diff --git a/cluster/common.sh b/cluster/common.sh
index 3c9d1e4b01..5638838077 100755
--- a/cluster/common.sh
+++ b/cluster/common.sh
@@ -734,6 +734,7 @@ MANIFEST_URL: $(yaml-quote ${MANIFEST_URL:-})
 MANIFEST_URL_HEADER: $(yaml-quote ${MANIFEST_URL_HEADER:-})
 NUM_NODES: $(yaml-quote ${NUM_NODES})
 STORAGE_BACKEND: $(yaml-quote ${STORAGE_BACKEND:-etcd3})
+STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE: $(yaml-quote ${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE:-})
 ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR: $(yaml-quote ${ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR:-})
 MASTER_ADVERTISE_ADDRESS: $(yaml-quote ${MASTER_ADVERTISE_ADDRESS:-})
 ETCD_CA_KEY: $(yaml-quote ${ETCD_CA_KEY_BASE64:-})
diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
index 953448c308..c23313e393 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
@@ -130,11 +130,9 @@ TEST_CLUSTER_RESYNC_PERIOD="${TEST_CLUSTER_RESYNC_PERIOD:---min-resync-period=3m
 
 # ContentType used by all components to communicate with apiserver.
 TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE="${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE:-}"
-# ContentType used to store objects in underlying database.
-TEST_CLUSTER_STORAGE_CONTENT_TYPE="${TEST_CLUSTER_STORAGE_CONTENT_TYPE:-}"
 
 KUBELET_TEST_ARGS="${KUBELET_TEST_ARGS:-} --max-pods=110 --serialize-image-pulls=false --outofdisk-transition-frequency=0 ${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE}"
-APISERVER_TEST_ARGS="${APISERVER_TEST_ARGS:-} --runtime-config=extensions/v1beta1 ${TEST_CLUSTER_DELETE_COLLECTION_WORKERS} ${TEST_CLUSTER_MAX_REQUESTS_INFLIGHT} ${TEST_CLUSTER_STORAGE_CONTENT_TYPE}"
+APISERVER_TEST_ARGS="${APISERVER_TEST_ARGS:-} --runtime-config=extensions/v1beta1 ${TEST_CLUSTER_DELETE_COLLECTION_WORKERS} ${TEST_CLUSTER_MAX_REQUESTS_INFLIGHT}"
 CONTROLLER_MANAGER_TEST_ARGS="${CONTROLLER_MANAGER_TEST_ARGS:-} ${TEST_CLUSTER_RESYNC_PERIOD} ${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE}"
 SCHEDULER_TEST_ARGS="${SCHEDULER_TEST_ARGS:-} ${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE}"
 KUBEPROXY_TEST_ARGS="${KUBEPROXY_TEST_ARGS:-} ${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE}"
@@ -195,8 +193,10 @@ KUBE_UP_AUTOMATIC_CLEANUP=${KUBE_UP_AUTOMATIC_CLEANUP:-false}
 # is only supported in trusty or GCI.
 TEST_CLUSTER="${TEST_CLUSTER:-true}"
 
-# Storage backend. 'etcd2' supported, 'etcd3' experimental.
+# Storage backend. 'etcd2' and 'etcd3' are supported.
 STORAGE_BACKEND=${STORAGE_BACKEND:-}
+# Storage media type: application/json and application/vnd.kubernetes.protobuf are supported.
+STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE=${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE:-}
 
 # OpenContrail networking plugin specific settings
 NETWORK_PROVIDER="${NETWORK_PROVIDER:-kubenet}" # none, opencontrail, kubenet
diff --git a/cluster/gce/configure-vm.sh b/cluster/gce/configure-vm.sh
index 03509bcf43..04c076f3eb 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/configure-vm.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/configure-vm.sh
@@ -483,6 +483,11 @@ EOF
     if [ -n "${STORAGE_BACKEND:-}" ]; then
       cat <<EOF >>/srv/salt-overlay/pillar/cluster-params.sls
 storage_backend: '$(echo "$STORAGE_BACKEND" | sed -e "s/'/''/g")'
+EOF
+    fi
+    if [ -n "${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE:-}" ]; then
+      cat <<EOF >>/srv/salt-overlay/pillar/cluster-params.sls
+storage_media_type: '$(echo "$STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE" | sed -e "s/'/''/g")'
 EOF
     fi
     if [ -n "${ADMISSION_CONTROL:-}" ] && [ ${ADMISSION_CONTROL} == *"ImagePolicyWebhook"* ]; then
diff --git a/cluster/gce/container-linux/configure-helper.sh b/cluster/gce/container-linux/configure-helper.sh
index edb0a1bd86..f8cf437327 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/container-linux/configure-helper.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/container-linux/configure-helper.sh
@@ -807,6 +807,9 @@ function start-kube-apiserver {
   if [[ -n "${STORAGE_BACKEND:-}" ]]; then
     params+=" --storage-backend=${STORAGE_BACKEND}"
   fi
+  if [[ -n "${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE:-}" ]]; then
+    params+=" --storage-media-type=${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE}"
+  fi
   if [[ -n "${ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR:-}" ]]; then
     params+=" --enable-garbage-collector=${ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR}"
   fi
diff --git a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
index 0d81eb4d6a..d8e82a1bac 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
@@ -870,6 +870,9 @@ function start-kube-apiserver {
   if [[ -n "${STORAGE_BACKEND:-}" ]]; then
     params+=" --storage-backend=${STORAGE_BACKEND}"
   fi
+  if [[ -n "${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE:-}" ]]; then
+    params+=" --storage-media-type=${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE}"
+  fi
   if [[ -n "${ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR:-}" ]]; then
     params+=" --enable-garbage-collector=${ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR}"
   fi
diff --git a/cluster/gce/trusty/configure-helper.sh b/cluster/gce/trusty/configure-helper.sh
index 4aa8329c20..8dbe0efacc 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/trusty/configure-helper.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/trusty/configure-helper.sh
@@ -598,6 +598,9 @@ start_kube_apiserver() {
   if [[ -n "${STORAGE_BACKEND:-}" ]]; then
     params="${params} --storage-backend=${STORAGE_BACKEND}"
   fi
+  if [[ -n "${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE:-}" ]]; then
+    params="${params} --storage-media-type=${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE}"
+  fi
   if [ -n "${NUM_NODES:-}" ]; then
     # If the cluster is large, increase max-requests-inflight limit in apiserver.
     if [[ "${NUM_NODES}" -ge 1000 ]]; then
diff --git a/cluster/kubemark/gce/config-default.sh b/cluster/kubemark/gce/config-default.sh
index d08b9d3bbe..055f91ca6c 100644
--- a/cluster/kubemark/gce/config-default.sh
+++ b/cluster/kubemark/gce/config-default.sh
@@ -73,12 +73,15 @@ KUBEMARK_MASTER_COMPONENTS_QPS_LIMITS="${KUBEMARK_MASTER_COMPONENTS_QPS_LIMITS:-
 # ContentType used by all components to communicate with apiserver.
 TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE="${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE:-}"
 # ContentType used to store objects in underlying database.
-TEST_CLUSTER_STORAGE_CONTENT_TYPE="${TEST_CLUSTER_STORAGE_CONTENT_TYPE:-}"
+TEST_CLUSTER_STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE=""
+if [ -n "${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE:-}" ]; then
+  TEST_CLUSTER_STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE="--storage-media-type=${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE}"
+fi
 
 ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR=${ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR:-true}
 
 KUBELET_TEST_ARGS="--max-pods=100 $TEST_CLUSTER_LOG_LEVEL ${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE}"
-APISERVER_TEST_ARGS="--runtime-config=extensions/v1beta1 ${API_SERVER_TEST_LOG_LEVEL} ${TEST_CLUSTER_STORAGE_CONTENT_TYPE} ${TEST_CLUSTER_MAX_REQUESTS_INFLIGHT} ${TEST_CLUSTER_DELETE_COLLECTION_WORKERS} --enable-garbage-collector=${ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR}"
+APISERVER_TEST_ARGS="--runtime-config=extensions/v1beta1 ${API_SERVER_TEST_LOG_LEVEL} ${TEST_CLUSTER_STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE} ${TEST_CLUSTER_MAX_REQUESTS_INFLIGHT} ${TEST_CLUSTER_DELETE_COLLECTION_WORKERS} --enable-garbage-collector=${ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR}"
 CONTROLLER_MANAGER_TEST_ARGS="${CONTROLLER_MANAGER_TEST_LOG_LEVEL} ${TEST_CLUSTER_RESYNC_PERIOD} ${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE} ${KUBEMARK_MASTER_COMPONENTS_QPS_LIMITS} --enable-garbage-collector=${ENABLE_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR}"
 SCHEDULER_TEST_ARGS="${SCHEDULER_TEST_LOG_LEVEL} ${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE} ${KUBEMARK_MASTER_COMPONENTS_QPS_LIMITS}"
 KUBEPROXY_TEST_ARGS="${KUBEPROXY_TEST_LOG_LEVEL} ${TEST_CLUSTER_API_CONTENT_TYPE}"
diff --git a/cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-apiserver/kube-apiserver.manifest b/cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-apiserver/kube-apiserver.manifest
index 58c1c78cdf..bfde14d4b1 100644
--- a/cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-apiserver/kube-apiserver.manifest
+++ b/cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-apiserver/kube-apiserver.manifest
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@
 {% set etcd_servers = "--etcd-servers=http://127.0.0.1:2379" -%}
 {% set etcd_servers_overrides = "--etcd-servers-overrides=/events#http://127.0.0.1:4002" -%}
 
+{% set storage_media_type = "" -%}
+{% if pillar['storage_media_type'] is defined -%}
+  {% set storage_media_type = "--storage-media-type=" + pillar['storage_media_type'] -%}
+{% endif -%}
+
 {% set max_requests_inflight = "" -%}
 {% set target_ram_mb = "" -%}
 {% if pillar['num_nodes'] is defined -%}
@@ -175,7 +180,7 @@
   {% set audit_log = "--audit-log-path=/var/log/kube-apiserver-audit.log --audit-log-maxage=0 --audit-log-maxbackup=0 --audit-log-maxsize=2000000000" -%}
 {% endif -%}
 
-{% set params = address + " " + storage_backend + " " + etcd_servers + " " + etcd_servers_overrides + " " + cloud_provider + " " + cloud_config + " " + runtime_config + " " + feature_gates + " " + admission_control + " " + max_requests_inflight + " " + target_ram_mb + " " + service_cluster_ip_range + " " + client_ca_file + basic_auth_file + " " + min_request_timeout + " " + enable_garbage_collector + " " + etcd_quorum_read + " " + audit_log -%}
+{% set params = address + " " + storage_backend + " " + storage_media_type + " " + etcd_servers + " " + etcd_servers_overrides + " " + cloud_provider + " " + cloud_config + " " + runtime_config + " " + feature_gates + " " + admission_control + " " + max_requests_inflight + " " + target_ram_mb + " " + service_cluster_ip_range + " " + client_ca_file + basic_auth_file + " " + min_request_timeout + " " + enable_garbage_collector + " " + etcd_quorum_read + " " + audit_log -%}
 {% set params = params + " " + cert_file + " " + key_file + " " + kubelet_cert_file + " " + kubelet_key_file + " --secure-port=" + secure_port + token_auth_file + " " + bind_address + " " + log_level + " " + advertise_address  + " " + proxy_ssh_options + authz_mode + abac_policy_file + webhook_authentication_config + webhook_authorization_config + image_review_config -%}
 
 # test_args has to be kept at the end, so they'll overwrite any prior configuration
diff --git a/hack/verify-flags/exceptions.txt b/hack/verify-flags/exceptions.txt
index 07d8d593b7..a77365d442 100644
--- a/hack/verify-flags/exceptions.txt
+++ b/hack/verify-flags/exceptions.txt
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ cluster/saltbase/salt/cluster-autoscaler/cluster-autoscaler.manifest:{% set para
 cluster/saltbase/salt/etcd/etcd.manifest:        "value": "{{ pillar.get('storage_backend', 'etcd3') }}"
 cluster/saltbase/salt/etcd/etcd.manifest:{% if pillar.get('storage_backend', 'etcd3') == 'etcd3' -%}
 cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-admission-controls/init.sls:{% if 'LimitRanger' in pillar.get('admission_control', '') %}
-cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-apiserver/kube-apiserver.manifest:{% set params = address + " " + storage_backend + " " + etcd_servers + " " + etcd_servers_overrides + " " + cloud_provider + " " + cloud_config + " " + runtime_config + " " + feature_gates + " " + admission_control + " " + max_requests_inflight + " " + target_ram_mb + " " + service_cluster_ip_range + " " + client_ca_file + basic_auth_file + " " + min_request_timeout + " " + enable_garbage_collector + " " + etcd_quorum_read + " " + audit_log -%}
+cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-apiserver/kube-apiserver.manifest:{% set params = address + " " + storage_backend + " " + storage_media_type + " " + etcd_servers + " " + etcd_servers_overrides + " " + cloud_provider + " " + cloud_config + " " + runtime_config + " " + feature_gates + " " + admission_control + " " + max_requests_inflight + " " + target_ram_mb + " " + service_cluster_ip_range + " " + client_ca_file + basic_auth_file + " " + min_request_timeout + " " + enable_garbage_collector + " " + etcd_quorum_read + " " + audit_log -%}
 cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-controller-manager/kube-controller-manager.manifest:{% if pillar.get('enable_hostpath_provisioner', '').lower() == 'true' -%}
 cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-controller-manager/kube-controller-manager.manifest:{% set params = "--master=127.0.0.1:8080" + " " + cluster_name + " " + cluster_cidr + " " + allocate_node_cidrs + " " + service_cluster_ip_range + " " + terminated_pod_gc + " " + enable_garbage_collector + " " + cloud_provider  + " " + cloud_config + " " + service_account_key + " " + log_level + " " + root_ca_file -%}
 cluster/saltbase/salt/kube-controller-manager/kube-controller-manager.manifest:{% set params = params + " " + feature_gates -%}