diff --git a/cri.go b/cri.go
index 95084bdf3..455ef736e 100644
--- a/cri.go
+++ b/cri.go
@@ -141,6 +141,28 @@ func validateConfig(ctx context.Context, c *criconfig.Config) error {
 		return errors.New("no corresponding runtime configured in `runtimes` for `default_runtime_name`")
 	}
 
+	// Validation for deprecated runtime options.
+	if c.SystemdCgroup {
+		if c.ContainerdConfig.Runtimes[c.ContainerdConfig.DefaultRuntimeName].Type != plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1 {
+			return errors.Errorf("`systemd_cgroup` only works for runtime %s", plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1)
+		}
+		log.G(ctx).Warning("`systemd_cgroup` is deprecated, please use runtime `options` instead")
+	}
+	for _, r := range c.ContainerdConfig.Runtimes {
+		if r.Engine != "" {
+			if r.Type != plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1 {
+				return errors.Errorf("`runtime_engine` only works for runtime %s", plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1)
+			}
+			log.G(ctx).Warning("`runtime_engine` is deprecated, please use runtime `options` instead")
+		}
+		if r.Root != "" {
+			if r.Type != plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1 {
+				return errors.Errorf("`runtime_root` only works for runtime %s", plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1)
+			}
+			log.G(ctx).Warning("`runtime_root` is deprecated, please use runtime `options` instead")
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Validation for stream_idle_timeout
 	if c.StreamIdleTimeout != "" {
 		if _, err := time.ParseDuration(c.StreamIdleTimeout); err != nil {
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index eafd19864..f095b45d5 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -40,12 +40,6 @@ version = 2
   # stats_collect_period is the period (in seconds) of snapshots stats collection.
   stats_collect_period = 10
 
-  # systemd_cgroup enables systemd cgroup support. This only works for runtime
-  # type "io.containerd.runtime.v1.linux".
-  # DEPRECATED: use Runtime.Options for runtime specific config for shim v2 runtimes.
-  #   For runtime "io.containerd.runc.v1", use the option `SystemdCgroup`.
-  systemd_cgroup = false
-
   # enable_tls_streaming enables the TLS streaming support.
   # It generates a self-sign certificate unless the following x509_key_pair_streaming are both set.
   enable_tls_streaming = false
diff --git a/pkg/server/container_start.go b/pkg/server/container_start.go
index 7927c534f..79922f6dd 100644
--- a/pkg/server/container_start.go
+++ b/pkg/server/container_start.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd"
 	containerdio "github.com/containerd/containerd/cio"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ func (c *criService) StartContainer(ctx context.Context, r *runtime.StartContain
 
 	var taskOpts []containerd.NewTaskOpts
 	// TODO(random-liu): Remove this after shim v1 is deprecated.
-	if c.config.NoPivot && ctrInfo.Runtime.Name == linuxRuntime {
+	if c.config.NoPivot && ctrInfo.Runtime.Name == plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1 {
 		taskOpts = append(taskOpts, containerd.WithNoPivotRoot)
 	}
 	task, err := container.NewTask(ctx, ioCreation, taskOpts...)
diff --git a/pkg/server/helpers.go b/pkg/server/helpers.go
index 67ada57f4..6890415d8 100644
--- a/pkg/server/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/server/helpers.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/BurntSushi/toml"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/containers"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/linux/runctypes"
 	runcoptions "github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/runc/options"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl"
@@ -116,16 +117,6 @@ const (
 	networkAttachCount = 2
 )
 
-// Runtime type strings for various runtimes.
-const (
-	// linuxRuntime is the legacy linux runtime for shim v1.
-	linuxRuntime = "io.containerd.runtime.v1.linux"
-	// runcRuntimeV1 is the runc v1 runtime for shim v2.
-	runcRuntimeV1 = "io.containerd.runc.v1"
-	// runcRuntimeV2 is the runc v2 runtime for shim v2.
-	runcRuntimeV2 = "io.containerd.runc.v2"
-)
-
 // makeSandboxName generates sandbox name from sandbox metadata. The name
 // generated is unique as long as sandbox metadata is unique.
 func makeSandboxName(s *runtime.PodSandboxMetadata) string {
@@ -416,7 +407,7 @@ func parseImageReferences(refs []string) ([]string, []string) {
 // generateRuntimeOptions generates runtime options from cri plugin config.
 func generateRuntimeOptions(r criconfig.Runtime, c criconfig.Config) (interface{}, error) {
 	if r.Options == nil {
-		if r.Type != linuxRuntime {
+		if r.Type != plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1 {
 			return nil, nil
 		}
 		// This is a legacy config, generate runctypes.RuncOptions.
@@ -436,11 +427,11 @@ func generateRuntimeOptions(r criconfig.Runtime, c criconfig.Config) (interface{
 // getRuntimeOptionsType gets empty runtime options by the runtime type name.
 func getRuntimeOptionsType(t string) interface{} {
 	switch t {
-	case runcRuntimeV1:
+	case plugin.RuntimeRuncV1:
 		fallthrough
-	case runcRuntimeV2:
+	case plugin.RuntimeRuncV2:
 		return &runcoptions.Options{}
-	case linuxRuntime:
+	case plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1:
 		return &runctypes.RuncOptions{}
 	default:
 		return &runtimeoptions.Options{}
diff --git a/pkg/server/helpers_test.go b/pkg/server/helpers_test.go
index 18a3a95c1..03d9acaed 100644
--- a/pkg/server/helpers_test.go
+++ b/pkg/server/helpers_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/BurntSushi/toml"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/oci"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/linux/runctypes"
 	runcoptions "github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime/v2/runc/options"
 	"github.com/docker/distribution/reference"
@@ -214,11 +215,11 @@ systemd_cgroup = true
   no_pivot = true
   default_runtime_name = "default"
 [containerd.runtimes.legacy]
-  runtime_type = "` + linuxRuntime + `"
+  runtime_type = "` + plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1 + `"
 [containerd.runtimes.runc]
-  runtime_type = "` + runcRuntimeV1 + `"
+  runtime_type = "` + plugin.RuntimeRuncV1 + `"
 [containerd.runtimes.runcv2]
-  runtime_type = "` + runcRuntimeV2 + `"
+  runtime_type = "` + plugin.RuntimeRuncV2 + `"
 `
 	nonNilOpts := `
 systemd_cgroup = true
@@ -226,18 +227,18 @@ systemd_cgroup = true
   no_pivot = true
   default_runtime_name = "default"
 [containerd.runtimes.legacy]
-  runtime_type = "` + linuxRuntime + `"
+  runtime_type = "` + plugin.RuntimeLinuxV1 + `"
 [containerd.runtimes.legacy.options]
   Runtime = "legacy"
   RuntimeRoot = "/legacy"
 [containerd.runtimes.runc]
-  runtime_type = "` + runcRuntimeV1 + `"
+  runtime_type = "` + plugin.RuntimeRuncV1 + `"
 [containerd.runtimes.runc.options]
   BinaryName = "runc"
   Root = "/runc"
   NoNewKeyring = true
 [containerd.runtimes.runcv2]
-  runtime_type = "` + runcRuntimeV2 + `"
+  runtime_type = "` + plugin.RuntimeRuncV2 + `"
 [containerd.runtimes.runcv2.options]
   BinaryName = "runc"
   Root = "/runcv2"
diff --git a/pkg/server/sandbox_run.go b/pkg/server/sandbox_run.go
index 99cfe5c6a..0718dbc6f 100644
--- a/pkg/server/sandbox_run.go
+++ b/pkg/server/sandbox_run.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	containerdio "github.com/containerd/containerd/cio"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/oci"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
 	cni "github.com/containerd/go-cni"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl"
 	"github.com/davecgh/go-spew/spew"
@@ -266,7 +267,7 @@ func (c *criService) RunPodSandbox(ctx context.Context, r *runtime.RunPodSandbox
 
 	var taskOpts []containerd.NewTaskOpts
 	// TODO(random-liu): Remove this after shim v1 is deprecated.
-	if c.config.NoPivot && ociRuntime.Type == linuxRuntime {
+	if c.config.NoPivot && ociRuntime.Type == plugin.RuntimeRuncV1 {
 		taskOpts = append(taskOpts, containerd.WithNoPivotRoot)
 	}
 	// We don't need stdio for sandbox container.