diff --git a/pkg/util/taints/taints.go b/pkg/util/taints/taints.go
index 5957adfb27..5b7ff0d81e 100644
--- a/pkg/util/taints/taints.go
+++ b/pkg/util/taints/taints.go
@@ -45,15 +45,14 @@ func parseTaint(st string) (v1.Taint, error) {
 
 	parts2 := strings.Split(parts[1], ":")
 
-	effect := v1.TaintEffect(parts2[1])
-
 	errs := validation.IsValidLabelValue(parts2[0])
 	if len(parts2) != 2 || len(errs) != 0 {
 		return taint, fmt.Errorf("invalid taint spec: %v, %s", st, strings.Join(errs, "; "))
 	}
 
-	if effect != v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule && effect != v1.TaintEffectPreferNoSchedule && effect != v1.TaintEffectNoExecute {
-		return taint, fmt.Errorf("invalid taint spec: %v, unsupported taint effect", st)
+	effect := v1.TaintEffect(parts2[1])
+	if err := validateTaintEffect(effect); err != nil {
+		return taint, err
 	}
 
 	taint.Key = parts[0]
@@ -63,6 +62,14 @@ func parseTaint(st string) (v1.Taint, error) {
 	return taint, nil
 }
 
+func validateTaintEffect(effect v1.TaintEffect) error {
+	if effect != v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule && effect != v1.TaintEffectPreferNoSchedule && effect != v1.TaintEffectNoExecute {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid taint effect: %v, unsupported taint effect", effect)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // NewTaintsVar wraps []api.Taint in a struct that implements flag.Value to allow taints to be
 // bound to command line flags.
 func NewTaintsVar(ptr *[]api.Taint) taintsVar {
@@ -134,6 +141,14 @@ func ParseTaints(spec []string) ([]v1.Taint, []v1.Taint, error) {
 				taintKey = parts[0]
 				effect = v1.TaintEffect(parts[1])
 			}
+
+			// If effect is specified, need to validate it.
+			if len(effect) > 0 {
+				err := validateTaintEffect(effect)
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, nil, err
+				}
+			}
 			taintsToRemove = append(taintsToRemove, v1.Taint{Key: taintKey, Effect: effect})
 		} else {
 			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown taint spec: %v", taintSpec)
diff --git a/pkg/util/taints/taints_test.go b/pkg/util/taints/taints_test.go
index e27e6ad37a..280cb616d0 100644
--- a/pkg/util/taints/taints_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/taints/taints_test.go
@@ -111,3 +111,104 @@ func TestAddOrUpdateTaint(t *testing.T) {
 	newNode, result, err = AddOrUpdateTaint(node, taint)
 	checkResult("Add Duplicate Taint", newNode, taint, result, false, err)
 }
+
+func TestParseTaints(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name                   string
+		spec                   []string
+		expectedTaints         []v1.Taint
+		expectedTaintsToRemove []v1.Taint
+		expectedErr            bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:        "invalid spec format",
+			spec:        []string{"foo=abc"},
+			expectedErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "invalid spec effect for adding taint",
+			spec:        []string{"foo=abc:invalid_effect"},
+			expectedErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "invalid spec effect for deleting taint",
+			spec:        []string{"foo:invalid_effect-"},
+			expectedErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "add new taints",
+			spec: []string{"foo=abc:NoSchedule", "bar=abc:NoSchedule"},
+			expectedTaints: []v1.Taint{
+				{
+					Key:    "foo",
+					Value:  "abc",
+					Effect: v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule,
+				},
+				{
+					Key:    "bar",
+					Value:  "abc",
+					Effect: v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule,
+				},
+			},
+			expectedErr: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "delete taints",
+			spec: []string{"foo:NoSchedule-", "bar:NoSchedule-"},
+			expectedTaintsToRemove: []v1.Taint{
+				{
+					Key:    "foo",
+					Effect: v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule,
+				},
+				{
+					Key:    "bar",
+					Effect: v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule,
+				},
+			},
+			expectedErr: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "add taints and delete taints",
+			spec: []string{"foo=abc:NoSchedule", "bar=abc:NoSchedule", "foo:NoSchedule-", "bar:NoSchedule-"},
+			expectedTaints: []v1.Taint{
+				{
+					Key:    "foo",
+					Value:  "abc",
+					Effect: v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule,
+				},
+				{
+					Key:    "bar",
+					Value:  "abc",
+					Effect: v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule,
+				},
+			},
+			expectedTaintsToRemove: []v1.Taint{
+				{
+					Key:    "foo",
+					Effect: v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule,
+				},
+				{
+					Key:    "bar",
+					Effect: v1.TaintEffectNoSchedule,
+				},
+			},
+			expectedErr: false,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		taints, taintsToRemove, err := ParseTaints(c.spec)
+		if c.expectedErr && err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("[%s] expected error, but got nothing", c.name)
+		}
+		if !c.expectedErr && err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("[%s] expected no error, but got: %v", c.name, err)
+		}
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(c.expectedTaints, taints) {
+			t.Errorf("[%s] expected returen taints as %v, but got: %v", c.name, c.expectedTaints, taints)
+		}
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(c.expectedTaintsToRemove, taintsToRemove) {
+			t.Errorf("[%s] expected return taints to be removed as %v, but got: %v", c.name, c.expectedTaintsToRemove, taintsToRemove)
+		}
+	}
+}