diff --git a/hack/lib/init.sh b/hack/lib/init.sh
index 4aafe51f58..aa01fc10c2 100644
--- a/hack/lib/init.sh
+++ b/hack/lib/init.sh
@@ -44,6 +44,31 @@ source "${KUBE_ROOT}/hack/lib/etcd.sh"
 
 KUBE_OUTPUT_HOSTBIN="${KUBE_OUTPUT_BINPATH}/$(kube::util::host_platform)"
 
+# list of all available group versions.  This should be used when generated code
+# or when starting an API server that you want to have everything.
+# most preferred version for a group should appear first
+KUBE_AVAILABLE_GROUP_VERSIONS="${KUBE_AVAILABLE_GROUP_VERSIONS:-\
+v1 \
+apps/v1alpha1 \
+authentication.k8s.io/v1beta1 \
+authorization.k8s.io/v1beta1 \
+autoscaling/v1 \
+batch/v1 \
+batch/v2alpha1 \
+certificates.k8s.io/v1alpha1 \
+extensions/v1beta1 \
+imagepolicy.k8s.io/v1alpha1 \
+policy/v1alpha1 \
+rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1alpha1 \
+storage.k8s.io/v1beta1\
+}"
+
+# not all group versions are exposed by the server.  This list contains those
+# which are not available so we don't generate clients or swagger for them
+KUBE_NONSERVER_GROUP_VERSIONS="
+ imagepolicy.k8s.io/v1alpha1 
+"
+
 # This emulates "readlink -f" which is not available on MacOS X.
 # Test:
 # T=/tmp/$$.$RANDOM
diff --git a/hack/lib/util.sh b/hack/lib/util.sh
index f6b6d162bd..549f6f0bbf 100755
--- a/hack/lib/util.sh
+++ b/hack/lib/util.sh
@@ -312,10 +312,10 @@ kube::util::group-version-to-pkg-path() {
       echo "api/unversioned"
       ;;
     *.k8s.io)
-      echo "apis/${group_version%.k8s.io}"
+      echo "apis/${group_version%.*k8s.io}"
       ;;
     *.k8s.io/*)
-      echo "apis/${group_version/.k8s.io/}"
+      echo "apis/${group_version/.*k8s.io/}"
       ;;
     *)
       echo "apis/${group_version%__internal}"
@@ -347,6 +347,9 @@ kube::util::gv-to-swagger-name() {
 # VERSIONS: Array of group versions to include in swagger spec.
 kube::util::fetch-swagger-spec() {
   for ver in ${VERSIONS}; do
+    if [[ " ${KUBE_NONSERVER_GROUP_VERSIONS} " == *" ${ver} "* ]]; then
+      continue
+    fi
     # fetch the swagger spec for each group version.
     if [[ ${ver} == "v1" ]]; then
       SUBPATH="api"
diff --git a/hack/make-rules/test-integration.sh b/hack/make-rules/test-integration.sh
index 063c6104be..63e400280f 100755
--- a/hack/make-rules/test-integration.sh
+++ b/hack/make-rules/test-integration.sh
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ source "${KUBE_ROOT}/hack/lib/init.sh"
 # KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS=${KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS:-"v1,extensions/v1beta1"}
 # FIXME: due to current implementation of a test client (see: pkg/api/testapi/testapi.go)
 # ONLY the last version is tested in each group.
-KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS=${KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS:-"v1,authentication.k8s.io/v1beta1,authorization.k8s.io/v1beta1,autoscaling/v1,batch/v1,apps/v1alpha1,policy/v1alpha1,extensions/v1beta1,rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1alpha1,certificates.k8s.io/v1alpha1,storage.k8s.io/v1beta1"}
+ALL_VERSIONS_CSV=$(IFS=',';echo "${KUBE_AVAILABLE_GROUP_VERSIONS[*]// /,}";IFS=$)
+KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS="${KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS:-${ALL_VERSIONS_CSV}}"
 
 # Give integration tests longer to run
 # TODO: allow a larger value to be passed in
diff --git a/hack/make-rules/test.sh b/hack/make-rules/test.sh
index 3484991c7d..690d7e04e8 100755
--- a/hack/make-rules/test.sh
+++ b/hack/make-rules/test.sh
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ KUBE_GOVERALLS_BIN=${KUBE_GOVERALLS_BIN:-}
 # "v1,compute/v1alpha1,experimental/v1alpha2;v1,compute/v2,experimental/v1alpha3"
 # FIXME: due to current implementation of a test client (see: pkg/api/testapi/testapi.go)
 # ONLY the last version is tested in each group.
-KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS=${KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS:-"v1,apps/v1alpha1,authentication.k8s.io/v1beta1,authorization.k8s.io/v1beta1,autoscaling/v1,batch/v1,batch/v2alpha1,certificates.k8s.io/v1alpha1,extensions/v1beta1,federation/v1beta1,policy/v1alpha1,rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1alpha1,imagepolicy.k8s.io/v1alpha1,storage.k8s.io/v1beta1"}
+ALL_VERSIONS_CSV=$(IFS=',';echo "${KUBE_AVAILABLE_GROUP_VERSIONS[*]// /,}";IFS=$),federation/v1beta1
+KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS="${KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS:-${ALL_VERSIONS_CSV}}"
 # once we have multiple group supports
 # Create a junit-style XML test report in this directory if set.
 KUBE_JUNIT_REPORT_DIR=${KUBE_JUNIT_REPORT_DIR:-}
@@ -295,6 +296,7 @@ checkFDs() {
 
 checkFDs
 
+
 # Convert the CSVs to arrays.
 IFS=';' read -a apiVersions <<< "${KUBE_TEST_API_VERSIONS}"
 apiVersionsCount=${#apiVersions[@]}
diff --git a/hack/update-api-reference-docs.sh b/hack/update-api-reference-docs.sh
index 3e30668efc..6dae42e178 100755
--- a/hack/update-api-reference-docs.sh
+++ b/hack/update-api-reference-docs.sh
@@ -34,12 +34,19 @@ OUTPUT=${1:-${DEFAULT_OUTPUT}}
 
 SWAGGER_SPEC_PATH="${REPO_DIR}/api/swagger-spec"
 
-GROUP_VERSIONS=("v1" "extensions/v1beta1" "batch/v1" "authentication.k8s.io/v1beta1" "autoscaling/v1" "certificates.k8s.io/v1alpha1")
+ALL_GROUP_VERSIONS=(${KUBE_AVAILABLE_GROUP_VERSIONS})
+INTERESTING_GROUP_VERSIONS=()
 GV_DIRS=()
-for gv in "${GROUP_VERSIONS[@]}"; do
-  GV_DIRS+=("${REPO_DIR}/pkg/$(kube::util::group-version-to-pkg-path "${gv}")")
+for gv in "${ALL_GROUP_VERSIONS[@]}"; do
+	# skip groups that aren't being served, clients for these don't matter
+    if [[ " ${KUBE_NONSERVER_GROUP_VERSIONS} " == *" ${gv} "* ]]; then
+		continue
+    fi
+
+	INTERESTING_GROUP_VERSIONS+=(${gv})
+	GV_DIRS+=("${REPO_DIR}/pkg/$(kube::util::group-version-to-pkg-path "${gv}")")
 done
 
-GROUP_VERSIONS="${GROUP_VERSIONS[@]}" GV_DIRS="${GV_DIRS[@]}" kube::swagger::gen_api_ref_docs "${SWAGGER_SPEC_PATH}" "${OUTPUT}"
+GROUP_VERSIONS="${INTERESTING_GROUP_VERSIONS[@]}" GV_DIRS="${GV_DIRS[@]}" kube::swagger::gen_api_ref_docs "${SWAGGER_SPEC_PATH}" "${OUTPUT}"
 
 # ex: ts=2 sw=2 et filetype=sh
diff --git a/hack/update-codegen.sh b/hack/update-codegen.sh
index ad07f4a875..a6a6a11a5f 100755
--- a/hack/update-codegen.sh
+++ b/hack/update-codegen.sh
@@ -35,11 +35,37 @@ setgen=$(kube::util::find-binary "set-gen")
 # Please do not add any logic to this shell script. Add logic to the go code
 # that generates the set-gen program.
 #
+
+GROUP_VERSIONS=(${KUBE_AVAILABLE_GROUP_VERSIONS})
+GV_DIRS=()
+SEEN_GROUPS=","
+for gv in "${GROUP_VERSIONS[@]}"; do
+	# add items, but strip off any leading apis/ you find to match command expectations
+	api_dir=$(kube::util::group-version-to-pkg-path "${gv}")
+	pkg_dir=${api_dir#apis/}
+
+	# don't add a version for a group you've already seen
+	group=${pkg_dir%%/*}
+	if [[ "${SEEN_GROUPS}" == *",${group}."* ]]; then
+		continue
+	fi
+	SEEN_GROUPS="${SEEN_GROUPS},${group}."
+
+	# skip groups that aren't being served, clients for these don't matter
+    if [[ " ${KUBE_NONSERVER_GROUP_VERSIONS} " == *" ${gv} "* ]]; then
+      continue
+    fi
+
+	GV_DIRS+=("${pkg_dir}")
+done
+# delimit by commas for the command
+GV_DIRS_CSV=$(IFS=',';echo "${GV_DIRS[*]// /,}";IFS=$)
+
 # This can be called with one flag, --verify-only, so it works for both the
 # update- and verify- scripts.
 ${clientgen} "$@"
 ${clientgen} -t "$@"
-${clientgen} --clientset-name="release_1_5" --input="api/v1,authorization/v1beta1,autoscaling/v1,batch/v1,extensions/v1beta1,policy/v1alpha1,storage/v1beta1" "$@"
+${clientgen} --clientset-name="release_1_5" --input="${GV_DIRS_CSV}" "$@"
 # Clientgen for federation clientset.
 ${clientgen} --clientset-name=federation_internalclientset --clientset-path=k8s.io/kubernetes/federation/client/clientset_generated --input="../../federation/apis/federation/","api/","extensions/" --included-types-overrides="api/Service,api/Namespace,extensions/ReplicaSet,api/Secret,extensions/Ingress,api/Event"   "$@"
 ${clientgen} --clientset-name=federation_release_1_5 --clientset-path=k8s.io/kubernetes/federation/client/clientset_generated --input="../../federation/apis/federation/v1beta1","api/v1","extensions/v1beta1" --included-types-overrides="api/v1/Service,api/v1/Namespace,extensions/v1beta1/ReplicaSet,api/v1/Secret,extensions/v1beta1/Ingress,api/v1/Event"   "$@"
diff --git a/hack/update-generated-swagger-docs.sh b/hack/update-generated-swagger-docs.sh
index 6bac92e66e..12091c3d93 100755
--- a/hack/update-generated-swagger-docs.sh
+++ b/hack/update-generated-swagger-docs.sh
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ source "${KUBE_ROOT}/hack/lib/swagger.sh"
 
 kube::golang::setup_env
 
-GROUP_VERSIONS=(unversioned v1 authentication/v1beta1 authorization/v1beta1 autoscaling/v1 batch/v1 batch/v2alpha1 extensions/v1beta1 apps/v1alpha1 policy/v1alpha1 rbac/v1alpha1 storage/v1beta1 certificates/v1alpha1)
+GROUP_VERSIONS=(unversioned ${KUBE_AVAILABLE_GROUP_VERSIONS})
+
 # To avoid compile errors, remove the currently existing files.
 for group_version in "${GROUP_VERSIONS[@]}"; do
   rm -f "pkg/$(kube::util::group-version-to-pkg-path "${group_version}")/types_swagger_doc_generated.go"
diff --git a/hack/update-swagger-spec.sh b/hack/update-swagger-spec.sh
index 486fbe6de0..bce02a7884 100755
--- a/hack/update-swagger-spec.sh
+++ b/hack/update-swagger-spec.sh
@@ -73,12 +73,10 @@ APISERVER_PID=$!
 kube::util::wait_for_url "${API_HOST}:${API_PORT}/healthz" "apiserver: "
 
 SWAGGER_API_PATH="${API_HOST}:${API_PORT}/swaggerapi/"
-DEFAULT_GROUP_VERSIONS="v1 apps/v1alpha1 authentication.k8s.io/v1beta1 authorization.k8s.io/v1beta1 autoscaling/v1 batch/v1 batch/v2alpha1 extensions/v1beta1 certificates.k8s.io/v1alpha1 policy/v1alpha1 rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1alpha1 storage.k8s.io/v1beta1"
-VERSIONS=${VERSIONS:-$DEFAULT_GROUP_VERSIONS}
 
 kube::log::status "Updating " ${SWAGGER_ROOT_DIR}
 
-SWAGGER_API_PATH="${SWAGGER_API_PATH}" SWAGGER_ROOT_DIR="${SWAGGER_ROOT_DIR}" VERSIONS="${VERSIONS}" kube::util::fetch-swagger-spec
+SWAGGER_API_PATH="${SWAGGER_API_PATH}" SWAGGER_ROOT_DIR="${SWAGGER_ROOT_DIR}" VERSIONS="${KUBE_AVAILABLE_GROUP_VERSIONS}" KUBE_NONSERVER_GROUP_VERSIONS="${KUBE_NONSERVER_GROUP_VERSIONS}" kube::util::fetch-swagger-spec
 
 kube::log::status "SUCCESS"
 
diff --git a/pkg/api/testapi/testapi.go b/pkg/api/testapi/testapi.go
index f54ff586b5..a1d1d87a63 100644
--- a/pkg/api/testapi/testapi.go
+++ b/pkg/api/testapi/testapi.go
@@ -115,8 +115,10 @@ func init() {
 
 	kubeTestAPI := os.Getenv("KUBE_TEST_API")
 	if len(kubeTestAPI) != 0 {
+		// priority is "first in list preferred", so this has to run in reverse order
 		testGroupVersions := strings.Split(kubeTestAPI, ",")
-		for _, gvString := range testGroupVersions {
+		for i := len(testGroupVersions) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+			gvString := testGroupVersions[i]
 			groupVersion, err := unversioned.ParseGroupVersion(gvString)
 			if err != nil {
 				panic(fmt.Sprintf("Error parsing groupversion %v: %v", gvString, err))