diff --git a/cmd/cloud-controller-manager/BUILD b/cmd/cloud-controller-manager/BUILD
index dbbae5c6f1..7ab8666cab 100644
--- a/cmd/cloud-controller-manager/BUILD
+++ b/cmd/cloud-controller-manager/BUILD
@@ -10,13 +10,8 @@ load("//pkg/version:def.bzl", "version_x_defs")
 go_binary(
     name = "cloud-controller-manager",
     embed = [":go_default_library"],
-    gc_linkopts = [
-        "-linkmode",
-        "external",
-        "-extldflags",
-        "-static",
-    ],
     importpath = "k8s.io/kubernetes/cmd/cloud-controller-manager",
+    pure = "on",
     x_defs = version_x_defs(),
 )
 
diff --git a/cmd/kube-apiserver/BUILD b/cmd/kube-apiserver/BUILD
index 55c7d08f30..29a454f06e 100644
--- a/cmd/kube-apiserver/BUILD
+++ b/cmd/kube-apiserver/BUILD
@@ -10,13 +10,8 @@ load("//pkg/version:def.bzl", "version_x_defs")
 go_binary(
     name = "kube-apiserver",
     embed = [":go_default_library"],
-    gc_linkopts = [
-        "-linkmode",
-        "external",
-        "-extldflags",
-        "-static",
-    ],
     importpath = "k8s.io/kubernetes/cmd/kube-apiserver",
+    pure = "on",
     x_defs = version_x_defs(),
 )
 
diff --git a/cmd/kube-controller-manager/BUILD b/cmd/kube-controller-manager/BUILD
index 94fa779700..d5152c0e1c 100644
--- a/cmd/kube-controller-manager/BUILD
+++ b/cmd/kube-controller-manager/BUILD
@@ -10,13 +10,8 @@ load("//pkg/version:def.bzl", "version_x_defs")
 go_binary(
     name = "kube-controller-manager",
     embed = [":go_default_library"],
-    gc_linkopts = [
-        "-linkmode",
-        "external",
-        "-extldflags",
-        "-static",
-    ],
     importpath = "k8s.io/kubernetes/cmd/kube-controller-manager",
+    pure = "on",
     x_defs = version_x_defs(),
 )
 
diff --git a/cmd/kube-proxy/BUILD b/cmd/kube-proxy/BUILD
index ac19c0bd51..92f618488e 100644
--- a/cmd/kube-proxy/BUILD
+++ b/cmd/kube-proxy/BUILD
@@ -10,13 +10,8 @@ load("//pkg/version:def.bzl", "version_x_defs")
 go_binary(
     name = "kube-proxy",
     embed = [":go_default_library"],
-    gc_linkopts = [
-        "-linkmode",
-        "external",
-        "-extldflags",
-        "-static",
-    ],
     importpath = "k8s.io/kubernetes/cmd/kube-proxy",
+    pure = "on",
     x_defs = version_x_defs(),
 )
 
diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/BUILD b/cmd/kubeadm/BUILD
index 7c2dd89f03..fad320975e 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/BUILD
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/BUILD
@@ -10,13 +10,8 @@ load("//pkg/version:def.bzl", "version_x_defs")
 go_binary(
     name = "kubeadm",
     embed = [":go_default_library"],
-    gc_linkopts = [
-        "-linkmode",
-        "external",
-        "-extldflags",
-        "-static",
-    ],
     importpath = "k8s.io/kubernetes/cmd/kubeadm",
+    pure = "on",
     x_defs = version_x_defs(),
 )
 
diff --git a/cmd/kubectl/BUILD b/cmd/kubectl/BUILD
index f51b790943..74501eed97 100644
--- a/cmd/kubectl/BUILD
+++ b/cmd/kubectl/BUILD
@@ -8,18 +8,8 @@ load("//pkg/version:def.bzl", "version_x_defs")
 go_binary(
     name = "kubectl",
     embed = [":go_default_library"],
-    gc_linkopts = select({
-        # Mac OS X doesn't support static binaries:
-        # https://developer.apple.com/library/content/qa/qa1118/_index.html
-        "@io_bazel_rules_go//go/platform:darwin_amd64": [],
-        "//conditions:default": [
-            "-linkmode",
-            "external",
-            "-extldflags",
-            "-static",
-        ],
-    }),
     importpath = "k8s.io/kubernetes/cmd/kubectl",
+    pure = "on",
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
     x_defs = version_x_defs(),
 )
diff --git a/plugin/cmd/kube-scheduler/BUILD b/plugin/cmd/kube-scheduler/BUILD
index c89e49a18f..ae3a6e3a11 100644
--- a/plugin/cmd/kube-scheduler/BUILD
+++ b/plugin/cmd/kube-scheduler/BUILD
@@ -10,13 +10,8 @@ load("//pkg/version:def.bzl", "version_x_defs")
 go_binary(
     name = "kube-scheduler",
     embed = [":go_default_library"],
-    gc_linkopts = [
-        "-linkmode",
-        "external",
-        "-extldflags",
-        "-static",
-    ],
     importpath = "k8s.io/kubernetes/plugin/cmd/kube-scheduler",
+    pure = "on",
     x_defs = version_x_defs(),
 )
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/BUILD b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/BUILD
index df4b3e9ad6..f3ca649c44 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/BUILD
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/BUILD
@@ -10,13 +10,8 @@ load("//vendor/k8s.io/client-go/pkg/version:def.bzl", "version_x_defs")
 go_binary(
     name = "kube-aggregator",
     embed = [":go_default_library"],
-    gc_linkopts = [
-        "-linkmode",
-        "external",
-        "-extldflags",
-        "-static",
-    ],
     importpath = "k8s.io/kube-aggregator",
+    pure = "on",
     x_defs = version_x_defs(),
 )