diff --git a/libcontainer/cgroups/fs/freezer.go b/libcontainer/cgroups/fs/freezer.go
index 11cb1646f48..79453969884 100644
--- a/libcontainer/cgroups/fs/freezer.go
+++ b/libcontainer/cgroups/fs/freezer.go
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
 
+var FreezerTimeout = errors.New("freezer timeout")
+
 type FreezerGroup struct {
 }
 
@@ -29,6 +31,7 @@ func (s *FreezerGroup) Apply(path string, d *cgroupData) error {
 func (s *FreezerGroup) Set(path string, cgroup *configs.Cgroup) error {
 	switch cgroup.Resources.Freezer {
 	case configs.Frozen, configs.Thawed:
+		maxRetry := 2
 		for {
 			// In case this loop does not exit because it doesn't get the expected
 			// state, let's write again this state, hoping it's going to be properly
@@ -38,14 +41,31 @@ func (s *FreezerGroup) Set(path string, cgroup *configs.Cgroup) error {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			state, err := s.GetState(path)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			if state == cgroup.Resources.Freezer {
-				break
+			var state configs.FreezerState
+			var e error
+			c := make(chan bool, 1)
+
+			go func() {
+				state, e = s.GetState(path)
+				c <- true
+			}()
+
+			select {
+			case <-c:
+				if e != nil {
+					return e
+				}
+				if state == cgroup.Resources.Freezer {
+					return nil
+				}
+
+			case <-time.After(1 * time.Millisecond):
 			}
 
+			maxRetry = maxRetry - 1
+			if maxRetry <= 0 {
+				return FreezerTimeout
+			}
 			time.Sleep(1 * time.Millisecond)
 		}
 	case configs.Undefined:
@@ -54,7 +74,6 @@ func (s *FreezerGroup) Set(path string, cgroup *configs.Cgroup) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Invalid argument '%s' to freezer.state", string(cgroup.Resources.Freezer))
 	}
 
-	return nil
 }
 
 func (s *FreezerGroup) GetStats(path string, stats *cgroups.Stats) error {
diff --git a/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v1.go b/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v1.go
index 64af1d94b3e..f867db69895 100644
--- a/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v1.go
+++ b/libcontainer/cgroups/systemd/v1.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	systemdDbus "github.com/coreos/go-systemd/v22/dbus"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/cgroups"
@@ -307,6 +308,18 @@ func (m *legacyManager) Freeze(state configs.FreezerState) error {
 	freezer := &fs.FreezerGroup{}
 	if err := freezer.Set(path, m.cgroups); err != nil {
 		m.cgroups.Resources.Freezer = prevState
+		if err == fs.FreezerTimeout {
+			if err := freezer.Set(path, m.cgroups); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			time.Sleep(1 * time.Millisecond)
+			m.cgroups.Resources.Freezer = state
+			if err := freezer.Set(path, m.cgroups); err != nil {
+				m.cgroups.Resources.Freezer = prevState
+				return err
+			}
+		}
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil