diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/commands_unix.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/commands_unix.go
index a67fa8f6a..38ee594f0 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/commands_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/commands_unix.go
@@ -29,5 +29,12 @@ func init() {
 	}, cli.BoolFlag{
 		Name:  "no-pivot",
 		Usage: "disable use of pivot-root (linux only)",
+	}, cli.Int64Flag{
+		Name:  "cpu-quota",
+		Usage: "Limit CPU CFS quota",
+		Value: -1,
+	}, cli.Uint64Flag{
+		Name:  "cpu-period",
+		Usage: "Limit CPU CFS period",
 	})
 }
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_unix.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_unix.go
index d84ed0238..45b8781ab 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run_unix.go
@@ -192,6 +192,15 @@ func NewContainer(ctx gocontext.Context, client *containerd.Client, context *cli
 			opts = append(opts, oci.WithCPUCFS(quota, period))
 		}
 
+		quota := context.Int64("cpu-quota")
+		period := context.Uint64("cpu-period")
+		if quota != -1 || period != 0 {
+			if cpus := context.Float64("cpus"); cpus > 0.0 {
+				return nil, errors.New("cpus and quota/period should be used separately")
+			}
+			opts = append(opts, oci.WithCPUCFS(quota, period))
+		}
+
 		joinNs := context.StringSlice("with-ns")
 		for _, ns := range joinNs {
 			parts := strings.Split(ns, ":")