diff --git a/cluster/common.sh b/cluster/common.sh
index 94f02bbeba..d2f9909d58 100755
--- a/cluster/common.sh
+++ b/cluster/common.sh
@@ -963,3 +963,42 @@ function parse-master-env() {
   KUBELET_CERT_BASE64=$(get-env-val "${master_env}" "KUBELET_CERT")
   KUBELET_KEY_BASE64=$(get-env-val "${master_env}" "KUBELET_KEY")
 }
+
+# Update or verify required gcloud components are installed
+# at minimum required version.
+# Assumed vars
+#   KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE
+function update-or-verify-gcloud() {
+  local sudo_prefix=""
+  if [ ! -w $(dirname `which gcloud`) ]; then
+    sudo_prefix="sudo"
+  fi
+  # update and install components as needed
+  if [[ "${KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE}" == "y" ]]; then
+    ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components install alpha
+    ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components install beta
+    ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components update
+  else
+    local version=$(${sudo_prefix} gcloud version --format=json)
+    python -c'
+import json,sys
+from distutils import version
+
+minVersion = version.LooseVersion("1.3.0")
+required = [ "alpha", "beta", "core" ]
+data = json.loads(sys.argv[1])
+rel = data.get("Google Cloud SDK")
+if rel != "HEAD" and version.LooseVersion(rel) < minVersion:
+  print "gcloud version out of date ( < %s )" % minVersion
+  exit(1)
+missing = []
+for c in required:
+  if not data.get(c):
+    missing += [c]
+if missing:
+  for c in missing:
+    print ("missing required gcloud component \"{0}\"".format(c))
+  exit(1)
+    ' """${version}"""
+  fi
+}
diff --git a/cluster/gce/util.sh b/cluster/gce/util.sh
index 77bd64f17d..8166db2e0c 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/util.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/util.sh
@@ -80,8 +80,7 @@ NODE_TAGS="${NODE_TAG}"
 
 ALLOCATE_NODE_CIDRS=true
 
-KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE=y
-KUBE_SKIP_UPDATE=${KUBE_SKIP_UPDATE-"n"}
+KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE=${KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE:-"n"}
 # How long (in seconds) to wait for cluster initialization.
 KUBE_CLUSTER_INITIALIZATION_TIMEOUT=${KUBE_CLUSTER_INITIALIZATION_TIMEOUT:-300}
 
@@ -99,12 +98,10 @@ function verify-prereqs() {
   local cmd
   for cmd in gcloud gsutil; do
     if ! which "${cmd}" >/dev/null; then
-      local resp
+      local resp="n"
       if [[ "${KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE}" == "y" ]]; then
         echo "Can't find ${cmd} in PATH.  Do you wish to install the Google Cloud SDK? [Y/n]"
         read resp
-      else
-        resp="y"
       fi
       if [[ "${resp}" != "n" && "${resp}" != "N" ]]; then
         curl https://sdk.cloud.google.com | bash
@@ -116,20 +113,7 @@ function verify-prereqs() {
       fi
     fi
   done
-  if [[ "${KUBE_SKIP_UPDATE}" == "y" ]]; then
-    return
-  fi
-  # update and install components as needed
-  if [[ "${KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE}" != "y" ]]; then
-    gcloud_prompt="-q"
-  fi
-  local sudo_prefix=""
-  if [ ! -w $(dirname `which gcloud`) ]; then
-    sudo_prefix="sudo"
-  fi
-  ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components install alpha || true
-  ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components install beta || true
-  ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components update || true
+  update-or-verify-gcloud
 }
 
 # Create a temp dir that'll be deleted at the end of this bash session.
diff --git a/cluster/gke/util.sh b/cluster/gke/util.sh
index f8440d6baf..28d4d5e348 100755
--- a/cluster/gke/util.sh
+++ b/cluster/gke/util.sh
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@
 
 # Uses the config file specified in $KUBE_CONFIG_FILE, or defaults to config-default.sh
 
-KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE=y
-KUBE_SKIP_UPDATE=${KUBE_SKIP_UPDATE-"n"}
+KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE=${KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE:-"n"}
 KUBE_ROOT=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")/../..
 source "${KUBE_ROOT}/cluster/gke/${KUBE_CONFIG_FILE:-config-default.sh}"
 source "${KUBE_ROOT}/cluster/common.sh"
@@ -97,8 +96,6 @@ function verify-prereqs() {
     if [[ "${KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE}" == "y" ]]; then
       echo "Can't find gcloud in PATH.  Do you wish to install the Google Cloud SDK? [Y/n]"
       read resp
-    else
-      resp="y"
     fi
     if [[ "${resp}" != "n" && "${resp}" != "N" ]]; then
       curl https://sdk.cloud.google.com | bash
@@ -109,21 +106,7 @@ function verify-prereqs() {
       exit 1
     fi
   fi
-  if [[ "${KUBE_SKIP_UPDATE}" == "y" ]]; then
-    return
-  fi
-  # update and install components as needed
-  if [[ "${KUBE_PROMPT_FOR_UPDATE}" != "y" ]]; then
-    gcloud_prompt="-q"
-  fi
-  local sudo_prefix=""
-  if [ ! -w $(dirname `which gcloud`) ]; then
-    sudo_prefix="sudo"
-  fi
-  ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components install alpha || true
-  ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components install beta || true
-  ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components install kubectl|| true
-  ${sudo_prefix} gcloud ${gcloud_prompt:-} components update || true
+  update-or-verify-gcloud
 }
 
 # Validate a kubernetes cluster