diff --git a/cmd/buildkitd/main_containerd_worker.go b/cmd/buildkitd/main_containerd_worker.go
index 161fb2bad151..f77ee95d226b 100644
--- a/cmd/buildkitd/main_containerd_worker.go
+++ b/cmd/buildkitd/main_containerd_worker.go
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ func validContainerdSocket(cfg config.ContainerdConfig) bool {
 		// FIXME(AkihiroSuda): prohibit tcp?
 		return true
 	}
-	socketPath := strings.TrimPrefix(socket, "unix://")
+	socketPath := strings.TrimPrefix(socket, socketScheme)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(socketPath); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 		// FIXME(AkihiroSuda): add more conditions
 		bklog.L.Warnf("skipping containerd worker, as %q does not exist", socketPath)
diff --git a/cmd/buildkitd/main_unix.go b/cmd/buildkitd/main_unix.go
index f9373356dbc8..d819d1187f59 100644
--- a/cmd/buildkitd/main_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/buildkitd/main_unix.go
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
+const socketScheme = "unix://"
+
 func init() {
 	syscall.Umask(0)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/buildkitd/main_windows.go b/cmd/buildkitd/main_windows.go
index e273760b53f8..5ca20a689534 100644
--- a/cmd/buildkitd/main_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/buildkitd/main_windows.go
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
+const socketScheme = "npipe://"
+
 func listenFD(addr string, tlsConfig *tls.Config) (net.Listener, error) {
 	return nil, errors.New("listening server on fd not supported on windows")
 }
diff --git a/util/testutil/integration/sandbox.go b/util/testutil/integration/sandbox.go
index d7f1dfff2734..585a8baa189b 100644
--- a/util/testutil/integration/sandbox.go
+++ b/util/testutil/integration/sandbox.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func newSandbox(ctx context.Context, w Worker, mirror string, mv matrixValue) (s
 
 	b, closer, err := w.New(ctx, cfg)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, err
+		return nil, nil, errors.Wrap(err, "creating worker")
 	}
 	deferF.Append(closer)
 
diff --git a/util/testutil/integration/util.go b/util/testutil/integration/util.go
index 6a7979e4ae16..85b52b572ce8 100644
--- a/util/testutil/integration/util.go
+++ b/util/testutil/integration/util.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"net"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
@@ -100,13 +99,11 @@ func StartCmd(cmd *exec.Cmd, logs map[string]*bytes.Buffer) (func() error, error
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func WaitUnix(address string, d time.Duration, cmd *exec.Cmd) error {
-	address = strings.TrimPrefix(address, "unix://")
-	addr, err := net.ResolveUnixAddr("unix", address)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed resolving unix addr: %s", address)
-	}
-
+// WaitSocket will dial a socket opened by a command passed in as cmd.
+// On Linux this socket is typically a Unix socket,
+// while on Windows this will be a named pipe.
+func WaitSocket(address string, d time.Duration, cmd *exec.Cmd) error {
+	address = strings.TrimPrefix(address, socketScheme)
 	step := 50 * time.Millisecond
 	i := 0
 	for {
@@ -114,7 +111,7 @@ func WaitUnix(address string, d time.Duration, cmd *exec.Cmd) error {
 			return errors.Errorf("process exited: %s", cmd.String())
 		}
 
-		if conn, err := net.DialUnix("unix", nil, addr); err == nil {
+		if conn, err := dialPipe(address); err == nil {
 			conn.Close()
 			break
 		}
diff --git a/util/testutil/integration/util_unix.go b/util/testutil/integration/util_unix.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f096f954779e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/testutil/integration/util_unix.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
+package integration
+
+import (
+	"net"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+)
+
+var socketScheme = "unix://"
+
+// abstracted function to handle pipe dialing on unix.
+// some simplification has been made to discard
+// laddr for unix -- left as nil.
+func dialPipe(address string) (net.Conn, error) {
+	addr, err := net.ResolveUnixAddr("unix", address)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed resolving unix addr: %s", address)
+	}
+	return net.DialUnix("unix", nil, addr)
+}
diff --git a/util/testutil/integration/util_windows.go b/util/testutil/integration/util_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..eef0e37f85e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/testutil/integration/util_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package integration
+
+import (
+	"net"
+
+	"github.com/Microsoft/go-winio"
+)
+
+var socketScheme = "npipe://"
+
+// abstracted function to handle pipe dialing on windows.
+// some simplification has been made to discard timeout param.
+func dialPipe(address string) (net.Conn, error) {
+	return winio.DialPipe(address, nil)
+}
diff --git a/util/testutil/workers/containerd.go b/util/testutil/workers/containerd.go
index 6f590e604600..37501c676e6c 100644
--- a/util/testutil/workers/containerd.go
+++ b/util/testutil/workers/containerd.go
@@ -88,9 +88,11 @@ func (c *Containerd) New(ctx context.Context, cfg *integration.BackendConfig) (b
 	if err := integration.LookupBinary(c.Containerd); err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
+
 	if err := integration.LookupBinary("buildkitd"); err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
+
 	if err := requireRoot(); err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
@@ -117,6 +119,7 @@ func (c *Containerd) New(ctx context.Context, cfg *integration.BackendConfig) (b
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
+
 	if rootless {
 		if err := os.Chown(tmpdir, c.UID, c.GID); err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, err
@@ -125,7 +128,7 @@ func (c *Containerd) New(ctx context.Context, cfg *integration.BackendConfig) (b
 
 	deferF.Append(func() error { return os.RemoveAll(tmpdir) })
 
-	address := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "containerd.sock")
+	address := getContainerdSock(tmpdir)
 	config := fmt.Sprintf(`root = %q
 state = %q
 # CRI plugins listens on 10010/tcp for stream server.
@@ -137,8 +140,11 @@ disabled_plugins = ["cri"]
 
 [debug]
   level = "debug"
-  address = %q
-`, filepath.Join(tmpdir, "root"), filepath.Join(tmpdir, "state"), address, filepath.Join(tmpdir, "debug.sock"))
+  address = %q`,
+		filepath.Join(tmpdir, "root"),
+		filepath.Join(tmpdir, "state"),
+		address, getContainerdDebugSock(tmpdir),
+	)
 
 	var snBuildkitdArgs []string
 	if c.Snapshotter != "" {
@@ -185,19 +191,23 @@ disabled_plugins = ["cri"]
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
-	if err := integration.WaitUnix(address, 10*time.Second, cmd); err != nil {
+	if err := integration.WaitSocket(address, 10*time.Second, cmd); err != nil {
 		ctdStop()
 		return nil, nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "containerd did not start up: %s", integration.FormatLogs(cfg.Logs))
 	}
 	deferF.Append(ctdStop)
 
-	buildkitdArgs := append([]string{"buildkitd",
-		"--oci-worker=false",
+	// handles only windows case, no effect on unix
+	address = normalizeAddress(address)
+	buildkitdArgs := []string{
+		"buildkitd",
 		"--containerd-worker-gc=false",
 		"--containerd-worker=true",
 		"--containerd-worker-addr", address,
 		"--containerd-worker-labels=org.mobyproject.buildkit.worker.sandbox=true", // Include use of --containerd-worker-labels to trigger https://github.com/moby/buildkit/pull/603
-	}, snBuildkitdArgs...)
+	}
+	buildkitdArgs = applyBuildkitdPlatformFlags(buildkitdArgs)
+	buildkitdArgs = append(buildkitdArgs, snBuildkitdArgs...)
 
 	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" && c.Snapshotter != "native" {
 		c.ExtraEnv = append(c.ExtraEnv, "BUILDKIT_DEBUG_FORCE_OVERLAY_DIFF=true")
@@ -266,7 +276,7 @@ func runStargzSnapshotter(cfg *integration.BackendConfig) (address string, cl fu
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
-	if err = integration.WaitUnix(address, 10*time.Second, cmd); err != nil {
+	if err = integration.WaitSocket(address, 10*time.Second, cmd); err != nil {
 		snStop()
 		return "", nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "containerd-stargz-grpc did not start up: %s", integration.FormatLogs(cfg.Logs))
 	}
diff --git a/util/testutil/workers/dockerd.go b/util/testutil/workers/dockerd.go
index 41622d84d8f6..8443ca9041af 100644
--- a/util/testutil/workers/dockerd.go
+++ b/util/testutil/workers/dockerd.go
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func (c Moby) New(ctx context.Context, cfg *integration.BackendConfig) (b integr
 	}
 	deferF.Append(d.StopWithError)
 
-	if err := integration.WaitUnix(d.Sock(), 5*time.Second, nil); err != nil {
+	if err := integration.WaitSocket(d.Sock(), 5*time.Second, nil); err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, errors.Errorf("dockerd did not start up: %q, %s", err, integration.FormatLogs(cfg.Logs))
 	}
 
diff --git a/util/testutil/workers/sysprocattr_unix.go b/util/testutil/workers/sysprocattr_unix.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 7f4db76ea5c7..000000000000
--- a/util/testutil/workers/sysprocattr_unix.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-//go:build !windows
-// +build !windows
-
-package workers
-
-import (
-	"path/filepath"
-	"syscall"
-)
-
-func getSysProcAttr() *syscall.SysProcAttr {
-	return &syscall.SysProcAttr{
-		Setsid: true, // stretch sudo needs this for sigterm
-	}
-}
-
-func getBuildkitdAddr(tmpdir string) string {
-	return "unix://" + filepath.Join(tmpdir, "buildkitd.sock")
-}
-
-func getTraceSocketPath(tmpdir string) string {
-	return filepath.Join(tmpdir, "otel-grpc.sock")
-}
diff --git a/util/testutil/workers/sysprocattr_windows.go b/util/testutil/workers/sysprocattr_windows.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 9d67037fbf8a..000000000000
--- a/util/testutil/workers/sysprocattr_windows.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-//go:build windows
-// +build windows
-
-package workers
-
-import (
-	"path/filepath"
-	"syscall"
-)
-
-func getSysProcAttr() *syscall.SysProcAttr {
-	return &syscall.SysProcAttr{}
-}
-
-func getBuildkitdAddr(tmpdir string) string {
-	return "//./pipe/buildkitd-" + filepath.Base(tmpdir)
-}
-
-func getTraceSocketPath(tmpdir string) string {
-	return `\\.\pipe\buildkit-otel-grpc-` + filepath.Base(tmpdir)
-}
diff --git a/util/testutil/workers/util.go b/util/testutil/workers/util.go
index f6861bbf32dc..4d9d7dccc045 100644
--- a/util/testutil/workers/util.go
+++ b/util/testutil/workers/util.go
@@ -1,28 +1,39 @@
 package workers
 
 import (
-	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/moby/buildkit/util/testutil/integration"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
-func requireRoot() error {
-	if os.Getuid() != 0 {
-		return errors.Wrap(integration.ErrRequirements, "requires root")
-	}
-	return nil
+func withOTELSocketPath(socketPath string) integration.ConfigUpdater {
+	return otelSocketPath(socketPath)
+}
+
+type otelSocketPath string
+
+func (osp otelSocketPath) UpdateConfigFile(in string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`%s
+
+[otel]
+  socketPath = %q
+`, in, osp)
 }
 
-func runBuildkitd(ctx context.Context, conf *integration.BackendConfig, args []string, logs map[string]*bytes.Buffer, uid, gid int, extraEnv []string) (address string, cl func() error, err error) {
+func runBuildkitd(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	conf *integration.BackendConfig,
+	args []string,
+	logs map[string]*bytes.Buffer,
+	uid, gid int,
+	extraEnv []string,
+) (address string, cl func() error, err error) {
 	deferF := &integration.MultiCloser{}
 	cl = deferF.F()
 
@@ -37,31 +48,39 @@ func runBuildkitd(ctx context.Context, conf *integration.BackendConfig, args []s
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
-	if err := os.Chown(tmpdir, uid, gid); err != nil {
+
+	if err := chown(tmpdir, uid, gid); err != nil {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
+
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(tmpdir, "tmp"), 0711); err != nil {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
-	if err := os.Chown(filepath.Join(tmpdir, "tmp"), uid, gid); err != nil {
+
+	if err := chown(filepath.Join(tmpdir, "tmp"), uid, gid); err != nil {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
 	deferF.Append(func() error { return os.RemoveAll(tmpdir) })
 
-	cfgfile, err := integration.WriteConfig(append(conf.DaemonConfig, withOTELSocketPath(getTraceSocketPath(tmpdir))))
+	cfgfile, err := integration.WriteConfig(
+		append(conf.DaemonConfig, withOTELSocketPath(getTraceSocketPath(tmpdir))))
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
 	deferF.Append(func() error {
 		return os.RemoveAll(filepath.Dir(cfgfile))
 	})
-	args = append(args, "--config="+cfgfile)
 
+	args = append(args, "--config="+cfgfile)
 	address = getBuildkitdAddr(tmpdir)
 
 	args = append(args, "--root", tmpdir, "--addr", address, "--debug")
 	cmd := exec.Command(args[0], args[1:]...) //nolint:gosec // test utility
-	cmd.Env = append(os.Environ(), "BUILDKIT_DEBUG_EXEC_OUTPUT=1", "BUILDKIT_DEBUG_PANIC_ON_ERROR=1", "TMPDIR="+filepath.Join(tmpdir, "tmp"))
+	cmd.Env = append(
+		os.Environ(),
+		"BUILDKIT_DEBUG_EXEC_OUTPUT=1",
+		"BUILDKIT_DEBUG_PANIC_ON_ERROR=1",
+		"TMPDIR="+filepath.Join(tmpdir, "tmp"))
 	cmd.Env = append(cmd.Env, extraEnv...)
 	cmd.SysProcAttr = getSysProcAttr()
 
@@ -71,38 +90,14 @@ func runBuildkitd(ctx context.Context, conf *integration.BackendConfig, args []s
 	}
 	deferF.Append(stop)
 
-	if err := integration.WaitUnix(address, 15*time.Second, cmd); err != nil {
+	if err := integration.WaitSocket(address, 15*time.Second, cmd); err != nil {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
 
+	// separated out since it's not required in windows
 	deferF.Append(func() error {
-		f, err := os.Open("/proc/self/mountinfo")
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to open mountinfo")
-		}
-		defer f.Close()
-		s := bufio.NewScanner(f)
-		for s.Scan() {
-			if strings.Contains(s.Text(), tmpdir) {
-				return errors.Errorf("leaked mountpoint for %s", tmpdir)
-			}
-		}
-		return s.Err()
+		return mountInfo(tmpdir)
 	})
 
 	return address, cl, err
 }
-
-func withOTELSocketPath(socketPath string) integration.ConfigUpdater {
-	return otelSocketPath(socketPath)
-}
-
-type otelSocketPath string
-
-func (osp otelSocketPath) UpdateConfigFile(in string) string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf(`%s
-
-[otel]
-  socketPath = %q
-`, in, osp)
-}
diff --git a/util/testutil/workers/util_unix.go b/util/testutil/workers/util_unix.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..76d5c8b516b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/testutil/workers/util_unix.go
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
+package workers
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"syscall"
+
+	"github.com/moby/buildkit/util/testutil/integration"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+)
+
+func applyBuildkitdPlatformFlags(args []string) []string {
+	return append(args, "--oci-worker=false")
+}
+
+func requireRoot() error {
+	if os.Getuid() != 0 {
+		return errors.Wrap(integration.ErrRequirements, "requires root")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func getSysProcAttr() *syscall.SysProcAttr {
+	return &syscall.SysProcAttr{
+		Setsid: true, // stretch sudo needs this for sigterm
+	}
+}
+
+func getBuildkitdAddr(tmpdir string) string {
+	return "unix://" + filepath.Join(tmpdir, "buildkitd.sock")
+}
+
+func getTraceSocketPath(tmpdir string) string {
+	return filepath.Join(tmpdir, "otel-grpc.sock")
+}
+
+func getContainerdSock(tmpdir string) string {
+	return filepath.Join(tmpdir, "containerd.sock")
+}
+
+func getContainerdDebugSock(tmpdir string) string {
+	return filepath.Join(tmpdir, "debug.sock")
+}
+
+func mountInfo(tmpdir string) error {
+	f, err := os.Open("/proc/self/mountinfo")
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to open mountinfo")
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	s := bufio.NewScanner(f)
+	for s.Scan() {
+		if strings.Contains(s.Text(), tmpdir) {
+			return errors.Errorf("leaked mountpoint for %s", tmpdir)
+		}
+	}
+	return s.Err()
+}
+
+// moved here since os.Chown is not supported on Windows.
+// see no-op counterpart in util_windows.go
+func chown(name string, uid, gid int) error {
+	return os.Chown(name, uid, gid)
+}
+
+func normalizeAddress(address string) string {
+	// for parity with windows, no effect for unix
+	return address
+}
diff --git a/util/testutil/workers/util_windows.go b/util/testutil/workers/util_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8d95f04ef5fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/testutil/workers/util_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+package workers
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"syscall"
+)
+
+func applyBuildkitdPlatformFlags(args []string) []string {
+	return args
+}
+
+func requireRoot() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func getSysProcAttr() *syscall.SysProcAttr {
+	return &syscall.SysProcAttr{}
+}
+
+func getBuildkitdAddr(tmpdir string) string {
+	return "npipe:////./pipe/buildkitd-" + filepath.Base(tmpdir)
+}
+
+func getTraceSocketPath(tmpdir string) string {
+	return `\\.\pipe\buildkit-otel-grpc-` + filepath.Base(tmpdir)
+}
+
+func getContainerdSock(tmpdir string) string {
+	return `\\.\pipe\containerd-` + filepath.Base(tmpdir)
+}
+
+func getContainerdDebugSock(tmpdir string) string {
+	return `\\.\pipe\containerd-` + filepath.Base(tmpdir) + `debug`
+}
+
+// no-op for parity with unix
+func mountInfo(tmpdir string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func chown(name string, uid, gid int) error {
+	// Chown not supported on Windows
+	return nil
+}
+
+func normalizeAddress(address string) string {
+	address = filepath.ToSlash(address)
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(address, "npipe://") {
+		address = "npipe://" + address
+	}
+	return address
+}
diff --git a/worker/containerd/containerd.go b/worker/containerd/containerd.go
index 7d3d28fe5728..42987b727b21 100644
--- a/worker/containerd/containerd.go
+++ b/worker/containerd/containerd.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	goRuntime "runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -30,14 +31,47 @@ import (
 type RuntimeInfo = containerdexecutor.RuntimeInfo
 
 // NewWorkerOpt creates a WorkerOpt.
-func NewWorkerOpt(root string, address, snapshotterName, ns string, rootless bool, labels map[string]string, dns *oci.DNSConfig, nopt netproviders.Opt, apparmorProfile string, selinux bool, parallelismSem *semaphore.Weighted, traceSocket string, runtime *RuntimeInfo, opts ...containerd.ClientOpt) (base.WorkerOpt, error) {
+func NewWorkerOpt(
+	root string,
+	address, snapshotterName, ns string,
+	rootless bool,
+	labels map[string]string,
+	dns *oci.DNSConfig,
+	nopt netproviders.Opt,
+	apparmorProfile string,
+	selinux bool,
+	parallelismSem *semaphore.Weighted,
+	traceSocket string,
+	runtime *RuntimeInfo,
+	opts ...containerd.ClientOpt,
+) (base.WorkerOpt, error) {
 	opts = append(opts, containerd.WithDefaultNamespace(ns))
 
+	if goRuntime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		// TODO(profnandaa): once the upstream PR[1] is merged and
+		// vendored in buildkit, we will remove this block.
+		// [1] https://github.com/containerd/containerd/pull/9412
+		address = strings.TrimPrefix(address, "npipe://")
+	}
 	client, err := containerd.New(address, opts...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return base.WorkerOpt{}, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to connect client to %q . make sure containerd is running", address)
 	}
-	return newContainerd(root, client, snapshotterName, ns, rootless, labels, dns, nopt, apparmorProfile, selinux, parallelismSem, traceSocket, runtime)
+	return newContainerd(
+		root,
+		client,
+		snapshotterName,
+		ns,
+		rootless,
+		labels,
+		dns,
+		nopt,
+		apparmorProfile,
+		selinux,
+		parallelismSem,
+		traceSocket,
+		runtime,
+	)
 }
 
 func newContainerd(root string, client *containerd.Client, snapshotterName, ns string, rootless bool, labels map[string]string, dns *oci.DNSConfig, nopt netproviders.Opt, apparmorProfile string, selinux bool, parallelismSem *semaphore.Weighted, traceSocket string, runtime *RuntimeInfo) (base.WorkerOpt, error) {
diff --git a/worker/containerd/containerd_test.go b/worker/containerd/containerd_test.go
index ceebd12d0392..82e804a4fcbc 100644
--- a/worker/containerd/containerd_test.go
+++ b/worker/containerd/containerd_test.go
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-//go:build linux
-// +build linux
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
 
 package containerd
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/moby/buildkit/util/network/netproviders"
@@ -37,12 +36,6 @@ func newWorkerOpt(t *testing.T, addr string) base.WorkerOpt {
 	return workerOpt
 }
 
-func checkRequirement(t *testing.T) {
-	if os.Getuid() != 0 {
-		t.Skip("requires root")
-	}
-}
-
 func testContainerdWorkerExec(t *testing.T, sb integration.Sandbox) {
 	if sb.Rootless() {
 		t.Skip("requires root")
diff --git a/worker/containerd/containerd_test_unix.go b/worker/containerd/containerd_test_unix.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..0e08990c2017
--- /dev/null
+++ b/worker/containerd/containerd_test_unix.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
+package containerd
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func checkRequirement(t *testing.T) {
+	if os.Getuid() != 0 {
+		t.Skip("requires root")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/worker/containerd/containerd_test_windows.go b/worker/containerd/containerd_test_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b3b412684e71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/worker/containerd/containerd_test_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package containerd
+
+import "testing"
+
+//lint:ignore U1000 for parity with unix
+func checkRequirement(t *testing.T) {
+	// no special requirements needed for Windows
+}