diff --git a/api/services/mounts/v1/doc.go b/api/services/mounts/v1/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ece9d01b4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/services/mounts/v1/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/*
+   Copyright The containerd Authors.
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package mounts
diff --git a/api/services/mounts/v1/mounts.proto b/api/services/mounts/v1/mounts.proto
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0e78467633
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/services/mounts/v1/mounts.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+/*
+	Copyright The containerd Authors.
+
+	Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+	you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+	You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+		http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+	Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+	distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+	WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+	See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+	limitations under the License.
+*/
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package containerd.services.mounts.v1;
+
+import "google/protobuf/empty.proto";
+import "google/protobuf/field_mask.proto";
+import "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/types/mount.proto";
+
+option go_package = "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/services/mounts/v1;mounts";
+
+// Mounts service manages mounts
+service Mounts {
+	rpc Activate(ActivateRequest) returns (ActivateResponse);
+	rpc Deactivate(DeactivateRequest) returns (google.protobuf.Empty);
+	rpc Info(InfoRequest) returns (InfoResponse);
+	rpc Update(UpdateRequest) returns (UpdateResponse);
+	rpc List(ListRequest) returns (stream ListMessage);
+}
+
+message ActivateRequest {
+	string name = 1;
+
+	repeated containerd.types.Mount mounts = 2;
+
+	map<string, string> labels = 3;
+
+	bool temporary = 4;
+
+}
+
+message ActivateResponse {
+	containerd.types.ActivationInfo info = 1;
+}
+
+message DeactivateRequest {
+	string name = 1;
+}
+
+message InfoRequest {
+	string name = 1;
+}
+
+message InfoResponse {
+	containerd.types.ActivationInfo info = 1;
+}
+
+message UpdateRequest {
+	containerd.types.ActivationInfo info = 1;
+
+	google.protobuf.FieldMask update_mask = 2;
+}
+
+message UpdateResponse {
+	containerd.types.ActivationInfo info = 1;
+}
+
+message ListRequest {
+	repeated string filters = 1;
+}
+
+message ListMessage {
+	containerd.types.ActivationInfo info = 1;
+}
diff --git a/api/types/mount.proto b/api/types/mount.proto
index 54e0a0cddf..2f3b0b6229 100644
--- a/api/types/mount.proto
+++ b/api/types/mount.proto
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ syntax = "proto3";
 
 package containerd.types;
 
+import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto";
+
 option go_package = "github.com/containerd/containerd/api/types;types";
 
 // Mount describes mounts for a container.
@@ -41,3 +43,23 @@ message Mount {
 	// Options specifies zero or more fstab style mount options.
 	repeated string options = 4;
 }
+
+message ActiveMount {
+	Mount mount = 1;
+
+	google.protobuf.Timestamp mounted_at = 2;
+
+	string mount_point = 3;
+
+	map<string, string> data = 4;
+}
+
+message ActivationInfo {
+	string name = 1;
+
+	repeated ActiveMount active = 2;
+
+	repeated Mount system = 3;
+
+	map<string, string> labels = 4;
+}