diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 77a54f02d..ede55e7ef 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import (
 	versionservice "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/version/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/containers"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/content"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/defaults"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/dialer"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/events"
@@ -90,6 +91,10 @@ func New(address string, opts ...ClientOpt) (*Client, error) {
 			grpc.FailOnNonTempDialError(true),
 			grpc.WithBackoffMaxDelay(3 * time.Second),
 			grpc.WithDialer(dialer.Dialer),
+
+			// TODO(stevvooe): We may need to allow configuration of this on the client.
+			grpc.WithDefaultCallOptions(grpc.MaxCallRecvMsgSize(defaults.DefaultMaxRecvMsgSize)),
+			grpc.WithDefaultCallOptions(grpc.MaxCallSendMsgSize(defaults.DefaultMaxSendMsgSize)),
 		}
 		if len(copts.dialOptions) > 0 {
 			gopts = copts.dialOptions
diff --git a/cmd/containerd/command/config_linux.go b/cmd/containerd/command/config_linux.go
index bb083c0e0..2b522989d 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd/command/config_linux.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd/command/config_linux.go
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ func defaultConfig() *server.Config {
 		Root:  defaults.DefaultRootDir,
 		State: defaults.DefaultStateDir,
 		GRPC: server.GRPCConfig{
-			Address: defaults.DefaultAddress,
+			Address:        defaults.DefaultAddress,
+			MaxRecvMsgSize: defaults.DefaultMaxRecvMsgSize,
+			MaxSendMsgSize: defaults.DefaultMaxSendMsgSize,
 		},
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/containerd/command/config_windows.go b/cmd/containerd/command/config_windows.go
index bb083c0e0..2b522989d 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd/command/config_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd/command/config_windows.go
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ func defaultConfig() *server.Config {
 		Root:  defaults.DefaultRootDir,
 		State: defaults.DefaultStateDir,
 		GRPC: server.GRPCConfig{
-			Address: defaults.DefaultAddress,
+			Address:        defaults.DefaultAddress,
+			MaxRecvMsgSize: defaults.DefaultMaxRecvMsgSize,
+			MaxSendMsgSize: defaults.DefaultMaxSendMsgSize,
 		},
 	}
 }
diff --git a/defaults/defaults.go b/defaults/defaults.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7040f5b85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/defaults/defaults.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+   Copyright The containerd Authors.
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package defaults
+
+const (
+	// DefaultMaxRecvMsgSize defines the default maximum message size for
+	// receiving protobufs passed over the GRPC API.
+	DefaultMaxRecvMsgSize = 16 << 20
+	// DefaultMaxSendMsgSize defines the default maximum message size for
+	// sending protobufs passed over the GRPC API.
+	DefaultMaxSendMsgSize = 16 << 20
+)
diff --git a/server/config.go b/server/config.go
index 67d1f4bcb..41d08b43c 100644
--- a/server/config.go
+++ b/server/config.go
@@ -49,9 +49,11 @@ type Config struct {
 
 // GRPCConfig provides GRPC configuration for the socket
 type GRPCConfig struct {
-	Address string `toml:"address"`
-	UID     int    `toml:"uid"`
-	GID     int    `toml:"gid"`
+	Address        string `toml:"address"`
+	UID            int    `toml:"uid"`
+	GID            int    `toml:"gid"`
+	MaxRecvMsgSize int    `toml:"max_recv_message_size"`
+	MaxSendMsgSize int    `toml:"max_send_message_size"`
 }
 
 // Debug provides debug configuration
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index f5b24f636..59c74d08b 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, config *Config) (*Server, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	rpc := grpc.NewServer(
+		grpc.MaxRecvMsgSize(config.GRPC.MaxRecvMsgSize),
+		grpc.MaxSendMsgSize(config.GRPC.MaxSendMsgSize),
 		grpc.UnaryInterceptor(grpc_prometheus.UnaryServerInterceptor),
 		grpc.StreamInterceptor(grpc_prometheus.StreamServerInterceptor),
 	)