diff --git a/hack/godep-restore.sh b/hack/godep-restore.sh
index 02b7dbb55e..b427cdc3b0 100755
--- a/hack/godep-restore.sh
+++ b/hack/godep-restore.sh
@@ -31,5 +31,5 @@ fi
 kube::util::ensure_godep_version
 
 kube::log::status "Downloading dependencies - this might take a while"
-GOPATH="${GOPATH}:${KUBE_ROOT}/staging" godep restore "$@"
+GOPATH="${GOPATH}:${KUBE_ROOT}/staging" ${KUBE_GODEP:?} restore "$@"
 kube::log::status "Done"
diff --git a/hack/godep-save.sh b/hack/godep-save.sh
index 414929750f..257a609cd3 100755
--- a/hack/godep-save.sh
+++ b/hack/godep-save.sh
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ kube::log::status "Running godep save - this might take a while"
 # This uses $(pwd) rather than ${KUBE_ROOT} because KUBE_ROOT will be
 # realpath'ed, and godep barfs ("... is not using a known version control
 # system") on our staging dirs.
-GOPATH="${GOPATH}:$(pwd)/staging" godep save "${REQUIRED_BINS[@]}"
+GOPATH="${GOPATH}:$(pwd)/staging" ${KUBE_GODEP:?} save "${REQUIRED_BINS[@]}"
 
 # create a symlink in vendor directory pointing to the staging client. This
 # let other packages use the staging client as if it were vendored.
diff --git a/hack/lib/util.sh b/hack/lib/util.sh
index e5172b550a..ccecdcfa88 100755
--- a/hack/lib/util.sh
+++ b/hack/lib/util.sh
@@ -454,13 +454,7 @@ kube::util::ensure_godep_version() {
     return
   fi
 
-  # If GODEP is in the path, then use it.
-  if [[ "$(godep version 2>/dev/null)" == *"godep ${godep_target_version}"* ]]; then
-    export KUBE_GODEP="$(which godep)"
-    kube::log::status "Using ${KUBE_GODEP}"
-    return
-  fi
-
+  # Otherwise, install forked godep
   kube::log::status "Installing godep version ${godep_target_version}"
   # Run in hermetic GOPATH
   kube::golang::setup_env
@@ -468,6 +462,7 @@ kube::util::ensure_godep_version() {
   export KUBE_GODEP="${KUBE_GOPATH}/bin/godep"
   kube::log::status "Installed ${KUBE_GODEP}"
 
+  # Verify that the installed godep from fork is what we expect
   if [[ "$(${KUBE_GODEP:?} version 2>/dev/null)" != *"godep ${godep_target_version}"* ]]; then
     kube::log::error "Expected godep ${godep_target_version} from ${KUBE_GODEP}, got $(${KUBE_GODEP:?} version)"
     return 1
diff --git a/hack/update-staging-godeps-dockerized.sh b/hack/update-staging-godeps-dockerized.sh
index a0e0e50c37..6268465ebf 100755
--- a/hack/update-staging-godeps-dockerized.sh
+++ b/hack/update-staging-godeps-dockerized.sh
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ function updateGodepManifest() {
   pushd "${TMP_GOPATH}/src/k8s.io/${repo}" >/dev/null
     kube::log::status "Updating godeps for k8s.io/${repo}"
     rm -rf Godeps # remove the current Godeps.json so we always rebuild it
-    GOPATH="${TMP_GOPATH}:${GOPATH}:${GOPATH}/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging" godep save ${GODEP_OPTS} ./... 2>&1 | sed 's/^/  /'
+    GOPATH="${TMP_GOPATH}:${GOPATH}:${GOPATH}/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging" ${KUBE_GODEP:?} save ${GODEP_OPTS} ./... 2>&1 | sed 's/^/  /'
 
     # Rewriting Godeps.json to cross-out commits that don't really exist because we haven't pushed the prereqs yet
     local repo
diff --git a/hack/verify-godeps.sh b/hack/verify-godeps.sh
index a7f46f99a7..ae3b7fd4d9 100755
--- a/hack/verify-godeps.sh
+++ b/hack/verify-godeps.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ function cleanup {
     echo "Removing ${_tmpdir}"
     rm -rf "${_tmpdir}"
   fi
-  export GODEP=""
 }
 trap cleanup EXIT