diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/container/runtime.go b/pkg/kubelet/container/runtime.go
index 0810e938f26..ad59de4df1c 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/container/runtime.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/container/runtime.go
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ type Runtime interface {
 	// This method just proxies a new runtimeConfig with the updated
 	// CIDR value down to the runtime shim.
 	UpdatePodCIDR(podCIDR string) error
+	// CheckpointContainer tells the runtime to checkpoint a container
+	// and store the resulting archive to the checkpoint directory.
+	CheckpointContainer(options *runtimeapi.CheckpointContainerRequest) error
 }
 
 // StreamingRuntime is the interface implemented by runtimes that handle the serving of the
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/container/testing/fake_runtime.go b/pkg/kubelet/container/testing/fake_runtime.go
index 3765e87c8a6..c259a06cb13 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/container/testing/fake_runtime.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/container/testing/fake_runtime.go
@@ -362,6 +362,14 @@ func (f *FakeRuntime) DeleteContainer(containerID kubecontainer.ContainerID) err
 	return f.Err
 }
 
+func (f *FakeRuntime) CheckpointContainer(options *runtimeapi.CheckpointContainerRequest) error {
+	f.Lock()
+	defer f.Unlock()
+
+	f.CalledFunctions = append(f.CalledFunctions, "CheckpointContainer")
+	return f.Err
+}
+
 func (f *FakeRuntime) ImageStats() (*kubecontainer.ImageStats, error) {
 	f.Lock()
 	defer f.Unlock()
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/container/testing/runtime_mock.go b/pkg/kubelet/container/testing/runtime_mock.go
index b2633095912..1e68ee3f5f8 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/container/testing/runtime_mock.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/container/testing/runtime_mock.go
@@ -126,6 +126,20 @@ func (mr *MockRuntimeMockRecorder) APIVersion() *gomock.Call {
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "APIVersion", reflect.TypeOf((*MockRuntime)(nil).APIVersion))
 }
 
+// CheckpointContainer mocks base method.
+func (m *MockRuntime) CheckpointContainer(options *v10.CheckpointContainerRequest) error {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "CheckpointContainer", options)
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(error)
+	return ret0
+}
+
+// CheckpointContainer indicates an expected call of CheckpointContainer.
+func (mr *MockRuntimeMockRecorder) CheckpointContainer(options interface{}) *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "CheckpointContainer", reflect.TypeOf((*MockRuntime)(nil).CheckpointContainer), options)
+}
+
 // DeleteContainer mocks base method.
 func (m *MockRuntime) DeleteContainer(containerID container.ContainerID) error {
 	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager.go b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager.go
index 8dee580344e..6b2761a38e1 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kuberuntime/kuberuntime_manager.go
@@ -1100,3 +1100,7 @@ func (m *kubeGenericRuntimeManager) UpdatePodCIDR(podCIDR string) error {
 			},
 		})
 }
+
+func (m *kubeGenericRuntimeManager) CheckpointContainer(options *runtimeapi.CheckpointContainerRequest) error {
+	return m.runtimeService.CheckpointContainer(options)
+}