diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 011c0c323..ace9bf6d1 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ import (
 	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"golang.org/x/sync/semaphore"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/backoff"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/health/grpc_health_v1"
@@ -355,6 +356,9 @@ type RemoteContext struct {
 	// MaxConcurrentDownloads is the max concurrent content downloads for each pull.
 	MaxConcurrentDownloads int
 
+	// MaxConcurrentUploadedLayers is the max concurrent uploaded layers for each push.
+	MaxConcurrentUploadedLayers int
+
 	// AllMetadata downloads all manifests and known-configuration files
 	AllMetadata bool
 
@@ -463,7 +467,12 @@ func (c *Client) Push(ctx context.Context, ref string, desc ocispec.Descriptor,
 		wrapper = pushCtx.HandlerWrapper
 	}
 
-	return remotes.PushContent(ctx, pusher, desc, c.ContentStore(), pushCtx.PlatformMatcher, wrapper)
+	var limiter *semaphore.Weighted
+	if pushCtx.MaxConcurrentUploadedLayers > 0 {
+		limiter = semaphore.NewWeighted(int64(pushCtx.MaxConcurrentUploadedLayers))
+	}
+
+	return remotes.PushContent(ctx, pusher, desc, c.ContentStore(), limiter, pushCtx.PlatformMatcher, wrapper)
 }
 
 // GetImage returns an existing image
diff --git a/client_opts.go b/client_opts.go
index 5271b94ee..44feaa30a 100644
--- a/client_opts.go
+++ b/client_opts.go
@@ -228,6 +228,14 @@ func WithMaxConcurrentDownloads(max int) RemoteOpt {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithMaxConcurrentUploadedLayers sets max concurrent uploaded layer limit.
+func WithMaxConcurrentUploadedLayers(max int) RemoteOpt {
+	return func(client *Client, c *RemoteContext) error {
+		c.MaxConcurrentUploadedLayers = max
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // WithAllMetadata downloads all manifests and known-configuration files
 func WithAllMetadata() RemoteOpt {
 	return func(_ *Client, c *RemoteContext) error {
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/content/fetch.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/content/fetch.go
index 873637add..4dc10875e 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/content/fetch.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/content/fetch.go
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ type FetchConfig struct {
 	Platforms []string
 	// Whether or not download all metadata
 	AllMetadata bool
-	// RemoteOpts is not used by ctr, but can be used by other CLI tools
+	// RemoteOpts to configure object resolutions and transfers with remote content providers
 	RemoteOpts []containerd.RemoteOpt
 	// TraceHTTP writes DNS and connection information to the log when dealing with a container registry
 	TraceHTTP bool
@@ -145,6 +145,16 @@ func NewFetchConfig(ctx context.Context, clicontext *cli.Context) (*FetchConfig,
 		config.AllMetadata = true
 	}
 
+	if clicontext.IsSet("max-concurrent-downloads") {
+		mcd := clicontext.Int("max-concurrent-downloads")
+		config.RemoteOpts = append(config.RemoteOpts, containerd.WithMaxConcurrentDownloads(mcd))
+	}
+
+	if clicontext.IsSet("max-concurrent-uploaded-layers") {
+		mcu := clicontext.Int("max-concurrent-uploaded-layers")
+		config.RemoteOpts = append(config.RemoteOpts, containerd.WithMaxConcurrentUploadedLayers(mcu))
+	}
+
 	return config, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/images/pull.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/images/pull.go
index 57888c73a..7a5db210f 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/images/pull.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/images/pull.go
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ command. As part of this process, we do the following:
 			Name:  "print-chainid",
 			Usage: "Print the resulting image's chain ID",
 		},
+		cli.IntFlag{
+			Name:  "max-concurrent-downloads",
+			Usage: "Set the max concurrent downloads for each pull",
+		},
 	),
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 		var (
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/images/push.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/images/push.go
index 095ea7f7f..da9e8968b 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/images/push.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/images/push.go
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ var pushCommand = cli.Command{
 		Name:  "platform",
 		Usage: "push content from a specific platform",
 		Value: &cli.StringSlice{},
+	}, cli.IntFlag{
+		Name:  "max-concurrent-uploaded-layers",
+		Usage: "Set the max concurrent uploaded layers for each push",
 	}),
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 		var (
@@ -144,10 +147,17 @@ var pushCommand = cli.Command{
 				return nil, nil
 			})
 
-			return client.Push(ctx, ref, desc,
+			ropts := []containerd.RemoteOpt{
 				containerd.WithResolver(resolver),
 				containerd.WithImageHandler(jobHandler),
-			)
+			}
+
+			if context.IsSet("max-concurrent-uploaded-layers") {
+				mcu := context.Int("max-concurrent-uploaded-layers")
+				ropts = append(ropts, containerd.WithMaxConcurrentUploadedLayers(mcu))
+			}
+
+			return client.Push(ctx, ref, desc, ropts...)
 		})
 
 		// don't show progress if debug mode is set
diff --git a/remotes/handlers.go b/remotes/handlers.go
index 9c864ec72..5ae6113aa 100644
--- a/remotes/handlers.go
+++ b/remotes/handlers.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"golang.org/x/sync/semaphore"
 )
 
 type refKeyPrefix struct{}
@@ -181,7 +182,8 @@ func push(ctx context.Context, provider content.Provider, pusher Pusher, desc oc
 //
 // Base handlers can be provided which will be called before any push specific
 // handlers.
-func PushContent(ctx context.Context, pusher Pusher, desc ocispec.Descriptor, store content.Store, platform platforms.MatchComparer, wrapper func(h images.Handler) images.Handler) error {
+func PushContent(ctx context.Context, pusher Pusher, desc ocispec.Descriptor, store content.Store, limiter *semaphore.Weighted, platform platforms.MatchComparer, wrapper func(h images.Handler) images.Handler) error {
+
 	var m sync.Mutex
 	manifestStack := []ocispec.Descriptor{}
 
@@ -213,7 +215,7 @@ func PushContent(ctx context.Context, pusher Pusher, desc ocispec.Descriptor, st
 		handler = wrapper(handler)
 	}
 
-	if err := images.Dispatch(ctx, handler, nil, desc); err != nil {
+	if err := images.Dispatch(ctx, handler, limiter, desc); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}