diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/content/content.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/content/content.go
index 737fc1672..a0b03fe38 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/content/content.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/content/content.go
@@ -78,7 +78,9 @@ var (
 			}
 			defer ra.Close()
 
-			_, err = io.Copy(os.Stdout, content.NewReader(ra))
+			// use 1MB buffer like we do for ingesting
+			buf := make([]byte, 1<<20)
+			_, err = io.CopyBuffer(os.Stdout, content.NewReader(ra), buf)
 			return err
 		},
 	}