diff --git a/linux/runtime.go b/linux/runtime.go
index f903c7665..18e20bb6c 100644
--- a/linux/runtime.go
+++ b/linux/runtime.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/metadata"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/namespaces"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
 	runc "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
 	google_protobuf "github.com/golang/protobuf/ptypes/empty"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ func init() {
 	})
 }
 
-var _ = (plugin.Runtime)(&Runtime{})
+var _ = (runtime.Runtime)(&Runtime{})
 
 type Config struct {
 	// Shim is a path or name of binary implementing the Shim GRPC API
@@ -90,10 +91,10 @@ func New(ic *plugin.InitContext) (interface{}, error) {
 		remote:        !cfg.NoShim,
 		shim:          cfg.Shim,
 		runtime:       cfg.Runtime,
-		events:        make(chan *plugin.Event, 2048),
+		events:        make(chan *runtime.Event, 2048),
 		eventsContext: c,
 		eventsCancel:  cancel,
-		monitor:       monitor.(plugin.TaskMonitor),
+		monitor:       monitor.(runtime.TaskMonitor),
 		tasks:         newTaskList(),
 		emitter:       events.GetPoster(ic.Context),
 		db:            m.(*bolt.DB),
@@ -121,10 +122,10 @@ type Runtime struct {
 	runtime string
 	remote  bool
 
-	events        chan *plugin.Event
+	events        chan *runtime.Event
 	eventsContext context.Context
 	eventsCancel  func()
-	monitor       plugin.TaskMonitor
+	monitor       runtime.TaskMonitor
 	tasks         *taskList
 	emitter       events.Poster
 	db            *bolt.DB
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ func (r *Runtime) ID() string {
 	return pluginID
 }
 
-func (r *Runtime) Create(ctx context.Context, id string, opts plugin.CreateOpts) (_ plugin.Task, err error) {
+func (r *Runtime) Create(ctx context.Context, id string, opts runtime.CreateOpts) (_ runtime.Task, err error) {
 	namespace, err := namespaces.NamespaceRequired(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ func (r *Runtime) Create(ctx context.Context, id string, opts plugin.CreateOpts)
 	return t, nil
 }
 
-func (r *Runtime) Delete(ctx context.Context, c plugin.Task) (*plugin.Exit, error) {
+func (r *Runtime) Delete(ctx context.Context, c runtime.Task) (*runtime.Exit, error) {
 	namespace, err := namespaces.NamespaceRequired(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -249,19 +250,19 @@ func (r *Runtime) Delete(ctx context.Context, c plugin.Task) (*plugin.Exit, erro
 	}); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return &plugin.Exit{
+	return &runtime.Exit{
 		Status:    rsp.ExitStatus,
 		Timestamp: rsp.ExitedAt,
 		Pid:       rsp.Pid,
 	}, bundle.Delete()
 }
 
-func (r *Runtime) Tasks(ctx context.Context) ([]plugin.Task, error) {
+func (r *Runtime) Tasks(ctx context.Context) ([]runtime.Task, error) {
 	namespace, err := namespaces.NamespaceRequired(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	var o []plugin.Task
+	var o []runtime.Task
 	tasks, ok := r.tasks.tasks[namespace]
 	if !ok {
 		return o, nil
@@ -293,7 +294,7 @@ func (r *Runtime) restoreTasks(ctx context.Context) ([]*Task, error) {
 	return o, nil
 }
 
-func (r *Runtime) Get(ctx context.Context, id string) (plugin.Task, error) {
+func (r *Runtime) Get(ctx context.Context, id string) (runtime.Task, error) {
 	return r.tasks.get(ctx, id)
 }
 
@@ -355,25 +356,25 @@ func (r *Runtime) forward(ctx context.Context, events shim.Shim_StreamClient) {
 			return
 		}
 		topic := ""
-		var et plugin.EventType
+		var et runtime.EventType
 		switch e.Type {
 		case shim.Event_CREATE:
 			topic = "task-create"
-			et = plugin.CreateEvent
+			et = runtime.CreateEvent
 		case shim.Event_START:
 			topic = "task-start"
-			et = plugin.StartEvent
+			et = runtime.StartEvent
 		case shim.Event_EXEC_ADDED:
 			topic = "task-execadded"
-			et = plugin.ExecAddEvent
+			et = runtime.ExecAddEvent
 		case shim.Event_OOM:
 			topic = "task-oom"
-			et = plugin.OOMEvent
+			et = runtime.OOMEvent
 		case shim.Event_EXIT:
 			topic = "task-exit"
-			et = plugin.ExitEvent
+			et = runtime.ExitEvent
 		}
-		r.events <- &plugin.Event{
+		r.events <- &runtime.Event{
 			Timestamp:  time.Now(),
 			Runtime:    r.ID(),
 			Type:       et,
diff --git a/linux/shim/init.go b/linux/shim/init.go
index 2d79fbad0..f47243311 100644
--- a/linux/shim/init.go
+++ b/linux/shim/init.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 	shimapi "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/mount"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
 	"github.com/containerd/fifo"
 	runc "github.com/containerd/go-runc"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ func checkKillError(err error) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 	if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "os: process already finished") || err == unix.ESRCH {
-		return plugin.ErrProcessExited
+		return runtime.ErrProcessExited
 	}
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/linux/task.go b/linux/task.go
index af369e5a3..74c7046df 100644
--- a/linux/task.go
+++ b/linux/task.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/api/types/task"
 	client "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim"
 	shim "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/v1"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
 	protobuf "github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ func newTask(id, namespace string, spec []byte, shim *client.Client) *Task {
 	}
 }
 
-func (t *Task) Info() plugin.TaskInfo {
-	return plugin.TaskInfo{
+func (t *Task) Info() runtime.TaskInfo {
+	return runtime.TaskInfo{
 		ID:          t.containerID,
 		ContainerID: t.containerID,
 		Runtime:     pluginID,
@@ -50,24 +50,24 @@ func (t *Task) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func (t *Task) State(ctx context.Context) (plugin.State, error) {
+func (t *Task) State(ctx context.Context) (runtime.State, error) {
 	response, err := t.shim.State(ctx, empty)
 	if err != nil {
-		return plugin.State{}, errors.New(grpc.ErrorDesc(err))
+		return runtime.State{}, errors.New(grpc.ErrorDesc(err))
 	}
-	var status plugin.Status
+	var status runtime.Status
 	switch response.Status {
 	case task.StatusCreated:
-		status = plugin.CreatedStatus
+		status = runtime.CreatedStatus
 	case task.StatusRunning:
-		status = plugin.RunningStatus
+		status = runtime.RunningStatus
 	case task.StatusStopped:
-		status = plugin.StoppedStatus
+		status = runtime.StoppedStatus
 	case task.StatusPaused:
-		status = plugin.PausedStatus
+		status = runtime.PausedStatus
 		// TODO: containerd.DeletedStatus
 	}
-	return plugin.State{
+	return runtime.State{
 		Pid:      response.Pid,
 		Status:   status,
 		Stdin:    response.Stdin,
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func (t *Task) Kill(ctx context.Context, signal uint32, pid uint32, all bool) er
 	return err
 }
 
-func (t *Task) Exec(ctx context.Context, opts plugin.ExecOpts) (plugin.Process, error) {
+func (t *Task) Exec(ctx context.Context, opts runtime.ExecOpts) (runtime.Process, error) {
 	request := &shim.ExecProcessRequest{
 		Stdin:    opts.IO.Stdin,
 		Stdout:   opts.IO.Stdout,
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ func (t *Task) Processes(ctx context.Context) ([]uint32, error) {
 	return pids, nil
 }
 
-func (t *Task) ResizePty(ctx context.Context, pid uint32, size plugin.ConsoleSize) error {
+func (t *Task) ResizePty(ctx context.Context, pid uint32, size runtime.ConsoleSize) error {
 	_, err := t.shim.ResizePty(ctx, &shim.ResizePtyRequest{
 		Pid:    pid,
 		Width:  size.Width,
@@ -178,14 +178,14 @@ func (t *Task) Checkpoint(ctx context.Context, path string, options map[string]s
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *Task) DeleteProcess(ctx context.Context, pid uint32) (*plugin.Exit, error) {
+func (t *Task) DeleteProcess(ctx context.Context, pid uint32) (*runtime.Exit, error) {
 	r, err := t.shim.DeleteProcess(ctx, &shim.DeleteProcessRequest{
 		Pid: pid,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.New(grpc.ErrorDesc(err))
 	}
-	return &plugin.Exit{
+	return &runtime.Exit{
 		Status:    r.ExitStatus,
 		Timestamp: r.ExitedAt,
 		Pid:       pid,
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func (p *Process) Kill(ctx context.Context, signal uint32, _ bool) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func (p *Process) State(ctx context.Context) (plugin.State, error) {
+func (p *Process) State(ctx context.Context) (runtime.State, error) {
 	// use the container status for the status of the process
 	state, err := p.t.State(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/metrics/cgroups/cgroups.go b/metrics/cgroups/cgroups.go
index 10f2a80ac..1996d5ec5 100644
--- a/metrics/cgroups/cgroups.go
+++ b/metrics/cgroups/cgroups.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/containerd/cgroups"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
 	metrics "github.com/docker/go-metrics"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 )
@@ -40,10 +41,10 @@ type cgroupsMonitor struct {
 	collector *Collector
 	oom       *OOMCollector
 	context   context.Context
-	events    chan<- *plugin.Event
+	events    chan<- *runtime.Event
 }
 
-func (m *cgroupsMonitor) Monitor(c plugin.Task) error {
+func (m *cgroupsMonitor) Monitor(c runtime.Task) error {
 	info := c.Info()
 	state, err := c.State(m.context)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -59,20 +60,20 @@ func (m *cgroupsMonitor) Monitor(c plugin.Task) error {
 	return m.oom.Add(info.ID, info.Namespace, cg, m.trigger)
 }
 
-func (m *cgroupsMonitor) Stop(c plugin.Task) error {
+func (m *cgroupsMonitor) Stop(c runtime.Task) error {
 	info := c.Info()
 	m.collector.Remove(info.ID, info.Namespace)
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (m *cgroupsMonitor) Events(events chan<- *plugin.Event) {
+func (m *cgroupsMonitor) Events(events chan<- *runtime.Event) {
 	m.events = events
 }
 
 func (m *cgroupsMonitor) trigger(id string, cg cgroups.Cgroup) {
-	m.events <- &plugin.Event{
+	m.events <- &runtime.Event{
 		Timestamp: time.Now(),
-		Type:      plugin.OOMEvent,
+		Type:      runtime.OOMEvent,
 		ID:        id,
 	}
 }
diff --git a/plugin/errors.go b/runtime/errors.go
similarity index 95%
rename from plugin/errors.go
rename to runtime/errors.go
index bb402716e..c55fbbb68 100644
--- a/plugin/errors.go
+++ b/runtime/errors.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package plugin
+package runtime
 
 import "errors"
 
diff --git a/plugin/event.go b/runtime/event.go
similarity index 97%
rename from plugin/event.go
rename to runtime/event.go
index 8e131fce5..d34060b3d 100644
--- a/plugin/event.go
+++ b/runtime/event.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package plugin
+package runtime
 
 import "time"
 
diff --git a/plugin/monitor.go b/runtime/monitor.go
similarity index 98%
rename from plugin/monitor.go
rename to runtime/monitor.go
index 12b4115b2..5171a2f6d 100644
--- a/plugin/monitor.go
+++ b/runtime/monitor.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package plugin
+package runtime
 
 // TaskMonitor provides an interface for monitoring of containers within containerd
 type TaskMonitor interface {
diff --git a/plugin/runtime.go b/runtime/runtime.go
similarity index 98%
rename from plugin/runtime.go
rename to runtime/runtime.go
index 4c6f44d6e..c2eb902f4 100644
--- a/plugin/runtime.go
+++ b/runtime/runtime.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package plugin
+package runtime
 
 import (
 	"context"
diff --git a/plugin/task.go b/runtime/task.go
similarity index 99%
rename from plugin/task.go
rename to runtime/task.go
index d42499d76..19682a948 100644
--- a/plugin/task.go
+++ b/runtime/task.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package plugin
+package runtime
 
 import "context"
 
diff --git a/services/tasks/service.go b/services/tasks/service.go
index c9bd387f1..ad427d373 100644
--- a/services/tasks/service.go
+++ b/services/tasks/service.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/metadata"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/mount"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
 	protobuf "github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"
 	google_protobuf "github.com/golang/protobuf/ptypes/empty"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go"
@@ -62,9 +63,9 @@ func New(ic *plugin.InitContext) (interface{}, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	runtimes := make(map[string]plugin.Runtime)
+	runtimes := make(map[string]runtime.Runtime)
 	for _, rr := range rt {
-		r := rr.(plugin.Runtime)
+		r := rr.(runtime.Runtime)
 		runtimes[r.ID()] = r
 	}
 	e := events.GetPoster(ic.Context)
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ func New(ic *plugin.InitContext) (interface{}, error) {
 }
 
 type Service struct {
-	runtimes map[string]plugin.Runtime
+	runtimes map[string]runtime.Runtime
 	db       *bolt.DB
 	store    content.Store
 	emitter  events.Poster
@@ -124,9 +125,9 @@ func (s *Service) Create(ctx context.Context, r *api.CreateTaskRequest) (*api.Cr
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	opts := plugin.CreateOpts{
+	opts := runtime.CreateOpts{
 		Spec: container.Spec,
-		IO: plugin.IO{
+		IO: runtime.IO{
 			Stdin:    r.Stdin,
 			Stdout:   r.Stdout,
 			Stderr:   r.Stderr,
@@ -227,7 +228,7 @@ func (s *Service) DeleteProcess(ctx context.Context, r *api.DeleteProcessRequest
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func taskFromContainerd(ctx context.Context, c plugin.Task) (*task.Task, error) {
+func taskFromContainerd(ctx context.Context, c runtime.Task) (*task.Task, error) {
 	state, err := c.State(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -235,13 +236,13 @@ func taskFromContainerd(ctx context.Context, c plugin.Task) (*task.Task, error)
 
 	var status task.Status
 	switch state.Status {
-	case plugin.CreatedStatus:
+	case runtime.CreatedStatus:
 		status = task.StatusCreated
-	case plugin.RunningStatus:
+	case runtime.RunningStatus:
 		status = task.StatusRunning
-	case plugin.StoppedStatus:
+	case runtime.StoppedStatus:
 		status = task.StatusStopped
-	case plugin.PausedStatus:
+	case runtime.PausedStatus:
 		status = task.StatusPaused
 	default:
 		log.G(ctx).WithField("status", state.Status).Warn("unknown status")
@@ -366,9 +367,9 @@ func (s *Service) Exec(ctx context.Context, r *api.ExecProcessRequest) (*api.Exe
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	process, err := t.Exec(ctx, plugin.ExecOpts{
+	process, err := t.Exec(ctx, runtime.ExecOpts{
 		Spec: r.Spec.Value,
-		IO: plugin.IO{
+		IO: runtime.IO{
 			Stdin:    r.Stdin,
 			Stdout:   r.Stdout,
 			Stderr:   r.Stderr,
@@ -392,7 +393,7 @@ func (s *Service) ResizePty(ctx context.Context, r *api.ResizePtyRequest) (*goog
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if err := t.ResizePty(ctx, r.Pid, plugin.ConsoleSize{
+	if err := t.ResizePty(ctx, r.Pid, runtime.ConsoleSize{
 		Width:  r.Width,
 		Height: r.Height,
 	}); err != nil {
@@ -497,7 +498,7 @@ func (s *Service) getContainer(ctx context.Context, id string) (containers.Conta
 	return container, nil
 }
 
-func (s *Service) getTask(ctx context.Context, id string) (plugin.Task, error) {
+func (s *Service) getTask(ctx context.Context, id string) (runtime.Task, error) {
 	container, err := s.getContainer(ctx, id)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, grpc.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "task %v not found: %s", id, err.Error())
@@ -516,7 +517,7 @@ func (s *Service) getTask(ctx context.Context, id string) (plugin.Task, error) {
 	return t, nil
 }
 
-func (s *Service) getRuntime(name string) (plugin.Runtime, error) {
+func (s *Service) getRuntime(name string) (runtime.Runtime, error) {
 	runtime, ok := s.runtimes[name]
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown runtime %q", name)
diff --git a/task.go b/task.go
index 85a3c3030..8ba9533b6 100644
--- a/task.go
+++ b/task.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"runtime"
+	goruntime "runtime"
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/tasks/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/content"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/events"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/rootfs"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ func (t *task) Kill(ctx context.Context, s syscall.Signal) error {
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		if strings.Contains(grpc.ErrorDesc(err), plugin.ErrProcessExited.Error()) {
+		if strings.Contains(grpc.ErrorDesc(err), runtime.ErrProcessExited.Error()) {
 			return ErrProcessExited
 		}
 		return err
@@ -320,8 +320,8 @@ func (t *task) checkpointTask(ctx context.Context, index *v1.Index, request *tas
 			Size:      d.Size_,
 			Digest:    d.Digest,
 			Platform: &v1.Platform{
-				OS:           runtime.GOOS,
-				Architecture: runtime.GOARCH,
+				OS:           goruntime.GOOS,
+				Architecture: goruntime.GOARCH,
 			},
 		})
 	}
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ func (t *task) checkpointRWSnapshot(ctx context.Context, index *v1.Index, id str
 		return err
 	}
 	rw.Platform = &v1.Platform{
-		OS:           runtime.GOOS,
-		Architecture: runtime.GOARCH,
+		OS:           goruntime.GOOS,
+		Architecture: goruntime.GOARCH,
 	}
 	index.Manifests = append(index.Manifests, rw)
 	return nil