diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index f8b4b904d..e2605e714 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"runtime"
-	"strconv"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -34,11 +33,9 @@ import (
 	imagesservice "github.com/containerd/containerd/services/images"
 	snapshotservice "github.com/containerd/containerd/services/snapshot"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/snapshot"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/typeurl"
 	pempty "github.com/golang/protobuf/ptypes/empty"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/identity"
 	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
-	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/grpclog"
@@ -48,13 +45,6 @@ import (
 func init() {
 	// reset the grpc logger so that it does not output in the STDIO of the calling process
 	grpclog.SetLogger(log.New(ioutil.Discard, "", log.LstdFlags))
-
-	// 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")
 }
 
 type clientOpts struct {
diff --git a/runtime/typeurl.go b/runtime/typeurl.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..46b186d28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/typeurl.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package runtime
+
+import (
+	"strconv"
+
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/typeurl"
+	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
+)
+
+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")
+}