diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/describe.go b/pkg/kubectl/describe.go
index 98281ad122..1bb649c90f 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/describe.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/describe.go
@@ -1789,6 +1789,7 @@ func (d *NodeDescriber) Describe(namespace, name string, describerSettings Descr
 func describeNode(node *api.Node, nodeNonTerminatedPodsList *api.PodList, events *api.EventList, canViewPods bool) (string, error) {
 	return tabbedString(func(out io.Writer) error {
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "Name:\t%s\n", node.Name)
+		fmt.Fprintf(out, "Role:\t%s\n", findNodeRole(node))
 		printLabelsMultiline(out, "Labels", node.Labels)
 		printTaintsInAnnotationMultiline(out, "Taints", node.Annotations)
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "CreationTimestamp:\t%s\n", node.CreationTimestamp.Time.Format(time.RFC1123Z))
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/resource_printer.go b/pkg/kubectl/resource_printer.go
index cb136f8d19..ab3cbb0359 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/resource_printer.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/resource_printer.go
@@ -1491,6 +1491,10 @@ func printNode(node *api.Node, w io.Writer, options PrintOptions) error {
 	if node.Spec.Unschedulable {
 		status = append(status, "SchedulingDisabled")
 	}
+	role := findNodeRole(node)
+	if role != "" {
+		status = append(status, role)
+	}
 
 	if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s", name, strings.Join(status, ","), translateTimestamp(node.CreationTimestamp)); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -1520,6 +1524,22 @@ func getNodeExternalIP(node *api.Node) string {
 	return "<none>"
 }
 
+// findNodeRole returns the role of a given node, or "" if none found.
+// The role is determined by looking in order for:
+// * a kubernetes.io/role label
+// * a kubeadm.alpha.kubernetes.io/role label
+// If no role is found, ("", nil) is returned
+func findNodeRole(node *api.Node) string {
+	if role := node.Labels[unversioned.NodeLabelRole]; role != "" {
+		return role
+	}
+	if role := node.Labels[unversioned.NodeLabelKubeadmAlphaRole]; role != "" {
+		return role
+	}
+	// No role found
+	return ""
+}
+
 func printNodeList(list *api.NodeList, w io.Writer, options PrintOptions) error {
 	for _, node := range list.Items {
 		if err := printNode(&node, w, options); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/resource_printer_test.go b/pkg/kubectl/resource_printer_test.go
index c18ead9e24..08e71b289b 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/resource_printer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/resource_printer_test.go
@@ -678,6 +678,36 @@ func TestPrintNodeStatus(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			status: "Unknown,SchedulingDisabled",
 		},
+		{
+			node: api.Node{
+				ObjectMeta: api.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:   "foo10",
+					Labels: map[string]string{"kubernetes.io/role": "master"},
+				},
+				Status: api.NodeStatus{Conditions: []api.NodeCondition{{Type: api.NodeReady, Status: api.ConditionTrue}}},
+			},
+			status: "Ready,master",
+		},
+		{
+			node: api.Node{
+				ObjectMeta: api.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:   "foo11",
+					Labels: map[string]string{"kubernetes.io/role": "node"},
+				},
+				Status: api.NodeStatus{Conditions: []api.NodeCondition{{Type: api.NodeReady, Status: api.ConditionTrue}}},
+			},
+			status: "Ready,node",
+		},
+		{
+			node: api.Node{
+				ObjectMeta: api.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:   "foo12",
+					Labels: map[string]string{"kubeadm.alpha.kubernetes.io/role": "node"},
+				},
+				Status: api.NodeStatus{Conditions: []api.NodeCondition{{Type: api.NodeReady, Status: api.ConditionTrue}}},
+			},
+			status: "Ready,node",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range table {