diff --git a/defaults/defaults_linux.go b/defaults/defaults_linux.go
index bd0c6e8bb..dc1ff0909 100644
--- a/defaults/defaults_linux.go
+++ b/defaults/defaults_linux.go
@@ -33,4 +33,6 @@ const (
 	// DefaultStateDir is the default location used by containerd to store
 	// transient data
 	DefaultStateDir = "/run/containerd"
+	// DefaultDiffer will set the default differ for the platform.
+	DefaultDiffer = "walking"
 )
diff --git a/defaults/defaults_unix_nolinux.go b/defaults/defaults_unix_nolinux.go
index e6bcd9ee9..8e263eca6 100644
--- a/defaults/defaults_unix_nolinux.go
+++ b/defaults/defaults_unix_nolinux.go
@@ -33,4 +33,6 @@ const (
 	// DefaultStateDir is the default location used by containerd to store
 	// transient data
 	DefaultStateDir = "/var/run/containerd"
+	// DefaultDiffer will set the default differ for the platform.
+	DefaultDiffer = "walking"
 )
diff --git a/plugins/transfer/plugin_defaults_other.go b/plugins/transfer/plugin_defaults_other.go
index 23b948eeb..90b0d2f5f 100644
--- a/plugins/transfer/plugin_defaults_other.go
+++ b/plugins/transfer/plugin_defaults_other.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ func defaultUnpackConfig() []unpackConfiguration {
 		{
 			Platform:    platforms.Format(platforms.DefaultSpec()),
 			Snapshotter: defaults.DefaultSnapshotter,
+			Differ:      defaults.DefaultDiffer,
 		},
 	}
 }