diff --git a/runsc/cmd/restore.go b/runsc/cmd/restore.go
index 5ee11b480..bc04e2e56 100644
--- a/runsc/cmd/restore.go
+++ b/runsc/cmd/restore.go
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ type Restore struct {
 
 	// detach indicates that runsc has to start a process and exit without waiting it.
 	detach bool
+
+	// direct indicates whether O_DIRECT should be used for reading the
+	// checkpoint pages file. It is faster if the checkpoint files are not
+	// already in the page cache (for example if its coming from an untouched
+	// network block device). Usually the restore is done only once, so the cost
+	// of adding the checkpoint files to the page cache can be redundant.
+	direct bool
 }
 
 // Name implements subcommands.Command.Name.
@@ -62,6 +69,7 @@ func (r *Restore) SetFlags(f *flag.FlagSet) {
 	r.Create.SetFlags(f)
 	f.StringVar(&r.imagePath, "image-path", "", "directory path to saved container image")
 	f.BoolVar(&r.detach, "detach", false, "detach from the container's process")
+	f.BoolVar(&r.direct, "direct", false, "use O_DIRECT for reading checkpoint pages file")
 
 	// Unimplemented flags necessary for compatibility with docker.
 
@@ -138,7 +146,7 @@ func (r *Restore) Execute(_ context.Context, f *flag.FlagSet, args ...any) subco
 	}
 
 	log.Debugf("Restore: %v", r.imagePath)
-	if err := c.Restore(conf, r.imagePath); err != nil {
+	if err := c.Restore(conf, r.imagePath, r.direct); err != nil {
 		return util.Errorf("starting container: %v", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/runsc/container/container.go b/runsc/container/container.go
index 87d8cb9bb..77cd5e7f7 100644
--- a/runsc/container/container.go
+++ b/runsc/container/container.go
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ func (c *Container) Start(conf *config.Config) error {
 
 // Restore takes a container and replaces its kernel and file system
 // to restore a container from its state file.
-func (c *Container) Restore(conf *config.Config, imagePath string) error {
+func (c *Container) Restore(conf *config.Config, imagePath string, direct bool) error {
 	log.Debugf("Restore container, cid: %s", c.ID)
 	if err := c.Saver.lock(BlockAcquire); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ func (c *Container) Restore(conf *config.Config, imagePath string) error {
 		log.Warningf("StartContainer hook skipped because running inside container namespace is not supported")
 	}
 
-	if err := c.Sandbox.Restore(conf, c.ID, imagePath); err != nil {
+	if err := c.Sandbox.Restore(conf, c.ID, imagePath, direct); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	c.changeStatus(Running)
diff --git a/runsc/container/container_test.go b/runsc/container/container_test.go
index d896d9d89..4d31d77c2 100644
--- a/runsc/container/container_test.go
+++ b/runsc/container/container_test.go
@@ -1101,7 +1101,7 @@ func testCheckpointRestore(t *testing.T, conf *config.Config, compression statef
 	}
 	defer cont2.Destroy()
 
-	if err := cont2.Restore(conf, dir); err != nil {
+	if err := cont2.Restore(conf, dir, false /* direct */); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("error restoring container: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -1144,7 +1144,7 @@ func testCheckpointRestore(t *testing.T, conf *config.Config, compression statef
 	}
 	defer cont3.Destroy()
 
-	if err := cont3.Restore(conf, dir); err != nil {
+	if err := cont3.Restore(conf, dir, false /* direct */); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("error restoring container: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -1263,7 +1263,7 @@ func TestCheckpointRestoreExecKilled(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer cont2.Destroy()
 
-	if err := cont2.Restore(conf, dir); err != nil {
+	if err := cont2.Restore(conf, dir, false /* direct */); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("error restoring container: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -1377,7 +1377,7 @@ func TestUnixDomainSockets(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			defer contRestore.Destroy()
 
-			if err := contRestore.Restore(conf, dir); err != nil {
+			if err := contRestore.Restore(conf, dir, false /* direct */); err != nil {
 				t.Fatalf("error restoring container: %v", err)
 			}
 
diff --git a/runsc/sandbox/sandbox.go b/runsc/sandbox/sandbox.go
index 930e6bd86..70b4fde60 100644
--- a/runsc/sandbox/sandbox.go
+++ b/runsc/sandbox/sandbox.go
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ func (s *Sandbox) StartSubcontainer(spec *specs.Spec, conf *config.Config, cid s
 }
 
 // Restore sends the restore call for a container in the sandbox.
-func (s *Sandbox) Restore(conf *config.Config, cid string, imagePath string) error {
+func (s *Sandbox) Restore(conf *config.Config, cid string, imagePath string, direct bool) error {
 	log.Debugf("Restore sandbox %q", s.ID)
 
 	stateFileName := path.Join(imagePath, boot.CheckpointStateFileName)
@@ -459,9 +459,14 @@ func (s *Sandbox) Restore(conf *config.Config, cid string, imagePath string) err
 		},
 	}
 
-	// If the image file exists, we must pass it in.
+	// If the pages file exists, we must pass it in.
 	pagesFileName := path.Join(imagePath, boot.CheckpointPagesFileName)
-	if pf, err := os.Open(pagesFileName); err == nil {
+	pagesReadFlags := os.O_RDONLY
+	if direct {
+		// The contents are page-aligned, so it can be opened with O_DIRECT.
+		pagesReadFlags |= syscall.O_DIRECT
+	}
+	if pf, err := os.OpenFile(pagesFileName, pagesReadFlags, 0); err == nil {
 		defer pf.Close()
 		opt.HavePagesFile = true
 		opt.FilePayload.Files = append(opt.FilePayload.Files, pf)
@@ -1289,9 +1294,10 @@ func (s *Sandbox) Checkpoint(cid string, imagePath string, options statefile.Opt
 
 	// When there is no compression, MemoryFile contents are page-aligned.
 	// It is beneficial to store them separately so certain optimizations can be
-	// applied during restore.
+	// applied during restore. See Restore().
 	if options.Compression == statefile.CompressionLevelNone {
 		pagesFilePath := filepath.Join(imagePath, boot.CheckpointPagesFileName)
+		// TODO(b/327603247): Implement optional async O_DIRECT write.
 		pf, err := os.OpenFile(pagesFilePath, os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL|os.O_RDWR, 0644)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("creating checkpoint pages file %q: %w", pagesFilePath, err)