diff --git a/cr-restore.c b/cr-restore.c
index e96f741d4..6e46b8d15 100644
--- a/cr-restore.c
+++ b/cr-restore.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 
 #include "protobuf.h"
 #include "protobuf/sa.pb-c.h"
+#include "protobuf/itimer.pb-c.h"
 
 static struct pstree_item *me;
 
@@ -937,7 +938,7 @@ static inline int timeval_valid(struct timeval *tv)
 	return (tv->tv_sec >= 0) && ((unsigned long)tv->tv_usec < USEC_PER_SEC);
 }
 
-static inline int itimer_restore_and_fix(char *n, struct itimer_entry *ie,
+static inline int itimer_restore_and_fix(char *n, ItimerEntry *ie,
 		struct itimerval *val)
 {
 	if (ie->isec == 0 && ie->iusec == 0) {
@@ -980,23 +981,36 @@ static inline int itimer_restore_and_fix(char *n, struct itimer_entry *ie,
 static int prepare_itimers(int pid, struct task_restore_core_args *args)
 {
 	int fd, ret = -1;
-	struct itimer_entry ie[3];
+	ItimerEntry *ie;
 
 	fd = open_image_ro(CR_FD_ITIMERS, pid);
 	if (fd < 0)
 		return fd;
 
-	if (read_img_buf(fd, ie, sizeof(ie)) > 0) {
-		ret = itimer_restore_and_fix("real",
-				&ie[0], &args->itimers[0]);
-		if (!ret)
-			ret = itimer_restore_and_fix("virt",
-					&ie[1], &args->itimers[1]);
-		if (!ret)
-			ret = itimer_restore_and_fix("prof",
-					&ie[2], &args->itimers[2]);
-	}
+	ret = pb_read(fd, &ie, itimer_entry);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out;
+	ret = itimer_restore_and_fix("real", ie, &args->itimers[0]);
+	itimer_entry__free_unpacked(ie, NULL);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out;
 
+	ret = pb_read(fd, &ie, itimer_entry);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out;
+	ret = itimer_restore_and_fix("virt", ie, &args->itimers[1]);
+	itimer_entry__free_unpacked(ie, NULL);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out;
+
+	ret = pb_read(fd, &ie, itimer_entry);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out;
+	ret = itimer_restore_and_fix("prof", ie, &args->itimers[2]);
+	itimer_entry__free_unpacked(ie, NULL);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out;
+out:
 	close_safe(&fd);
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/cr-show.c b/cr-show.c
index f058aff42..e065355cf 100644
--- a/cr-show.c
+++ b/cr-show.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "protobuf/pipe.pb-c.h"
 #include "protobuf/pipe-data.pb-c.h"
 #include "protobuf/sa.pb-c.h"
+#include "protobuf/itimer.pb-c.h"
 
 #define DEF_PAGES_PER_LINE	6
 
@@ -383,7 +384,7 @@ out:
 	pr_img_tail(CR_FD_SIGACT);
 }
 
-static void show_itimer(char *n, struct itimer_entry *ie)
+static void show_itimer(char *n, ItimerEntry *ie)
 {
 	pr_msg("%s: int %lu.%lu val %lu.%lu\n", n,
 	       (unsigned long)ie->isec, (unsigned long)ie->iusec,
@@ -392,15 +393,28 @@ static void show_itimer(char *n, struct itimer_entry *ie)
 
 void show_itimers(int fd, struct cr_options *o)
 {
-	struct itimer_entry ie[3];
+	ItimerEntry *ie;
+	int ret;
 
 	pr_img_head(CR_FD_ITIMERS);
-	if (read_img_buf(fd, ie, sizeof(ie)) < 0)
-		goto out;
 
-	show_itimer("real", &ie[0]);
-	show_itimer("virt", &ie[1]);
-	show_itimer("prof", &ie[2]);
+	ret = pb_read(fd, &ie, itimer_entry);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out;
+	show_itimer("real", ie);
+	itimer_entry__free_unpacked(ie, NULL);
+
+	ret = pb_read(fd, &ie, itimer_entry);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out;
+	show_itimer("virt", ie);
+	itimer_entry__free_unpacked(ie, NULL);
+
+	ret = pb_read(fd, &ie, itimer_entry);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out;
+	show_itimer("prof", ie);
+	itimer_entry__free_unpacked(ie, NULL);
 out:
 	pr_img_tail(CR_FD_ITIMERS);
 }
diff --git a/include/image.h b/include/image.h
index 2e6a06e90..26227627a 100644
--- a/include/image.h
+++ b/include/image.h
@@ -201,13 +201,6 @@ struct page_entry {
 	u8	data[PAGE_IMAGE_SIZE];
 } __packed;
 
-struct itimer_entry {
-	u64		isec;
-	u64		iusec;
-	u64		vsec;
-	u64		vusec;
-} __packed;
-
 #define CR_CAP_SIZE	2
 
 struct creds_entry {
diff --git a/parasite-syscall.c b/parasite-syscall.c
index 5900d85da..15a98a7ef 100644
--- a/parasite-syscall.c
+++ b/parasite-syscall.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 #include "protobuf.h"
 #include "protobuf/sa.pb-c.h"
+#include "protobuf/itimer.pb-c.h"
 
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -460,14 +461,14 @@ int parasite_dump_sigacts_seized(struct parasite_ctl *ctl, struct cr_fdset *cr_f
 
 static int dump_one_timer(struct itimerval *v, int fd)
 {
-	struct itimer_entry ie;
+	ItimerEntry ie = ITIMER_ENTRY__INIT;
 
 	ie.isec = v->it_interval.tv_sec;
 	ie.iusec = v->it_interval.tv_usec;
 	ie.vsec = v->it_value.tv_sec;
 	ie.vusec = v->it_value.tv_sec;
 
-	return write_img(fd, &ie);
+	return pb_write(fd, &ie, itimer_entry);
 }
 
 int parasite_dump_itimers_seized(struct parasite_ctl *ctl, struct cr_fdset *cr_fdset)
diff --git a/protobuf/Makefile b/protobuf/Makefile
index e18f93ac1..86b91c558 100644
--- a/protobuf/Makefile
+++ b/protobuf/Makefile
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ PROTO_FILES	+= sk-packet.proto
 PROTO_FILES	+= mnt.proto
 PROTO_FILES	+= pipe-data.proto
 PROTO_FILES	+= sa.proto
+PROTO_FILES	+= itimer.proto
 
 HDRS	:= $(patsubst %.proto,%.pb-c.h,$(PROTO_FILES))
 SRCS	:= $(patsubst %.proto,%.pb-c.c,$(PROTO_FILES))
diff --git a/protobuf/itimer.proto b/protobuf/itimer.proto
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e7335f6fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/protobuf/itimer.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+message itimer_entry {
+	required uint64		isec		= 1;
+	required uint64		iusec		= 2;
+	required uint64		vsec		= 3;
+	required uint64		vusec		= 4;
+}