diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 7acda0841..81fb81103 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ func init() {
 
 	// register TypeUrls for commonly marshaled external types
 	major := strconv.Itoa(specs.VersionMajor)
-	typeurl.Register(specs.Spec{}, "opencontainers/runtime-spec", major, "Spec")
-	typeurl.Register(specs.Process{}, "opencontainers/runtime-spec", major, "Process")
-	typeurl.Register(specs.LinuxResources{}, "opencontainers/runtime-spec", major, "LinuxResources")
-	typeurl.Register(specs.WindowsResources{}, "opencontainers/runtime-spec", major, "WindowsResources")
+	typeurl.Register(&specs.Spec{}, "opencontainers/runtime-spec", major, "Spec")
+	typeurl.Register(&specs.Process{}, "opencontainers/runtime-spec", major, "Process")
+	typeurl.Register(&specs.LinuxResources{}, "opencontainers/runtime-spec", major, "LinuxResources")
+	typeurl.Register(&specs.WindowsResources{}, "opencontainers/runtime-spec", major, "WindowsResources")
 }
 
 type clientOpts struct {
diff --git a/linux/runcopts/options.go b/linux/runcopts/options.go
index 123f3deae..b45be84cc 100644
--- a/linux/runcopts/options.go
+++ b/linux/runcopts/options.go
@@ -5,12 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/typeurl"
 )
 
-func init() {
-	typeurl.Register(RuncOptions{}, "linux/runc/RuncOptions")
-	typeurl.Register(CreateOptions{}, "linux/runc/CreateOptions")
-	typeurl.Register(CheckpointOptions{}, "linux/runc/CheckpointOptions")
-}
-
 func WithExit(r *tasks.CheckpointTaskRequest) error {
 	a, err := typeurl.MarshalAny(&CheckpointOptions{
 		Exit: true,
diff --git a/linux/shim/init.go b/linux/shim/init.go
index 2e9aa6c93..d8388b39c 100644
--- a/linux/shim/init.go
+++ b/linux/shim/init.go
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/mount"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/typeurl"
 	"github.com/containerd/fifo"
 	runc "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
-	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
@@ -58,9 +58,11 @@ type initProcess struct {
 func newInitProcess(context context.Context, path, namespace string, r *shimapi.CreateTaskRequest) (*initProcess, error) {
 	var options runcopts.CreateOptions
 	if r.Options != nil {
-		if err := proto.Unmarshal(r.Options.Value, &options); err != nil {
+		v, err := typeurl.UnmarshalAny(r.Options)
+		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		options = *v.(*runcopts.CreateOptions)
 	}
 	for _, rm := range r.Rootfs {
 		m := &mount.Mount{
@@ -266,9 +268,11 @@ func (p *initProcess) Stdin() io.Closer {
 func (p *initProcess) Checkpoint(context context.Context, r *shimapi.CheckpointTaskRequest) error {
 	var options runcopts.CheckpointOptions
 	if r.Options != nil {
-		if err := proto.Unmarshal(r.Options.Value, &options); err != nil {
+		v, err := typeurl.UnmarshalAny(r.Options)
+		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		options = *v.(*runcopts.CheckpointOptions)
 	}
 	var actions []runc.CheckpointAction
 	if !options.Exit {
diff --git a/process.go b/process.go
index 7825f36ff..97ab94007 100644
--- a/process.go
+++ b/process.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ evloop:
 		if err != nil {
 			return UnknownExitStatus, err
 		}
-		if typeurl.Is(evt.Event, eventsapi.RuntimeEvent{}) {
+		if typeurl.Is(evt.Event, &eventsapi.RuntimeEvent{}) {
 			v, err := typeurl.UnmarshalAny(evt.Event)
 			if err != nil {
 				return UnknownExitStatus, err
diff --git a/task.go b/task.go
index 19a63b1e9..f55f60fda 100644
--- a/task.go
+++ b/task.go
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (t *task) Wait(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return UnknownExitStatus, err
 		}
-		if typeurl.Is(evt.Event, eventsapi.RuntimeEvent{}) {
+		if typeurl.Is(evt.Event, &eventsapi.RuntimeEvent{}) {
 			v, err := typeurl.UnmarshalAny(evt.Event)
 			if err != nil {
 				return UnknownExitStatus, err
diff --git a/typeurl/types.go b/typeurl/types.go
index 6184d2fb1..a93a5481b 100644
--- a/typeurl/types.go
+++ b/typeurl/types.go
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ func Register(v interface{}, args ...string) {
 // TypeURL returns the type url for a registred type
 func TypeURL(v interface{}) (string, error) {
 	mu.Lock()
-	defer mu.Unlock()
 	u, ok := registry[tryDereference(v)]
+	mu.Unlock()
 	if !ok {
 		// fallback to the proto registry if it is a proto message
 		pb, ok := v.(proto.Message)
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ func TypeURL(v interface{}) (string, error) {
 	return u, nil
 }
 
+// Is returns true if the type of the Any is the same as v
 func Is(any *types.Any, v interface{}) bool {
+	// call to check that v is a pointer
+	tryDereference(v)
 	url, err := TypeURL(v)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false
@@ -54,11 +57,9 @@ func Is(any *types.Any, v interface{}) bool {
 	return any.TypeUrl == url
 }
 
+// MarshalAny marshals the value v into an any with the correct TypeUrl
 func MarshalAny(v interface{}) (*types.Any, error) {
-	var (
-		err  error
-		data []byte
-	)
+	var data []byte
 	url, err := TypeURL(v)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ func MarshalAny(v interface{}) (*types.Any, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// UnmarshalAny unmarshals the any type into a concrete type
 func UnmarshalAny(any *types.Any) (interface{}, error) {
 	t, err := getTypeByUrl(any.TypeUrl)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -120,7 +122,8 @@ func getTypeByUrl(url string) (urlType, error) {
 func tryDereference(v interface{}) reflect.Type {
 	t := reflect.TypeOf(v)
 	if t.Kind() == reflect.Ptr {
-		t = t.Elem()
+		// require check of pointer but dereference to register
+		return t.Elem()
 	}
-	return t
+	panic("v is not a pointer to a type")
 }
diff --git a/typeurl/types_test.go b/typeurl/types_test.go
index 9f9bd3e2f..1535eeec1 100644
--- a/typeurl/types_test.go
+++ b/typeurl/types_test.go
@@ -18,35 +18,7 @@ func clear() {
 	registry = make(map[reflect.Type]string)
 }
 
-func TestRegsiterValueGetValue(t *testing.T) {
-	clear()
-	expected := filepath.Join(Prefix, "test")
-	Register(test{}, "test")
-
-	url, err := TypeURL(test{})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if url != expected {
-		t.Fatalf("expected %q but received %q", expected, url)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestRegsiterValueGetPointer(t *testing.T) {
-	clear()
-	expected := filepath.Join(Prefix, "test")
-	Register(test{}, "test")
-
-	url, err := TypeURL(&test{})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if url != expected {
-		t.Fatalf("expected %q but received %q", expected, url)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestRegsiterPointerGetPointer(t *testing.T) {
+func TestRegisterPointerGetPointer(t *testing.T) {
 	clear()
 	expected := filepath.Join(Prefix, "test")
 	Register(&test{}, "test")
@@ -60,24 +32,10 @@ func TestRegsiterPointerGetPointer(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestRegsiterPointerGetValue(t *testing.T) {
-	clear()
-	expected := filepath.Join(Prefix, "test")
-	Register(&test{}, "test")
-
-	url, err := TypeURL(test{})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if url != expected {
-		t.Fatalf("expected %q but received %q", expected, url)
-	}
-}
-
 func TestMarshal(t *testing.T) {
 	clear()
 	expected := filepath.Join(Prefix, "test")
-	Register(test{}, "test")
+	Register(&test{}, "test")
 
 	v := &test{
 		Name: "koye",
@@ -94,7 +52,7 @@ func TestMarshal(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestMarshalUnmarshal(t *testing.T) {
 	clear()
-	Register(test{}, "test")
+	Register(&test{}, "test")
 
 	v := &test{
 		Name: "koye",
@@ -122,7 +80,7 @@ func TestMarshalUnmarshal(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestIs(t *testing.T) {
 	clear()
-	Register(test{}, "test")
+	Register(&test{}, "test")
 
 	v := &test{
 		Name: "koye",
@@ -132,7 +90,7 @@ func TestIs(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if !Is(any, test{}) {
+	if !Is(any, &test{}) {
 		t.Fatal("Is(any, test{}) should be true")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/windows/runtime.go b/windows/runtime.go
index 289f1c940..675513a55 100644
--- a/windows/runtime.go
+++ b/windows/runtime.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func init() {
 		Type: plugin.RuntimePlugin,
 		Init: New,
 	})
-	typeurl.Register(RuntimeSpec{}, "windows/Spec")
+	typeurl.Register(&RuntimeSpec{}, "windows/Spec")
 }
 
 func New(ic *plugin.InitContext) (interface{}, error) {