diff --git a/libkpod/containerserver.go b/libkpod/containerserver.go
index 943e27cc..c9580b78 100644
--- a/libkpod/containerserver.go
+++ b/libkpod/containerserver.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package libkpod
 
 import (
+	"sync"
+
 	"github.com/containers/image/types"
 	cstorage "github.com/containers/storage"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/registrar"
@@ -17,6 +19,8 @@ type ContainerServer struct {
 	ctrNameIndex       *registrar.Registrar
 	ctrIDIndex         *truncindex.TruncIndex
 	imageContext       *types.SystemContext
+	stateLock          sync.Locker
+	state              *containerServerState
 }
 
 // Runtime returns the oci runtime for the ContainerServer
@@ -51,6 +55,7 @@ func (c *ContainerServer) ImageContext() *types.SystemContext {
 
 // New creates a new ContainerServer
 func New(runtime *oci.Runtime, store cstorage.Store, storageImageServer storage.ImageServer, ctrNameIndex *registrar.Registrar, ctrIDIndex *truncindex.TruncIndex, imageContext *types.SystemContext) *ContainerServer {
+	containers := oci.NewMemoryStore()
 	return &ContainerServer{
 		runtime:            runtime,
 		store:              store,
@@ -58,5 +63,41 @@ func New(runtime *oci.Runtime, store cstorage.Store, storageImageServer storage.
 		ctrNameIndex:       ctrNameIndex,
 		ctrIDIndex:         ctrIDIndex,
 		imageContext:       imageContext,
+		stateLock:          new(sync.Mutex),
+		state: &containerServerState{
+			containers: containers,
+		},
 	}
 }
+
+type containerServerState struct {
+	containers oci.ContainerStorer
+}
+
+// AddContainer adds a container to the container state store
+func (c *ContainerServer) AddContainer(ctr *oci.Container) {
+	c.stateLock.Lock()
+	defer c.stateLock.Unlock()
+	c.state.containers.Add(ctr.ID(), ctr)
+}
+
+// GetContainer returns a container by its ID
+func (c *ContainerServer) GetContainer(id string) *oci.Container {
+	c.stateLock.Lock()
+	defer c.stateLock.Unlock()
+	return c.state.containers.Get(id)
+}
+
+// RemoveContainer removes a container from the container state store
+func (c *ContainerServer) RemoveContainer(ctr *oci.Container) {
+	c.stateLock.Lock()
+	defer c.stateLock.Unlock()
+	c.state.containers.Delete(ctr.ID())
+}
+
+// ListContainers returns a list of all containers stored by the server state
+func (c *ContainerServer) ListContainers() []*oci.Container {
+	c.stateLock.Lock()
+	defer c.stateLock.Unlock()
+	return c.state.containers.List()
+}
diff --git a/server/container.go b/server/container.go
index 36b05dc8..6a8f8957 100644
--- a/server/container.go
+++ b/server/container.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ func (s *Server) getContainerFromRequest(cid string) (*oci.Container, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("container with ID starting with %s not found: %v", cid, err)
 	}
 
-	c := s.state.containers.Get(containerID)
+	c := s.ContainerServer.GetContainer(containerID)
 	if c == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("specified container not found: %s", containerID)
 	}
diff --git a/server/container_list.go b/server/container_list.go
index 0803c91a..10b93338 100644
--- a/server/container_list.go
+++ b/server/container_list.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func (s *Server) ListContainers(ctx context.Context, req *pb.ListContainersReque
 	logrus.Debugf("ListContainersRequest %+v", req)
 	var ctrs []*pb.Container
 	filter := req.Filter
-	ctrList := s.state.containers.List()
+	ctrList := s.ContainerServer.ListContainers()
 
 	// Filter using container id and pod id first.
 	if filter != nil {
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func (s *Server) ListContainers(ctx context.Context, req *pb.ListContainersReque
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
-			c := s.state.containers.Get(id)
+			c := s.ContainerServer.GetContainer(id)
 			if c != nil {
 				if filter.PodSandboxId != "" {
 					if c.Sandbox() == filter.PodSandboxId {
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index c705a25d..d55564e9 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -568,8 +568,8 @@ func New(config *Config) (*Server, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	sandboxes := make(map[string]*Sandbox)
-	containers := oci.NewMemoryStore()
 	netPlugin, err := ocicni.InitCNI(config.NetworkDir, config.PluginDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -587,8 +587,7 @@ func New(config *Config) (*Server, error) {
 		hostportManager:      hostportManager,
 		config:               *config,
 		state: &serverState{
-			sandboxes:  sandboxes,
-			containers: containers,
+			sandboxes: sandboxes,
 		},
 		seccompEnabled:  seccomp.IsEnabled(),
 		appArmorEnabled: apparmor.IsEnabled(),
@@ -646,13 +645,12 @@ func New(config *Config) (*Server, error) {
 	}()
 
 	logrus.Debugf("sandboxes: %v", s.state.sandboxes)
-	logrus.Debugf("containers: %v", s.state.containers)
+	logrus.Debugf("containers: %v", s.ContainerServer.ListContainers())
 	return s, nil
 }
 
 type serverState struct {
-	sandboxes  map[string]*Sandbox
-	containers oci.ContainerStorer
+	sandboxes map[string]*Sandbox
 }
 
 func (s *Server) addSandbox(sb *Sandbox) {
@@ -686,13 +684,13 @@ func (s *Server) addContainer(c *oci.Container) {
 	sandbox := s.state.sandboxes[c.Sandbox()]
 	// TODO(runcom): handle !ok above!!! otherwise it panics!
 	sandbox.AddContainer(c)
-	s.state.containers.Add(c.ID(), c)
+	s.ContainerServer.AddContainer(c)
 	s.stateLock.Unlock()
 }
 
 func (s *Server) getContainer(id string) *oci.Container {
 	s.stateLock.Lock()
-	c := s.state.containers.Get(id)
+	c := s.ContainerServer.GetContainer(id)
 	s.stateLock.Unlock()
 	return c
 }
@@ -712,6 +710,6 @@ func (s *Server) removeContainer(c *oci.Container) {
 	s.stateLock.Lock()
 	sandbox := s.state.sandboxes[c.Sandbox()]
 	sandbox.RemoveContainer(c)
-	s.state.containers.Delete(c.ID())
+	s.ContainerServer.RemoveContainer(c)
 	s.stateLock.Unlock()
 }