diff --git a/task.go b/task.go
index d586fb9ff..f7cb4bb4d 100644
--- a/task.go
+++ b/task.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	goruntime "runtime"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"syscall"
 
 	eventsapi "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/events/v1"
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ type task struct {
 	id  string
 	pid uint32
 
+	mu       sync.Mutex
 	deferred *tasks.CreateTaskRequest
 }
 
@@ -102,9 +104,14 @@ func (t *task) Pid() uint32 {
 }
 
 func (t *task) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
-	if t.deferred != nil {
-		response, err := t.client.TaskService().Create(ctx, t.deferred)
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	deferred := t.deferred
+	t.mu.Unlock()
+	if deferred != nil {
+		response, err := t.client.TaskService().Create(ctx, deferred)
+		t.mu.Lock()
 		t.deferred = nil
+		t.mu.Unlock()
 		if err != nil {
 			t.io.closer.Close()
 			return err
@@ -166,13 +173,18 @@ func (t *task) Wait(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return UnknownExitStatus, errdefs.FromGRPC(err)
 	}
-	// first check if the task has exited
-	status, err := t.Status(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return UnknownExitStatus, errdefs.FromGRPC(err)
-	}
-	if status.Status == Stopped {
-		return status.ExitStatus, nil
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	checkpoint := t.deferred != nil
+	t.mu.Unlock()
+	if !checkpoint {
+		// first check if the task has exited
+		status, err := t.Status(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return UnknownExitStatus, errdefs.FromGRPC(err)
+		}
+		if status.Status == Stopped {
+			return status.ExitStatus, nil
+		}
 	}
 	for {
 		evt, err := eventstream.Recv()