diff --git a/cr-service.c b/cr-service.c
index 334681bb3..d892b18f2 100644
--- a/cr-service.c
+++ b/cr-service.c
@@ -401,8 +401,37 @@ static int setup_opts_from_req(int sk, CriuOpts *req)
 		opts.manage_cgroups = req->manage_cgroups ? CG_MODE_SOFT : CG_MODE_IGNORE;
 
 	/* Override the manage_cgroup if mode is set explicitly */
-	if (req->has_manage_cgroups_mode)
-		opts.manage_cgroups = req->manage_cgroups_mode;
+	if (req->has_manage_cgroups_mode) {
+		unsigned int mode;
+
+		switch (req->manage_cgroups_mode) {
+		case CRIU_CG_MODE__IGNORE:
+			mode = CG_MODE_IGNORE;
+			break;
+		case CRIU_CG_MODE__NONE:
+			mode = CG_MODE_NONE;
+			break;
+		case CRIU_CG_MODE__PROPS:
+			mode = CG_MODE_PROPS;
+			break;
+		case CRIU_CG_MODE__SOFT:
+			mode = CG_MODE_SOFT;
+			break;
+		case CRIU_CG_MODE__FULL:
+			mode = CG_MODE_FULL;
+			break;
+		case CRIU_CG_MODE__STRICT:
+			mode = CG_MODE_STRICT;
+			break;
+		case CRIU_CG_MODE__DEFAULT:
+			mode = CG_MODE_DEFAULT;
+			break;
+		default:
+			goto err;
+		}
+
+		opts.manage_cgroups = mode;
+	}
 
 	if (req->has_auto_ext_mnt)
 		opts.autodetect_ext_mounts = req->auto_ext_mnt;
diff --git a/lib/criu.c b/lib/criu.c
index 90f909faf..3fac24ec0 100644
--- a/lib/criu.c
+++ b/lib/criu.c
@@ -375,13 +375,13 @@ void criu_set_manage_cgroups(bool manage)
 	criu_local_set_manage_cgroups(global_opts, manage);
 }
 
-void criu_local_set_manage_cgroups_mode(criu_opts *opts, unsigned int mode)
+void criu_local_set_manage_cgroups_mode(criu_opts *opts, enum criu_cg_mode mode)
 {
 	opts->rpc->has_manage_cgroups_mode = true;
-	opts->rpc->manage_cgroups_mode = mode;
+	opts->rpc->manage_cgroups_mode = (CriuCgMode)mode;
 }
 
-void criu_set_manage_cgroups_mode(unsigned int mode)
+void criu_set_manage_cgroups_mode(enum criu_cg_mode mode)
 {
 	criu_local_set_manage_cgroups_mode(global_opts, mode);
 }
diff --git a/lib/criu.h b/lib/criu.h
index 169b9e36a..c22bad35d 100644
--- a/lib/criu.h
+++ b/lib/criu.h
@@ -31,6 +31,16 @@ enum criu_service_comm {
 	CRIU_COMM_BIN
 };
 
+enum criu_cg_mode {
+	CRIU_CG_MODE_IGNORE	= 0,
+	CRIU_CG_MODE_NONE	= 1,
+	CRIU_CG_MODE_PROPS	= 2,
+	CRIU_CG_MODE_SOFT	= 3,
+	CRIU_CG_MODE_FULL	= 4,
+	CRIU_CG_MODE_STRICT	= 5,
+	CRIU_CG_MODE_DEFAULT	= 6
+};
+
 void criu_set_service_address(char *path);
 void criu_set_service_fd(int fd);
 void criu_set_service_binary(char *path);
@@ -67,7 +77,7 @@ void criu_set_log_file(char *log_file);
 void criu_set_cpu_cap(unsigned int cap);
 void criu_set_root(char *root);
 void criu_set_manage_cgroups(bool manage);
-void criu_set_manage_cgroups_mode(unsigned int mode);
+void criu_set_manage_cgroups_mode(enum criu_cg_mode mode);
 void criu_set_auto_ext_mnt(bool val);
 void criu_set_ext_sharing(bool val);
 void criu_set_ext_masters(bool val);
@@ -167,7 +177,7 @@ void criu_local_set_log_file(criu_opts *opts, char *log_file);
 void criu_local_set_cpu_cap(criu_opts *opts, unsigned int cap);
 void criu_local_set_root(criu_opts *opts, char *root);
 void criu_local_set_manage_cgroups(criu_opts *opts, bool manage);
-void criu_local_set_manage_cgroups_mode(criu_opts *opts, unsigned int mode);
+void criu_local_set_manage_cgroups_mode(criu_opts *opts, enum criu_cg_mode mode);
 void criu_local_set_auto_ext_mnt(criu_opts *opts, bool val);
 void criu_local_set_ext_sharing(criu_opts *opts, bool val);
 void criu_local_set_ext_masters(criu_opts *opts, bool val);
diff --git a/protobuf/rpc.proto b/protobuf/rpc.proto
index f49325e27..04dbfef8e 100644
--- a/protobuf/rpc.proto
+++ b/protobuf/rpc.proto
@@ -29,6 +29,16 @@ message unix_sk {
 	required uint32		inode 	= 1;
 };
 
+enum criu_cg_mode {
+	IGNORE	= 0;
+	NONE	= 1;
+	PROPS	= 2;
+	SOFT	= 3;
+	FULL	= 4;
+	STRICT	= 5;
+	DEFAULT = 6;
+};
+
 message criu_opts {
 	required int32			images_dir_fd	= 1;
 	optional int32			pid		= 2; /* if not set on dump, will dump requesting process */
@@ -75,7 +85,7 @@ message criu_opts {
 
 	repeated unix_sk                unix_sk_ino     = 33;
 
-	optional uint32                 manage_cgroups_mode = 34;
+	optional criu_cg_mode		manage_cgroups_mode = 34;
 }
 
 message criu_dump_resp {