diff --git a/crates/runc-shim/src/asynchronous/mod.rs b/crates/runc-shim/src/asynchronous/mod.rs
index 25a161dc..e9069887 100644
--- a/crates/runc-shim/src/asynchronous/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/runc-shim/src/asynchronous/mod.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ use containerd_shim::{
     util::{
         convert_to_timestamp, read_options, read_runtime, read_spec, timestamp, write_str_to_file,
     },
-    Config, Context, DeleteResponse, Error, StartOpts,
+    Config, Context, DeleteResponse, Error, Flags, StartOpts,
 };
 use log::{debug, error, warn};
 use tokio::sync::mpsc::{channel, Receiver, Sender};
@@ -61,13 +61,13 @@ pub(crate) struct Service {
 impl Shim for Service {
     type T = TaskService<RuncFactory, RuncContainer>;
 
-    async fn new(_runtime_id: &str, id: &str, namespace: &str, _config: &mut Config) -> Self {
+    async fn new(_runtime_id: &str, args: &Flags, _config: &mut Config) -> Self {
         let exit = Arc::new(ExitSignal::default());
         // TODO: add publisher
         Service {
             exit,
-            id: id.to_string(),
-            namespace: namespace.to_string(),
+            id: args.id.to_string(),
+            namespace: args.namespace.to_string(),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/runc-shim/src/synchronous/service.rs b/crates/runc-shim/src/synchronous/service.rs
index 46e312a6..c1ef6592 100644
--- a/crates/runc-shim/src/synchronous/service.rs
+++ b/crates/runc-shim/src/synchronous/service.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ use shim::{
         convert_to_timestamp, read_options, read_runtime, read_spec_from_file, timestamp,
         write_address,
     },
-    warn, Config, Context, ExitSignal, Shim, StartOpts,
+    warn, Config, Context, ExitSignal, Flags, Shim, StartOpts,
 };
 
 use crate::{
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ use crate::{
 impl Shim for Service {
     type T = ShimTask<RuncFactory, RuncContainer>;
 
-    fn new(_runtime_id: &str, id: &str, namespace: &str, _config: &mut Config) -> Self {
+    fn new(_runtime_id: &str, args: &Flags, _config: &mut Config) -> Self {
         Service {
             exit: Arc::new(ExitSignal::default()),
-            id: id.to_string(),
-            namespace: namespace.to_string(),
+            id: args.id.to_string(),
+            namespace: args.namespace.to_string(),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/shim/examples/skeleton.rs b/crates/shim/examples/skeleton.rs
index 8f80f02d..b94d068b 100644
--- a/crates/shim/examples/skeleton.rs
+++ b/crates/shim/examples/skeleton.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ mod skeleton {
     use containerd_shim as shim;
     use log::info;
     use shim::{
-        api, synchronous::publisher::RemotePublisher, Config, DeleteResponse, ExitSignal,
+        api, synchronous::publisher::RemotePublisher, Config, DeleteResponse, ExitSignal, Flags,
         TtrpcContext, TtrpcResult,
     };
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ mod skeleton {
     impl shim::Shim for Service {
         type T = Service;
 
-        fn new(_runtime_id: &str, _id: &str, _namespace: &str, _config: &mut Config) -> Self {
+        fn new(_runtime_id: &str, _args: &Flags, _config: &mut Config) -> Self {
             Service {
                 exit: Arc::new(ExitSignal::default()),
             }
diff --git a/crates/shim/examples/skeleton_async.rs b/crates/shim/examples/skeleton_async.rs
index af492715..f3f6de4d 100644
--- a/crates/shim/examples/skeleton_async.rs
+++ b/crates/shim/examples/skeleton_async.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use async_trait::async_trait;
 use containerd_shim::{
     asynchronous::{run, spawn, ExitSignal, Shim},
     publisher::RemotePublisher,
-    Config, Error, StartOpts, TtrpcResult,
+    Config, Error, Flags, StartOpts, TtrpcResult,
 };
 use containerd_shim_protos::{
     api, api::DeleteResponse, shim_async::Task, ttrpc::r#async::TtrpcContext,
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ struct Service {
 impl Shim for Service {
     type T = Service;
 
-    async fn new(_runtime_id: &str, _id: &str, _namespace: &str, _config: &mut Config) -> Self {
+    async fn new(_runtime_id: &str, _args: &Flags, _config: &mut Config) -> Self {
         Service {
             exit: Arc::new(ExitSignal::default()),
         }
diff --git a/crates/shim/src/args.rs b/crates/shim/src/args.rs
index 9147e37e..e67618b8 100644
--- a/crates/shim/src/args.rs
+++ b/crates/shim/src/args.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use std::ffi::OsStr;
 use crate::error::{Error, Result};
 
 /// Flags to be passed from containerd daemon to a shim binary.
-/// Reflects https://github.com/containerd/containerd/blob/master/runtime/v2/shim/shim.go#L100
+/// Reflects <https://github.com/containerd/containerd/blob/master/runtime/v2/shim/shim.go#L100>
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
 pub struct Flags {
     /// Enable debug output in logs.
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ pub struct Flags {
     /// Path to publish binary (used for publishing events).
     pub publish_binary: String,
     /// Shim action (start / delete).
-    /// See https://github.com/containerd/containerd/blob/master/runtime/v2/shim/shim.go#L191
+    /// See <https://github.com/containerd/containerd/blob/master/runtime/v2/shim/shim.go#L191>
     pub action: String,
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/shim/src/asynchronous/mod.rs b/crates/shim/src/asynchronous/mod.rs
index 4ae57859..306dcc7e 100644
--- a/crates/shim/src/asynchronous/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/shim/src/asynchronous/mod.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::{Error, Result},
     logger, parse_sockaddr, reap, socket_address,
     util::{asyncify, read_file_to_str, write_str_to_file},
-    Config, StartOpts, SOCKET_FD, TTRPC_ADDRESS,
+    Config, Flags, StartOpts, SOCKET_FD, TTRPC_ADDRESS,
 };
 
 pub mod monitor;
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ pub trait Shim {
     /// - `id`: identifier of the shim/container, passed in from Containerd.
     /// - `namespace`: namespace of the shim/container, passed in from Containerd.
     /// - `config`: for the shim to pass back configuration information
-    async fn new(runtime_id: &str, id: &str, namespace: &str, config: &mut Config) -> Self;
+    async fn new(runtime_id: &str, args: &Flags, config: &mut Config) -> Self;
 
     /// Start shim will be called by containerd when launching new shim instance.
     ///
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ where
         reap::set_subreaper()?;
     }
 
-    let mut shim = T::new(runtime_id, &flags.id, &flags.namespace, &mut config).await;
+    let mut shim = T::new(runtime_id, &flags, &mut config).await;
 
     match flags.action.as_str() {
         "start" => {
diff --git a/crates/shim/src/lib.rs b/crates/shim/src/lib.rs
index 6704606e..9f88a9fd 100644
--- a/crates/shim/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/shim/src/lib.rs
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ pub use crate::synchronous::*;
 pub mod error;
 
 mod args;
+pub use args::Flags;
 #[cfg(feature = "async")]
 pub mod asynchronous;
 pub mod cgroup;
diff --git a/crates/shim/src/synchronous/mod.rs b/crates/shim/src/synchronous/mod.rs
index 91a0464e..b1993906 100644
--- a/crates/shim/src/synchronous/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/shim/src/synchronous/mod.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ use util::{read_address, write_address};
 
 use crate::{
     api::DeleteResponse,
-    args, logger,
+    args::{self, Flags},
+    logger,
     protos::{
         protobuf::Message,
         shim::shim_ttrpc::{create_task, Task},
@@ -159,10 +160,9 @@ pub trait Shim {
     ///
     /// # Arguments
     /// - `runtime_id`: identifier of the container runtime.
-    /// - `id`: identifier of the shim/container, passed in from Containerd.
-    /// - `namespace`: namespace of the shim/container, passed in from Containerd.
+    /// - `args`: command line arguments passed to the shim which includes namespace and id
     /// - `config`: for the shim to pass back configuration information
-    fn new(runtime_id: &str, id: &str, namespace: &str, config: &mut Config) -> Self;
+    fn new(runtime_id: &str, args: &Flags, config: &mut Config) -> Self;
 
     /// Start shim will be called by containerd when launching new shim instance.
     ///
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ where
         reap::set_subreaper()?;
     }
 
-    let mut shim = T::new(runtime_id, &flags.id, &flags.namespace, &mut config);
+    let mut shim = T::new(runtime_id, &flags, &mut config);
 
     match flags.action.as_str() {
         "start" => {