diff --git a/container.go b/container.go
index fe18f59a4..9faa79267 100644
--- a/container.go
+++ b/container.go
@@ -115,13 +115,13 @@ type Container interface {
 	//
 	// errors:
 	// Systemerror - System error.
-	Checkpoint(string) error
+	Checkpoint(criuOpts *CriuOpts) error
 
 	// Restore restores the checkpointed container to a running state using the criu(8) utiity.
 	//
 	// errors:
 	// Systemerror - System error.
-	Restore(*Process, string) error
+	Restore(process *Process, criuOpts *CriuOpts) error
 
 	// Destroys the container after killing all running processes.
 	//
diff --git a/container_linux.go b/container_linux.go
index 51a42b35f..bb5d33128 100644
--- a/container_linux.go
+++ b/container_linux.go
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) checkCriuVersion() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (c *linuxContainer) Checkpoint(imagePath string) error {
+func (c *linuxContainer) Checkpoint(criuOpts *CriuOpts) error {
 	c.m.Lock()
 	defer c.m.Unlock()
 
@@ -295,36 +295,57 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) Checkpoint(imagePath string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	workPath := filepath.Join(c.root, "criu.work")
-	if err := os.Mkdir(workPath, 0655); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
+	if criuOpts.ImagesDirectory == "" {
+		criuOpts.ImagesDirectory = filepath.Join(c.root, "criu.image")
+	}
+
+	// Since a container can be C/R'ed multiple times,
+	// the checkpoint directory may already exist.
+	if err := os.Mkdir(criuOpts.ImagesDirectory, 0755); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	workDir, err := os.Open(workPath)
+	if criuOpts.WorkDirectory == "" {
+		criuOpts.WorkDirectory = filepath.Join(c.root, "criu.work")
+	}
+
+	if err := os.Mkdir(criuOpts.WorkDirectory, 0755); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	workDir, err := os.Open(criuOpts.WorkDirectory)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer workDir.Close()
 
-	imageDir, err := os.Open(imagePath)
+	imageDir, err := os.Open(criuOpts.ImagesDirectory)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer imageDir.Close()
+
+	rpcOpts := criurpc.CriuOpts{
+		ImagesDirFd:    proto.Int32(int32(imageDir.Fd())),
+		WorkDirFd:      proto.Int32(int32(workDir.Fd())),
+		LogLevel:       proto.Int32(4),
+		LogFile:        proto.String("dump.log"),
+		Root:           proto.String(c.config.Rootfs),
+		ManageCgroups:  proto.Bool(true),
+		NotifyScripts:  proto.Bool(true),
+		Pid:            proto.Int32(int32(c.initProcess.pid())),
+		ShellJob:       proto.Bool(criuOpts.ShellJob),
+		LeaveRunning:   proto.Bool(criuOpts.LeaveRunning),
+		TcpEstablished: proto.Bool(criuOpts.TcpEstablished),
+		ExtUnixSk:      proto.Bool(criuOpts.ExternalUnixConnections),
+	}
+
 	t := criurpc.CriuReqType_DUMP
 	req := criurpc.CriuReq{
 		Type: &t,
-		Opts: &criurpc.CriuOpts{
-			ImagesDirFd:   proto.Int32(int32(imageDir.Fd())),
-			WorkDirFd:     proto.Int32(int32(workDir.Fd())),
-			LogLevel:      proto.Int32(4),
-			LogFile:       proto.String("dump.log"),
-			Root:          proto.String(c.config.Rootfs),
-			ManageCgroups: proto.Bool(true),
-			NotifyScripts: proto.Bool(true),
-			Pid:           proto.Int32(int32(c.initProcess.pid())),
-		},
+		Opts: &rpcOpts,
 	}
+
 	for _, m := range c.config.Mounts {
 		if m.Device == "bind" {
 			mountDest := m.Destination
@@ -340,9 +361,9 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) Checkpoint(imagePath string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	err = c.criuSwrk(nil, &req, imagePath)
+	err = c.criuSwrk(nil, &req, criuOpts.ImagesDirectory)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf(filepath.Join(workPath, "dump.log"))
+		log.Errorf(filepath.Join(criuOpts.WorkDirectory, "dump.log"))
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -350,7 +371,7 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) Checkpoint(imagePath string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (c *linuxContainer) Restore(process *Process, imagePath string) error {
+func (c *linuxContainer) Restore(process *Process, criuOpts *CriuOpts) error {
 	c.m.Lock()
 	defer c.m.Unlock()
 
@@ -358,19 +379,25 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) Restore(process *Process, imagePath string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	workPath := filepath.Join(c.root, "criu.work")
+	if criuOpts.WorkDirectory == "" {
+		criuOpts.WorkDirectory = filepath.Join(c.root, "criu.work")
+	}
 	// Since a container can be C/R'ed multiple times,
 	// the work directory may already exist.
-	if err := os.Mkdir(workPath, 0755); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
+	if err := os.Mkdir(criuOpts.WorkDirectory, 0655); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
 		return err
 	}
-	workDir, err := os.Open(workPath)
+
+	workDir, err := os.Open(criuOpts.WorkDirectory)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer workDir.Close()
 
-	imageDir, err := os.Open(imagePath)
+	if criuOpts.ImagesDirectory == "" {
+		criuOpts.ImagesDirectory = filepath.Join(c.root, "criu.image")
+	}
+	imageDir, err := os.Open(criuOpts.ImagesDirectory)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -412,6 +439,9 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) Restore(process *Process, imagePath string) error {
 			Root:           proto.String(root),
 			ManageCgroups:  proto.Bool(true),
 			NotifyScripts:  proto.Bool(true),
+			ShellJob:       proto.Bool(criuOpts.ShellJob),
+			ExtUnixSk:      proto.Bool(criuOpts.ExternalUnixConnections),
+			TcpEstablished: proto.Bool(criuOpts.TcpEstablished),
 		},
 	}
 	for _, m := range c.config.Mounts {
@@ -446,9 +476,9 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) Restore(process *Process, imagePath string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	err = c.criuSwrk(process, &req, imagePath)
+	err = c.criuSwrk(process, &req, criuOpts.ImagesDirectory)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf(filepath.Join(workPath, "restore.log"))
+		log.Errorf(filepath.Join(criuOpts.WorkDirectory, "restore.log"))
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -462,6 +492,9 @@ func (c *linuxContainer) criuSwrk(process *Process, req *criurpc.CriuReq, imageP
 		return err
 	}
 
+	stringOpts, _ := json.Marshal(*req.Opts)
+	log.Debugf("stringOpts: %s", stringOpts)
+
 	criuClient := os.NewFile(uintptr(fds[0]), "criu-transport-client")
 	criuServer := os.NewFile(uintptr(fds[1]), "criu-transport-server")
 	defer criuClient.Close()
diff --git a/criu_opts.go b/criu_opts.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c24740300
--- /dev/null
+++ b/criu_opts.go
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package libcontainer
+
+type CriuOpts struct {
+	ImagesDirectory         string // directory for storing image files
+	WorkDirectory           string // directory to cd and write logs/pidfiles/stats to
+	LeaveRunning            bool   // leave container in running state after checkpoint
+	TcpEstablished          bool   // checkpoint/restore established TCP connections
+	ExternalUnixConnections bool   // allow external unix connections
+	ShellJob                bool   // allow to dump and restore shell jobs
+}
diff --git a/nsinit/checkpoint.go b/nsinit/checkpoint.go
index a2a957409..39290cb9d 100644
--- a/nsinit/checkpoint.go
+++ b/nsinit/checkpoint.go
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"os"
-
 	"github.com/codegangsta/cli"
+	"github.com/docker/libcontainer"
 )
 
 var checkpointCommand = cli.Command{
@@ -12,23 +11,31 @@ var checkpointCommand = cli.Command{
 	Usage: "checkpoint a running container",
 	Flags: []cli.Flag{
 		cli.StringFlag{Name: "id", Value: "nsinit", Usage: "specify the ID for a container"},
-		cli.StringFlag{Name: "image-path", Value: "", Usage: "path where to save images"},
+		cli.StringFlag{Name: "image-path", Value: "", Usage: "path for saving criu image files"},
+		cli.StringFlag{Name: "work-path", Value: "", Usage: "path for saving work files and logs"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "leave-running", Usage: "leave the process running after checkpointing"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "tcp-established", Usage: "allow open tcp connections"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "ext-unix-sk", Usage: "allow external unix sockets"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "shell-job", Usage: "allow shell jobs"},
 	},
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) {
 		imagePath := context.String("image-path")
 		if imagePath == "" {
 			fatal(fmt.Errorf("The --image-path option isn't specified"))
 		}
+
 		container, err := getContainer(context)
 		if err != nil {
 			fatal(err)
 		}
-		// Since a container can be C/R'ed multiple times,
-		// the checkpoint directory may already exist.
-		if err := os.Mkdir(imagePath, 0655); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
-			fatal(err)
-		}
-		if err := container.Checkpoint(imagePath); err != nil {
+		if err := container.Checkpoint(&libcontainer.CriuOpts{
+			ImagesDirectory:         imagePath,
+			WorkDirectory:           context.String("work-path"),
+			LeaveRunning:            context.Bool("leave-running"),
+			TcpEstablished:          context.Bool("tcp-established"),
+			ExternalUnixConnections: context.Bool("ext-unix-sk"),
+			ShellJob:                context.Bool("shell-job"),
+		}); err != nil {
 			fatal(err)
 		}
 	},
diff --git a/nsinit/restore.go b/nsinit/restore.go
index df0d48520..8d7f0a412 100644
--- a/nsinit/restore.go
+++ b/nsinit/restore.go
@@ -16,7 +16,11 @@ var restoreCommand = cli.Command{
 	Usage: "restore a container from a previous checkpoint",
 	Flags: []cli.Flag{
 		cli.StringFlag{Name: "id", Value: "nsinit", Usage: "specify the ID for a container"},
-		cli.StringFlag{Name: "image-path", Value: "", Usage: "path where to save images"},
+		cli.StringFlag{Name: "image-path", Value: "", Usage: "path to criu image files for restoring"},
+		cli.StringFlag{Name: "work-path", Value: "", Usage: "path for saving work files and logs"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "tcp-established", Usage: "allow open tcp connections"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "ext-unix-sk", Usage: "allow external unix sockets"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "shell-job", Usage: "allow shell jobs"},
 	},
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) {
 		imagePath := context.String("image-path")
@@ -44,7 +48,13 @@ var restoreCommand = cli.Command{
 		if err := tty.attach(process); err != nil {
 			fatal(err)
 		}
-		err = container.Restore(process, imagePath)
+		err = container.Restore(process, &libcontainer.CriuOpts{
+			ImagesDirectory:         imagePath,
+			WorkDirectory:           context.String("work-path"),
+			TcpEstablished:          context.Bool("tcp-established"),
+			ExternalUnixConnections: context.Bool("ext-unix-sk"),
+			ShellJob:                context.Bool("shell-job"),
+		})
 		if err != nil {
 			fatal(err)
 		}