diff --git a/cluster/gce/cloud-init/master.yaml b/cluster/gce/cloud-init/master.yaml
index 5b16128d7..5fdf1dc7c 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/cloud-init/master.yaml
+++ b/cluster/gce/cloud-init/master.yaml
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ write_files:
       # in the kernel. We recommend using cgroups to do container-local accounting.
       LimitNPROC=infinity
       LimitCORE=infinity
+      TasksMax=infinity
       ExecStartPre=/sbin/modprobe overlay
       ExecStart=/home/containerd/usr/local/bin/containerd
 
diff --git a/cluster/gce/cloud-init/node.yaml b/cluster/gce/cloud-init/node.yaml
index b92dcbb30..97d7ad429 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/cloud-init/node.yaml
+++ b/cluster/gce/cloud-init/node.yaml
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ write_files:
       # in the kernel. We recommend using cgroups to do container-local accounting.
       LimitNPROC=infinity
       LimitCORE=infinity
+      TasksMax=infinity
       ExecStartPre=/sbin/modprobe overlay
       ExecStart=/home/containerd/usr/local/bin/containerd
 
diff --git a/contrib/systemd-units/containerd.service b/contrib/systemd-units/containerd.service
index bdb2447f9..c059e97ae 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd-units/containerd.service
+++ b/contrib/systemd-units/containerd.service
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ LimitNOFILE=1048576
 # in the kernel. We recommend using cgroups to do container-local accounting.
 LimitNPROC=infinity
 LimitCORE=infinity
+TasksMax=infinity
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/test/e2e_node/init.yaml b/test/e2e_node/init.yaml
index 8608ee5ef..2dfd60072 100644
--- a/test/e2e_node/init.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e_node/init.yaml
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ write_files:
       # in the kernel. We recommend using cgroups to do container-local accounting.
       LimitNPROC=infinity
       LimitCORE=infinity
+      TasksMax=infinity
       ExecStartPre=/sbin/modprobe overlay
       ExecStart=/home/containerd/usr/local/bin/containerd