ func WithImageConfig(image Image) SpecOpts {
 		var (
 			ociimage v1.Image
 			config   v1.ImageConfig
+			json     = jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 		)
 		switch ic.MediaType {
 		case v1.MediaTypeImageConfig, images.MediaTypeDockerSchema2Config:
diff --git a/remotes/docker/schema1/converter.go b/remotes/docker/schema1/converter.go
index 6b74cd67e..6cebd7a1f 100644
--- a/remotes/docker/schema1/converter.go
+++ b/remotes/docker/schema1/converter.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"compress/gzip"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/base64"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -21,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/images"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/remotes"
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
 	digest "github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go"
 	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ func (c *Converter) Convert(ctx context.Context) (ocispec.Descriptor, error) {
 		return ocispec.Descriptor{}, errors.Wrap(err, "schema 1 conversion failed")
 	}
 
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var img ocispec.Image
 	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(c.pulledManifest.History[0].V1Compatibility), &img); err != nil {
 		return ocispec.Descriptor{}, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to unmarshal image from schema 1 history")
@@ -194,6 +195,7 @@ func (c *Converter) fetchManifest(ctx context.Context, desc ocispec.Descriptor)
 		return err
 	}
 
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var m manifest
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &m); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -316,6 +318,7 @@ func (c *Converter) schema1ManifestHistory() ([]ocispec.History, []digest.Digest
 		return nil, nil, errors.New("no history")
 	}
 
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	history := make([]ocispec.History, len(m.History))
 	diffIDs := []digest.Digest{}
 	for i := range m.History {
@@ -373,6 +376,7 @@ type v1History struct {
 // empty layer. A return value of true indicates the layer is empty,
 // however false does not indicate non-empty.
 func isEmptyLayer(compatHistory []byte) (bool, error) {
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var h v1History
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(compatHistory, &h); err != nil {
 		return false, err
@@ -422,6 +426,7 @@ func joseBase64UrlDecode(s string) ([]byte, error) {
 }
 
 func stripSignature(b []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	json := jsoniter.ConfigCompatibleWithStandardLibrary
 	var sig signature
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &sig); err != nil {
 		return nil, err