diff --git a/cmd/containerd/server/config/config.go b/cmd/containerd/server/config/config.go
index 24687b873..bc1a43b2b 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd/server/config/config.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd/server/config/config.go
@@ -133,7 +133,12 @@ func (c *Config) ValidateVersion() error {
 
 // MigrateConfig will convert the config to the latest version before using
 func (c *Config) MigrateConfig(ctx context.Context) error {
-	for c.Version < version.ConfigVersion {
+	return c.MigrateConfigTo(ctx, version.ConfigVersion)
+}
+
+// MigrateConfigTo will convert the config to the target version before using
+func (c *Config) MigrateConfigTo(ctx context.Context, targetVersion int) error {
+	for c.Version < targetVersion {
 		if m := migrations[c.Version]; m != nil {
 			if err := m(ctx, c); err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -297,6 +302,15 @@ func LoadConfig(ctx context.Context, path string, out *Config) error {
 			return err
 		}
 
+		switch config.Version {
+		case 0, 1:
+			if err := config.MigrateConfigTo(ctx, out.Version); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		default:
+			// NOP
+		}
+
 		if err := mergeConfig(out, config); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}