diff --git a/pkg/load/pull.go b/pkg/load/pull.go
index 4f669190..526c858b 100644
--- a/pkg/load/pull.go
+++ b/pkg/load/pull.go
@@ -58,7 +58,13 @@ func ImagePullPrivileged(ctx context.Context, dockerapi docker.APIClient, imageN
 			return err
 		}
 	} else {
-		if err := printPull(ctx, responseBody, logger); err != nil {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+		defer cancel() // Used to stop the go routine if printPull returns error early.
+
+		msgCh := make(chan Message, 4096)
+		go decode(ctx, responseBody, msgCh)
+		err := printPull(ctx, msgCh, logger)
+		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -156,7 +162,52 @@ type PullProgress struct {
 	Vtx    *client.VertexStatus
 }
 
-func printPull(_ context.Context, rc io.Reader, l progress.SubLogger) error {
+type Message struct {
+	msg *jsonmessage.JSONMessage
+	err error
+}
+
+// decode reads the body of the response from Docker and decodes it into JSON messages as fast
+// as it can.  It does not block on the channel and prefers to drop messages if the channel is full
+// to prevent Docker from blocking on the pull.
+func decode(ctx context.Context, r io.Reader, msgCh chan<- Message) {
+	defer close(msgCh)
+
+	dec := json.NewDecoder(r)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			select {
+			case msgCh <- Message{err: ctx.Err()}:
+			default:
+			}
+			return
+		default:
+		}
+
+		var msg jsonmessage.JSONMessage
+		if err := dec.Decode(&msg); err != nil {
+			if err == io.EOF {
+				return
+			}
+
+			select {
+			case msgCh <- Message{err: err}:
+			default:
+			}
+		}
+
+		// If we block here it is possible for Docker to block on the pull.
+		select {
+		case msgCh <- Message{msg: &msg}:
+		default:
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// printPull will convert the messages to useful on screen content.
+// we want to read as fast as possible as docker will block if the body buffer becomes too full.
+func printPull(ctx context.Context, msgCh <-chan Message, l progress.SubLogger) error {
 	started := map[string]PullProgress{}
 
 	defer func() {
@@ -170,26 +221,29 @@ func printPull(_ context.Context, rc io.Reader, l progress.SubLogger) error {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	dec := json.NewDecoder(rc)
-
 	var (
-		parsedError error
-		jm          jsonmessage.JSONMessage
+		msg Message
+		ok  bool
 	)
 
 	for {
-		if err := dec.Decode(&jm); err != nil {
-			if parsedError != nil {
-				return parsedError
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return ctx.Err()
+		case msg, ok = <-msgCh:
+			if !ok {
+				return nil
 			}
-			if err == io.EOF {
-				break
-			}
-			return err
 		}
 
+		if msg.err != nil {
+			return msg.err
+		}
+
+		jm := msg.msg
+
 		if jm.Error != nil {
-			parsedError = jm.Error
+			return jm.Error
 		}
 
 		if jm.ID == "" {
@@ -270,5 +324,4 @@ func printPull(_ context.Context, rc io.Reader, l progress.SubLogger) error {
 
 		l.SetStatus(st.Vtx)
 	}
-	return nil
 }