diff --git a/linux/bundle.go b/linux/bundle.go
index 07a96d37b..1bad91270 100644
--- a/linux/bundle.go
+++ b/linux/bundle.go
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/events/exchange"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/runcopts"
-	client "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/client"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
@@ -71,26 +72,26 @@ type bundle struct {
 }
 
 // ShimOpt specifies shim options for initialization and connection
-type ShimOpt func(*bundle, string, *runcopts.RuncOptions) (client.Config, client.ClientOpt)
+type ShimOpt func(*bundle, string, *runcopts.RuncOptions) (shim.Config, client.ClientOpt)
 
 // ShimRemote is a ShimOpt for connecting and starting a remote shim
-func ShimRemote(shim, daemonAddress, cgroup string, nonewns, debug bool, exitHandler func()) ShimOpt {
-	return func(b *bundle, ns string, ropts *runcopts.RuncOptions) (client.Config, client.ClientOpt) {
+func ShimRemote(shimBinary, daemonAddress, cgroup string, nonewns, debug bool, exitHandler func()) ShimOpt {
+	return func(b *bundle, ns string, ropts *runcopts.RuncOptions) (shim.Config, client.ClientOpt) {
 		return b.shimConfig(ns, ropts),
-			client.WithStart(shim, b.shimAddress(ns), daemonAddress, cgroup, nonewns, debug, exitHandler)
+			client.WithStart(shimBinary, b.shimAddress(ns), daemonAddress, cgroup, nonewns, debug, exitHandler)
 	}
 }
 
 // ShimLocal is a ShimOpt for using an in process shim implementation
 func ShimLocal(exchange *exchange.Exchange) ShimOpt {
-	return func(b *bundle, ns string, ropts *runcopts.RuncOptions) (client.Config, client.ClientOpt) {
+	return func(b *bundle, ns string, ropts *runcopts.RuncOptions) (shim.Config, client.ClientOpt) {
 		return b.shimConfig(ns, ropts), client.WithLocal(exchange)
 	}
 }
 
 // ShimConnect is a ShimOpt for connecting to an existing remote shim
 func ShimConnect() ShimOpt {
-	return func(b *bundle, ns string, ropts *runcopts.RuncOptions) (client.Config, client.ClientOpt) {
+	return func(b *bundle, ns string, ropts *runcopts.RuncOptions) (shim.Config, client.ClientOpt) {
 		return b.shimConfig(ns, ropts), client.WithConnect(b.shimAddress(ns))
 	}
 }
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ func (b *bundle) shimAddress(namespace string) string {
 	return filepath.Join(string(filepath.Separator), "containerd-shim", namespace, b.id, "shim.sock")
 }
 
-func (b *bundle) shimConfig(namespace string, runcOptions *runcopts.RuncOptions) client.Config {
+func (b *bundle) shimConfig(namespace string, runcOptions *runcopts.RuncOptions) shim.Config {
 	var (
 		criuPath      string
 		runtimeRoot   string
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ func (b *bundle) shimConfig(namespace string, runcOptions *runcopts.RuncOptions)
 		systemdCgroup = runcOptions.SystemdCgroup
 		runtimeRoot = runcOptions.RuntimeRoot
 	}
-	return client.Config{
+	return shim.Config{
 		Path:          b.path,
 		WorkDir:       b.workDir,
 		Namespace:     namespace,
diff --git a/linux/shim/client.go b/linux/shim/client/client.go
similarity index 87%
rename from linux/shim/client.go
rename to linux/shim/client/client.go
index ac18e1d63..367d7150e 100644
--- a/linux/shim/client.go
+++ b/linux/shim/client/client.go
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // +build !windows
 
-package shim
+package client
 
 import (
 	"context"
@@ -20,19 +20,23 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/events"
-	shim "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/v1"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim"
+	shimapi "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/reaper"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/sys"
+	google_protobuf "github.com/golang/protobuf/ptypes/empty"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 )
 
+var empty = &google_protobuf.Empty{}
+
 // ClientOpt is an option for a shim client configuration
-type ClientOpt func(context.Context, Config) (shim.ShimClient, io.Closer, error)
+type ClientOpt func(context.Context, shim.Config) (shimapi.ShimClient, io.Closer, error)
 
 // WithStart executes a new shim process
 func WithStart(binary, address, daemonAddress, cgroup string, nonewns, debug bool, exitHandler func()) ClientOpt {
-	return func(ctx context.Context, config Config) (_ shim.ShimClient, _ io.Closer, err error) {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, config shim.Config) (_ shimapi.ShimClient, _ io.Closer, err error) {
 		socket, err := newSocket(address)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, err
@@ -84,7 +88,7 @@ func WithStart(binary, address, daemonAddress, cgroup string, nonewns, debug boo
 	}
 }
 
-func newCommand(binary, daemonAddress string, nonewns, debug bool, config Config, socket *os.File) *exec.Cmd {
+func newCommand(binary, daemonAddress string, nonewns, debug bool, config shim.Config, socket *os.File) *exec.Cmd {
 	args := []string{
 		"-namespace", config.Namespace,
 		"-workdir", config.WorkDir,
@@ -161,38 +165,28 @@ func dialAddress(address string) string {
 
 // WithConnect connects to an existing shim
 func WithConnect(address string) ClientOpt {
-	return func(ctx context.Context, config Config) (shim.ShimClient, io.Closer, error) {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, config shim.Config) (shimapi.ShimClient, io.Closer, error) {
 		conn, err := connect(address, annonDialer)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, err
 		}
-		return shim.NewShimClient(conn), conn, nil
+		return shimapi.NewShimClient(conn), conn, nil
 	}
 }
 
 // WithLocal uses an in process shim
-func WithLocal(publisher events.Publisher) func(context.Context, Config) (shim.ShimClient, io.Closer, error) {
-	return func(ctx context.Context, config Config) (shim.ShimClient, io.Closer, error) {
-		service, err := NewService(config, publisher)
+func WithLocal(publisher events.Publisher) func(context.Context, shim.Config) (shimapi.ShimClient, io.Closer, error) {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, config shim.Config) (shimapi.ShimClient, io.Closer, error) {
+		service, err := shim.NewService(config, publisher)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, err
 		}
-		return NewLocal(service), nil, nil
+		return shim.NewLocal(service), nil, nil
 	}
 }
 
-// Config contains shim specific configuration
-type Config struct {
-	Path          string
-	Namespace     string
-	WorkDir       string
-	Criu          string
-	RuntimeRoot   string
-	SystemdCgroup bool
-}
-
 // New returns a new shim client
-func New(ctx context.Context, config Config, opt ClientOpt) (*Client, error) {
+func New(ctx context.Context, config shim.Config, opt ClientOpt) (*Client, error) {
 	s, c, err := opt(ctx, config)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -206,7 +200,7 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, config Config, opt ClientOpt) (*Client, error) {
 
 // Client is a shim client containing the connection to a shim
 type Client struct {
-	shim.ShimClient
+	shimapi.ShimClient
 
 	c        io.Closer
 	exitCh   chan struct{}
diff --git a/linux/shim/client_linux.go b/linux/shim/client/client_linux.go
similarity index 97%
rename from linux/shim/client_linux.go
rename to linux/shim/client/client_linux.go
index 515e88c47..03ebba00c 100644
--- a/linux/shim/client_linux.go
+++ b/linux/shim/client/client_linux.go
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // +build linux
 
-package shim
+package client
 
 import (
 	"os/exec"
diff --git a/linux/shim/client_unix.go b/linux/shim/client/client_unix.go
similarity index 94%
rename from linux/shim/client_unix.go
rename to linux/shim/client/client_unix.go
index d478f3dd7..b34cf4d36 100644
--- a/linux/shim/client_unix.go
+++ b/linux/shim/client/client_unix.go
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // +build !linux,!windows
 
-package shim
+package client
 
 import (
 	"os/exec"
diff --git a/linux/shim/service.go b/linux/shim/service.go
index 9c9f50602..7b5c5e116 100644
--- a/linux/shim/service.go
+++ b/linux/shim/service.go
@@ -32,6 +32,16 @@ var empty = &google_protobuf.Empty{}
 // RuncRoot is the path to the root runc state directory
 const RuncRoot = "/run/containerd/runc"
 
+// Config contains shim specific configuration
+type Config struct {
+	Path          string
+	Namespace     string
+	WorkDir       string
+	Criu          string
+	RuntimeRoot   string
+	SystemdCgroup bool
+}
+
 // NewService returns a new shim service that can be used via GRPC
 func NewService(config Config, publisher events.Publisher) (*Service, error) {
 	if config.Namespace == "" {
diff --git a/linux/task.go b/linux/task.go
index a851ee77e..268e91a94 100644
--- a/linux/task.go
+++ b/linux/task.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/cgroups"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/api/types/task"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
-	client "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/client"
 	shim "github.com/containerd/containerd/linux/shim/v1"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/runtime"
 	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/types"