diff --git a/server/image_pull.go b/server/image_pull.go
index cc586868cb1..b5b8e4709e3 100644
--- a/server/image_pull.go
+++ b/server/image_pull.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/pkg/log"
 	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/internal/pkg/storage"
 	"github.com/cri-o/cri-o/server/metrics"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 	pb "k8s.io/cri-api/pkg/apis/runtime/v1alpha2"
 )
@@ -26,31 +27,82 @@ func (s *Server) PullImage(ctx context.Context, req *pb.PullImageRequest) (resp
 		image = img.Image
 	}
 
-	sourceCtx := *s.systemContext // A shallow copy we can modify
+	pullArgs := pullArguments{image: image}
 	if req.GetAuth() != nil {
 		username := req.GetAuth().Username
 		password := req.GetAuth().Password
 		if req.GetAuth().Auth != "" {
 			username, password, err = decodeDockerAuth(req.GetAuth().Auth)
 			if err != nil {
-				log.Debugf(ctx, "error decoding authentication for image %s: %v", img, err)
+				log.Debugf(ctx, "error decoding authentication for image %s: %v", image, err)
 				return nil, err
 			}
 		}
 		// Specifying a username indicates the user intends to send authentication to the registry.
 		if username != "" {
-			sourceCtx.DockerAuthConfig = &types.DockerAuthConfig{
+			pullArgs.credentials = types.DockerAuthConfig{
 				Username: username,
 				Password: password,
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
+	// We use the server's pullOperationsInProgress to record which images are
+	// currently being pulled. This allows for avoiding pulling the same image
+	// in parallel. Hence, if a given image is currently being pulled, we queue
+	// into the pullOperation's waitgroup and wait for the pulling goroutine to
+	// unblock us and re-use its results.
+	pullOp, pullInProcess := func() (pullOp *pullOperation, inProgress bool) {
+		s.pullOperationsLock.Lock()
+		defer s.pullOperationsLock.Unlock()
+		pullOp, inProgress = s.pullOperationsInProgress[pullArgs]
+		if !inProgress {
+			pullOp = &pullOperation{}
+			s.pullOperationsInProgress[pullArgs] = pullOp
+			pullOp.wg.Add(1)
+		}
+		return pullOp, inProgress
+	}()
+
+	if !pullInProcess {
+		pullOp.err = errors.New("pullImage was aborted by a Go panic")
+		defer func() {
+			s.pullOperationsLock.Lock()
+			delete(s.pullOperationsInProgress, pullArgs)
+			pullOp.wg.Done()
+			s.pullOperationsLock.Unlock()
+		}()
+		pullOp.imageRef, pullOp.err = s.pullImage(ctx, &pullArgs)
+	} else {
+		// Wait for the pull operation to finish.
+		pullOp.wg.Wait()
+	}
+
+	if pullOp.err != nil {
+		return nil, pullOp.err
+	}
+
+	resp = &pb.PullImageResponse{
+		ImageRef: pullOp.imageRef,
+	}
+	return resp, nil
+}
+
+// pullImage performs the actual pull operation of PullImage. Used to separate
+// the pull implementation from the pullCache logic in PullImage and improve
+// readability and maintainability.
+func (s *Server) pullImage(ctx context.Context, pullArgs *pullArguments) (string, error) {
+	var err error
+	sourceCtx := *s.systemContext // A shallow copy we can modify
+	if pullArgs.credentials.Username != "" {
+		sourceCtx.DockerAuthConfig = &pullArgs.credentials
+	}
+
 	var dcc *encconfig.DecryptConfig
 	if _, err := os.Stat(s.decryptionKeysPath); err == nil {
 		cc, err := getDecryptionKeys(s.decryptionKeysPath)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return "", err
 		}
 		dcc = cc.DecryptConfig
 	}
@@ -59,9 +111,9 @@ func (s *Server) PullImage(ctx context.Context, req *pb.PullImageRequest) (resp
 		images []string
 		pulled string
 	)
-	images, err = s.StorageImageServer().ResolveNames(s.systemContext, image)
+	images, err = s.StorageImageServer().ResolveNames(s.systemContext, pullArgs.image)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return "", err
 	}
 	for _, img := range images {
 		var tmpImg types.ImageCloser
@@ -150,21 +202,20 @@ func (s *Server) PullImage(ctx context.Context, req *pb.PullImageRequest) (resp
 		pulled = img
 		break
 	}
+
 	if pulled == "" && err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return "", err
 	}
 	status, err := s.StorageImageServer().ImageStatus(s.systemContext, pulled)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return "", err
 	}
 	imageRef := status.ID
 	if len(status.RepoDigests) > 0 {
 		imageRef = status.RepoDigests[0]
 	}
-	resp = &pb.PullImageResponse{
-		ImageRef: imageRef,
-	}
-	return resp, nil
+
+	return imageRef, nil
 }
 
 func decodeDockerAuth(s string) (user, password string, err error) {
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 8884f4fd735..ed9ac3de80b 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -77,6 +77,32 @@ type Server struct {
 
 	seccompEnabled  bool
 	appArmorEnabled bool
+	// pullOperationsInProgress is used to avoid pulling the same image in parallel. Goroutines
+	// will block on the pullResult.
+	pullOperationsInProgress map[pullArguments]*pullOperation
+	// pullOperationsLock is used to synchronize pull operations.
+	pullOperationsLock sync.Mutex
+}
+
+// pullArguments are used to identify a pullOperation via an input image name and
+// possibly specified credentials.
+type pullArguments struct {
+	image       string
+	credentials types.DockerAuthConfig
+}
+
+// pullOperation is used to synchronize parallel pull operations via the
+// server's pullCache.  Goroutines can block the pullOperation's waitgroup and
+// be released once the pull operation has finished.
+type pullOperation struct {
+	// wg allows for Goroutines trying to pull the same image to wait until the
+	// currently running pull operation has finished.
+	wg sync.WaitGroup
+	// imageRef is the reference of the actually pulled image which will differ
+	// from the input if it was a short name (e.g., alpine).
+	imageRef string
+	// err is the error indicating if the pull operation has succeeded or not.
+	err error
 }
 
 type certConfigCache struct {
@@ -350,16 +376,17 @@ func New(
 	}
 
 	s := &Server{
-		ContainerServer:   containerServer,
-		netPlugin:         netPlugin,
-		hostportManager:   hostportManager,
-		config:            *config,
-		seccompEnabled:    seccomp.IsEnabled(),
-		appArmorEnabled:   apparmor.IsEnabled(),
-		appArmorProfile:   config.ApparmorProfile,
-		monitorsChan:      make(chan struct{}),
-		defaultIDMappings: idMappings,
-		systemContext:     systemContext,
+		ContainerServer:          containerServer,
+		netPlugin:                netPlugin,
+		hostportManager:          hostportManager,
+		config:                   *config,
+		seccompEnabled:           seccomp.IsEnabled(),
+		appArmorEnabled:          apparmor.IsEnabled(),
+		appArmorProfile:          config.ApparmorProfile,
+		monitorsChan:             make(chan struct{}),
+		defaultIDMappings:        idMappings,
+		systemContext:            systemContext,
+		pullOperationsInProgress: make(map[pullArguments]*pullOperation),
 	}
 
 	s.decryptionKeysPath = config.DecryptionKeysPath