diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
index 81ffb0bb09..b2ce6d5703 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
@@ -525,3 +525,5 @@ WINDOWS_NODE_TAINTS="${WINDOWS_NODE_TAINTS:-node.kubernetes.io/os=win1809:NoSche
 GCE_PRIVATE_CLUSTER="${KUBE_GCE_PRIVATE_CLUSTER:-false}"
 
 ETCD_LISTEN_CLIENT_IP=0.0.0.0
+
+GCE_UPLOAD_KUBCONFIG_TO_MASTER_METADATA=true
diff --git a/cluster/gce/util.sh b/cluster/gce/util.sh
index 775745bd0e..b7132c9b18 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/util.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/util.sh
@@ -3016,6 +3016,11 @@ function check-cluster() {
 
   # ensures KUBECONFIG is set
   get-kubeconfig-basicauth
+
+  if [[ ${GCE_UPLOAD_KUBCONFIG_TO_MASTER_METADATA:-} == "true" ]]; then
+    gcloud compute instances add-metadata "${MASTER_NAME}" --zone="${ZONE}"  --metadata-from-file="kubeconfig=${KUBECONFIG}" || true
+  fi
+
   echo
   echo -e "${color_green}Kubernetes cluster is running.  The master is running at:"
   echo