diff --git a/util/types.go b/util/types.go
index dc5f4b6c8e7..ca0f315327d 100644
--- a/util/types.go
+++ b/util/types.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package util
 
 const (
-	// DefaultRuntime is the default command to use to run the container.
+	// Deprecated: Default runtime should come from containers.conf
 	DefaultRuntime = "runc"
 	// DefaultCNIPluginPath is the default location of CNI plugin helpers.
 	DefaultCNIPluginPath = "/usr/libexec/cni:/opt/cni/bin"
diff --git a/util/util.go b/util/util.go
index 99f68d9e1ce..9e0cea1a363 100644
--- a/util/util.go
+++ b/util/util.go
@@ -263,7 +263,12 @@ func Runtime() string {
 		return "crun"
 	}
 
-	return DefaultRuntime
+	conf, err := config.Default()
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Warnf("Error loading container config when searching for local runtime: %v", err)
+		return DefaultRuntime
+	}
+	return conf.Engine.OCIRuntime
 }
 
 // StringInSlice returns a boolean indicating if the exact value s is present
diff --git a/util/util_test.go b/util/util_test.go
index 5454b86dda8..abeb6f96431 100644
--- a/util/util_test.go
+++ b/util/util_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ package util
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/containers/common/pkg/config"
 )
 
 func TestMergeEnv(t *testing.T) {
@@ -37,3 +40,18 @@ func TestMergeEnv(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+func TestRuntime(t *testing.T) {
+	os.Setenv("CONTAINERS_CONF", "/dev/null")
+	conf, _ := config.Default()
+	defaultRuntime := conf.Engine.OCIRuntime
+	runtime := Runtime()
+	if runtime != defaultRuntime {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %v, got %v", runtime, defaultRuntime)
+	}
+	defaultRuntime = "myoci"
+	os.Setenv("BUILDAH_RUNTIME", defaultRuntime)
+	runtime = Runtime()
+	if runtime != defaultRuntime {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %v, got %v", runtime, defaultRuntime)
+	}
+}