diff --git a/cmd/ctr/attach.go b/cmd/ctr/attach.go
index d11ba747f..c4934fa21 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/attach.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/attach.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
-var attachCommand = cli.Command{
+var taskAttachCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:      "attach",
 	Usage:     "attach to the IO of a running container",
 	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER",
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/checkpoint.go b/cmd/ctr/checkpoint.go
index 2bea3169a..f34fc83ab 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/checkpoint.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/checkpoint.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
-var checkpointCommand = cli.Command{
+var taskCheckpointCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:      "checkpoint",
 	Usage:     "checkpoint a container",
 	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER",
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/delete.go b/cmd/ctr/container_delete.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/ctr/delete.go
rename to cmd/ctr/container_delete.go
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/containers.go b/cmd/ctr/containers.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06002a53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/ctr/containers.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"text/tabwriter"
+
+	"github.com/urfave/cli"
+)
+
+var containersCommand = cli.Command{
+	Name:    "containers",
+	Usage:   "manage containers (metadata)",
+	Aliases: []string{"c"},
+	Flags: []cli.Flag{
+		cli.BoolFlag{
+			Name:  "quiet, q",
+			Usage: "print only the container id",
+		},
+	},
+	Subcommands: []cli.Command{
+		containersDeleteCommand,
+		containersSetLabelsCommand,
+		containerInfoCommand,
+	},
+	ArgsUsage: "[filter, ...]",
+	Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
+		var (
+			filters     = context.Args()
+			quiet       = context.Bool("quiet")
+			ctx, cancel = appContext(context)
+		)
+		defer cancel()
+
+		client, err := newClient(context)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		containers, err := client.Containers(ctx, filters...)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if quiet {
+			for _, c := range containers {
+				fmt.Printf("%s\n", c.ID())
+			}
+			return nil
+		}
+		w := tabwriter.NewWriter(os.Stdout, 4, 8, 4, ' ', 0)
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "CONTAINER\tIMAGE\tRUNTIME\tLABELS\t")
+		for _, c := range containers {
+			var labelStrings []string
+			for k, v := range c.Info().Labels {
+				labelStrings = append(labelStrings, strings.Join([]string{k, v}, "="))
+			}
+			labels := strings.Join(labelStrings, ",")
+			if labels == "" {
+				labels = "-"
+			}
+			imageName := c.Info().Image
+			if imageName == "" {
+				imageName = "-"
+			}
+			record := c.Info()
+			if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s\t%v\t\n",
+				c.ID(),
+				imageName,
+				record.Runtime.Name,
+				labels,
+			); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		return w.Flush()
+	},
+}
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/exec.go b/cmd/ctr/exec.go
index 82fd7a83c..015836d81 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/exec.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/exec.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
-var execCommand = cli.Command{
+var taskExecCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:      "exec",
 	Usage:     "execute additional processes in an existing container",
 	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER CMD [ARG...]",
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/info.go b/cmd/ctr/info.go
index 37a7400fa..fcbc28e3a 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/info.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/info.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
-var infoCommand = cli.Command{
+var containerInfoCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:      "info",
 	Usage:     "get info about a container",
 	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER",
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/kill.go b/cmd/ctr/kill.go
index 53213384f..ff914d18b 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/kill.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/kill.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
-var killCommand = cli.Command{
+var taskKillCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:      "kill",
 	Usage:     "signal a container (default: SIGTERM)",
 	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER",
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/list.go b/cmd/ctr/list.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 36897cf50..000000000
--- a/cmd/ctr/list.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,138 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os"
-	"strings"
-	"text/tabwriter"
-
-	tasks "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/tasks/v1"
-	"github.com/urfave/cli"
-)
-
-var taskListCommand = cli.Command{
-	Name:    "tasks",
-	Usage:   "manage tasks",
-	Aliases: []string{"t"},
-	Subcommands: []cli.Command{
-		{
-			Name:    "list",
-			Usage:   "list tasks",
-			Aliases: []string{"ls"},
-			Flags: []cli.Flag{
-				cli.BoolFlag{
-					Name:  "quiet, q",
-					Usage: "print only the task id & pid",
-				},
-			},
-			Action: taskListFn,
-		},
-	},
-}
-
-var containersListCommand = cli.Command{
-	Name:      "list",
-	Usage:     "list all tasks or those that match a filter",
-	ArgsUsage: "[filter, ...]",
-	Aliases:   []string{"ls"},
-	Flags: []cli.Flag{
-		cli.BoolFlag{
-			Name:  "quiet, q",
-			Usage: "print only the container id",
-		},
-	},
-	Action: containerListFn,
-}
-
-func taskListFn(context *cli.Context) error {
-	var (
-		quiet       = context.Bool("quiet")
-		ctx, cancel = appContext(context)
-	)
-	defer cancel()
-
-	client, err := newClient(context)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	s := client.TaskService()
-	response, err := s.List(ctx, &tasks.ListTasksRequest{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if quiet {
-		for _, task := range response.Tasks {
-			fmt.Println(task.ID)
-		}
-	} else {
-		w := tabwriter.NewWriter(os.Stdout, 4, 8, 4, ' ', 0)
-		fmt.Fprintln(w, "TASK\tPID\tSTATUS\t")
-		for _, task := range response.Tasks {
-			if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%d\t%s\n",
-				task.ID,
-				task.Pid,
-				task.Status.String(),
-			); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-		}
-		return w.Flush()
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func containerListFn(context *cli.Context) error {
-	var (
-		filters     = context.Args()
-		quiet       = context.Bool("quiet")
-		ctx, cancel = appContext(context)
-	)
-	defer cancel()
-
-	client, err := newClient(context)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	containers, err := client.Containers(ctx, filters...)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if quiet {
-		for _, c := range containers {
-			fmt.Printf("%s\n", c.ID())
-		}
-	} else {
-		w := tabwriter.NewWriter(os.Stdout, 4, 8, 4, ' ', 0)
-		fmt.Fprintln(w, "CONTAINER\tIMAGE\tRUNTIME\tLABELS\t")
-		for _, c := range containers {
-			var labelStrings []string
-			for k, v := range c.Info().Labels {
-				labelStrings = append(labelStrings, strings.Join([]string{k, v}, "="))
-			}
-			labels := strings.Join(labelStrings, ",")
-			if labels == "" {
-				labels = "-"
-			}
-
-			imageName := c.Info().Image
-			if imageName == "" {
-				imageName = "-"
-			}
-
-			record := c.Info()
-			if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s\t%v\t\n",
-				c.ID(),
-				imageName,
-				record.Runtime.Name,
-				labels,
-			); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-		}
-		return w.Flush()
-	}
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/main.go b/cmd/ctr/main.go
index 61d8b5d92..9cdee0afc 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/main.go
@@ -65,30 +65,21 @@ containerd CLI
 	}
 	app.Commands = append([]cli.Command{
 		applyCommand,
-		attachCommand,
-		checkpointCommand,
 		containersCommand,
 		contentCommand,
 		eventsCommand,
-		execCommand,
 		fetchCommand,
 		fetchObjectCommand,
 		imageCommand,
-		infoCommand,
-		killCommand,
 		namespacesCommand,
-		pauseCommand,
 		pprofCommand,
-		psCommand,
 		pullCommand,
 		pushCommand,
 		pushObjectCommand,
-		resumeCommand,
 		rootfsCommand,
 		runCommand,
 		snapshotCommand,
-		startCommand,
-		taskListCommand,
+		tasksCommand,
 		versionCommand,
 	}, extraCmds...)
 	app.Before = func(context *cli.Context) error {
@@ -102,14 +93,3 @@ containerd CLI
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 }
-
-var containersCommand = cli.Command{
-	Name:    "containers",
-	Usage:   "manage containers (metadata)",
-	Aliases: []string{"c"},
-	Subcommands: []cli.Command{
-		containersListCommand,
-		containersDeleteCommand,
-		containersSetLabelsCommand,
-	},
-}
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/pause.go b/cmd/ctr/pause.go
index 5b2647ae1..4ed454248 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/pause.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/pause.go
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import "github.com/urfave/cli"
 
-var pauseCommand = cli.Command{
+var taskPauseCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:      "pause",
 	Usage:     "pause an existing container",
 	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER",
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/ps.go b/cmd/ctr/ps.go
index 5ed3eca46..c0a3f354a 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/ps.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/ps.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
-var psCommand = cli.Command{
+var taskPsCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:      "ps",
 	Usage:     "list processes for container",
 	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER",
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/resume.go b/cmd/ctr/resume.go
index aeb5dbf55..79258c29c 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/resume.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/resume.go
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import "github.com/urfave/cli"
 
-var resumeCommand = cli.Command{
+var taskResumeCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:      "resume",
 	Usage:     "resume a paused container",
 	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER",
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/start.go b/cmd/ctr/start.go
index 066b3c53c..59ebefebd 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/start.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/start.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
-var startCommand = cli.Command{
+var taskStartCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:      "start",
 	Usage:     "start a container that have been created",
 	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER",
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/task.go b/cmd/ctr/task.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f1d84941e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/ctr/task.go
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"text/tabwriter"
+
+	tasks "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/tasks/v1"
+	"github.com/urfave/cli"
+)
+
+var tasksCommand = cli.Command{
+	Name:    "tasks",
+	Usage:   "manage tasks",
+	Aliases: []string{"t"},
+	Flags: []cli.Flag{
+		cli.BoolFlag{
+			Name:  "quiet, q",
+			Usage: "print only the task id & pid",
+		},
+	},
+	Subcommands: []cli.Command{
+		taskAttachCommand,
+		taskCheckpointCommand,
+		taskExecCommand,
+		taskKillCommand,
+		taskPauseCommand,
+		taskPsCommand,
+		taskResumeCommand,
+		taskStartCommand,
+		taskDeleteCommand,
+	},
+	Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
+		var (
+			quiet       = context.Bool("quiet")
+			ctx, cancel = appContext(context)
+		)
+		defer cancel()
+
+		client, err := newClient(context)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		s := client.TaskService()
+		response, err := s.List(ctx, &tasks.ListTasksRequest{})
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if quiet {
+			for _, task := range response.Tasks {
+				fmt.Println(task.ID)
+			}
+			return nil
+		}
+		w := tabwriter.NewWriter(os.Stdout, 4, 8, 4, ' ', 0)
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "TASK\tPID\tSTATUS\t")
+		for _, task := range response.Tasks {
+			if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%d\t%s\n",
+				task.ID,
+				task.Pid,
+				task.Status.String(),
+			); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		return w.Flush()
+	},
+}
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/task_delete.go b/cmd/ctr/task_delete.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..932cc3b80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/ctr/task_delete.go
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package main
+
+import "github.com/urfave/cli"
+
+var taskDeleteCommand = cli.Command{
+	Name:      "delete",
+	Usage:     "delete a task",
+	ArgsUsage: "CONTAINER",
+	Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
+		ctx, cancel := appContext(context)
+		defer cancel()
+		client, err := newClient(context)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		container, err := client.LoadContainer(ctx, context.Args().First())
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		task, err := container.Task(ctx, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		status, err := task.Delete(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if status != 0 {
+			return cli.NewExitError("", int(status))
+		}
+		return nil
+	},
+}