diff --git a/pkg/api/v1/helper/helpers.go b/pkg/api/v1/helper/helpers.go
index f2b2b7c4a0..872ed6b0a1 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1/helper/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1/helper/helpers.go
@@ -21,11 +21,9 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
+	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/selection"
-
-	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
-	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/helper"
 )
 
@@ -269,34 +267,6 @@ func TolerationsTolerateTaintsWithFilter(tolerations []v1.Toleration, taints []v
 	return true
 }
 
-// DeleteTaintsByKey removes all the taints that have the same key to given taintKey
-func DeleteTaintsByKey(taints []v1.Taint, taintKey string) ([]v1.Taint, bool) {
-	newTaints := []v1.Taint{}
-	deleted := false
-	for i := range taints {
-		if taintKey == taints[i].Key {
-			deleted = true
-			continue
-		}
-		newTaints = append(newTaints, taints[i])
-	}
-	return newTaints, deleted
-}
-
-// DeleteTaint removes all the the taints that have the same key and effect to given taintToDelete.
-func DeleteTaint(taints []v1.Taint, taintToDelete *v1.Taint) ([]v1.Taint, bool) {
-	newTaints := []v1.Taint{}
-	deleted := false
-	for i := range taints {
-		if taintToDelete.MatchTaint(&taints[i]) {
-			deleted = true
-			continue
-		}
-		newTaints = append(newTaints, taints[i])
-	}
-	return newTaints, deleted
-}
-
 // Returns true and list of Tolerations matching all Taints if all are tolerated, or false otherwise.
 func GetMatchingTolerations(taints []v1.Taint, tolerations []v1.Toleration) (bool, []v1.Toleration) {
 	if len(taints) == 0 {
@@ -381,70 +351,6 @@ func PodAnnotationsFromSysctls(sysctls []v1.Sysctl) string {
 	return strings.Join(kvs, ",")
 }
 
-// Tries to add a taint to annotations list. Returns a new copy of updated Node and true if something was updated
-// false otherwise.
-func AddOrUpdateTaint(node *v1.Node, taint *v1.Taint) (*v1.Node, bool, error) {
-	objCopy, err := api.Scheme.DeepCopy(node)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, false, err
-	}
-	newNode := objCopy.(*v1.Node)
-	nodeTaints := newNode.Spec.Taints
-
-	var newTaints []v1.Taint
-	updated := false
-	for i := range nodeTaints {
-		if taint.MatchTaint(&nodeTaints[i]) {
-			if helper.Semantic.DeepEqual(taint, nodeTaints[i]) {
-				return newNode, false, nil
-			}
-			newTaints = append(newTaints, *taint)
-			updated = true
-			continue
-		}
-
-		newTaints = append(newTaints, nodeTaints[i])
-	}
-
-	if !updated {
-		newTaints = append(newTaints, *taint)
-	}
-
-	newNode.Spec.Taints = newTaints
-	return newNode, true, nil
-}
-
-func TaintExists(taints []v1.Taint, taintToFind *v1.Taint) bool {
-	for _, taint := range taints {
-		if taint.MatchTaint(taintToFind) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
-// Tries to remove a taint from annotations list. Returns a new copy of updated Node and true if something was updated
-// false otherwise.
-func RemoveTaint(node *v1.Node, taint *v1.Taint) (*v1.Node, bool, error) {
-	objCopy, err := api.Scheme.DeepCopy(node)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, false, err
-	}
-	newNode := objCopy.(*v1.Node)
-	nodeTaints := newNode.Spec.Taints
-	if len(nodeTaints) == 0 {
-		return newNode, false, nil
-	}
-
-	if !TaintExists(nodeTaints, taint) {
-		return newNode, false, nil
-	}
-
-	newTaints, _ := DeleteTaint(nodeTaints, taint)
-	newNode.Spec.Taints = newTaints
-	return newNode, true, nil
-}
-
 // GetPersistentVolumeClass returns StorageClassName.
 func GetPersistentVolumeClass(volume *v1.PersistentVolume) string {
 	// Use beta annotation first
diff --git a/pkg/controller/controller_utils.go b/pkg/controller/controller_utils.go
index 4556a01d03..fc7fb8c66e 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/controller_utils.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/controller_utils.go
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/record"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/integer"
 	_ "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/install"
-	v1helper "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/helper"
 	podutil "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/pod"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/ref"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/validation"
 	clientretry "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/client/retry"
 	hashutil "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/hash"
+	taintutils "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/taints"
 
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
 )
@@ -901,7 +901,7 @@ func AddOrUpdateTaintOnNode(c clientset.Interface, nodeName string, taint *v1.Ta
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		newNode, ok, err := v1helper.AddOrUpdateTaint(oldNode, taint)
+		newNode, ok, err := taintutils.AddOrUpdateTaint(oldNode, taint)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to update taint annotation!")
 		}
@@ -945,7 +945,7 @@ func RemoveTaintOffNode(c clientset.Interface, nodeName string, taint *v1.Taint,
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		newNode, ok, err := v1helper.RemoveTaint(oldNode, taint)
+		newNode, ok, err := taintutils.RemoveTaint(oldNode, taint)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to update taint annotation!")
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/node/nodecontroller.go b/pkg/controller/node/nodecontroller.go
index a473976331..f5737a65e5 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/node/nodecontroller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/node/nodecontroller.go
@@ -45,13 +45,13 @@ import (
 	clientset "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	corelisters "k8s.io/client-go/listers/core/v1"
 	extensionslisters "k8s.io/client-go/listers/extensions/v1beta1"
-	v1helper "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/helper"
 	v1node "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/node"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/metrics"
 	utilnode "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/node"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/system"
+	taintutils "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/taints"
 	utilversion "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/version"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/plugin/pkg/scheduler/algorithm"
 
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ func (nc *NodeController) monitorNodeStatus() error {
 			if observedReadyCondition.Status == v1.ConditionFalse {
 				if nc.useTaintBasedEvictions {
 					// We want to update the taint straight away if Node is already tainted with the UnreachableTaint
-					if v1helper.TaintExists(node.Spec.Taints, UnreachableTaintTemplate) {
+					if taintutils.TaintExists(node.Spec.Taints, UnreachableTaintTemplate) {
 						taintToAdd := *NotReadyTaintTemplate
 						if !swapNodeControllerTaint(nc.kubeClient, &taintToAdd, UnreachableTaintTemplate, node) {
 							glog.Errorf("Failed to instantly swap UnreachableTaint to NotReadyTaint. Will try again in the next cycle.")
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ func (nc *NodeController) monitorNodeStatus() error {
 			if observedReadyCondition.Status == v1.ConditionUnknown {
 				if nc.useTaintBasedEvictions {
 					// We want to update the taint straight away if Node is already tainted with the UnreachableTaint
-					if v1helper.TaintExists(node.Spec.Taints, NotReadyTaintTemplate) {
+					if taintutils.TaintExists(node.Spec.Taints, NotReadyTaintTemplate) {
 						taintToAdd := *UnreachableTaintTemplate
 						if !swapNodeControllerTaint(nc.kubeClient, &taintToAdd, NotReadyTaintTemplate, node) {
 							glog.Errorf("Failed to instantly swap UnreachableTaint to NotReadyTaint. Will try again in the next cycle.")
diff --git a/pkg/controller/node/nodecontroller_test.go b/pkg/controller/node/nodecontroller_test.go
index e3c040efd4..5c5525302c 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/node/nodecontroller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/node/nodecontroller_test.go
@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@ import (
 	clientset "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/fake"
 	testcore "k8s.io/client-go/testing"
-	v1helper "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/helper"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider"
 	fakecloud "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/fake"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller/node/testutil"
 	kubeletapis "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/apis"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/node"
+	taintutils "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/taints"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -1326,7 +1326,6 @@ func TestMonitorNodeStatusEvictPodsWithDisruption(t *testing.T) {
 				break
 			}
 		}
-
 		if item.expectedEvictPods != podEvicted {
 			t.Errorf("%v: expected pod eviction: %+v, got %+v", item.description, item.expectedEvictPods, podEvicted)
 		}
@@ -2019,7 +2018,7 @@ func TestSwapUnreachableNotReadyTaints(t *testing.T) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if originalTaint != nil && !v1helper.TaintExists(node0.Spec.Taints, originalTaint) {
+	if originalTaint != nil && !taintutils.TaintExists(node0.Spec.Taints, originalTaint) {
 		t.Errorf("Can't find taint %v in %v", originalTaint, node0.Spec.Taints)
 	}
 
@@ -2052,7 +2051,7 @@ func TestSwapUnreachableNotReadyTaints(t *testing.T) {
 		return
 	}
 	if updatedTaint != nil {
-		if !v1helper.TaintExists(node0.Spec.Taints, updatedTaint) {
+		if !taintutils.TaintExists(node0.Spec.Taints, updatedTaint) {
 			t.Errorf("Can't find taint %v in %v", updatedTaint, node0.Spec.Taints)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/taint.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/taint.go
index ca9c054771..73e2c5afe2 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/taint.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/taint.go
@@ -28,23 +28,14 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
-	utilerrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/errors"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation"
-	v1helper "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/helper"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubectl"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubectl/cmd/templates"
 	cmdutil "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubectl/resource"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/i18n"
-	utiltaints "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/taints"
-)
-
-const (
-	MODIFIED  = "modified"
-	TAINTED   = "tainted"
-	UNTAINTED = "untainted"
+	taintutils "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/taints"
 )
 
 // TaintOptions have the data required to perform the taint operation
@@ -121,95 +112,6 @@ func NewCmdTaint(f cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	return cmd
 }
 
-// reorganizeTaints returns the updated set of taints, taking into account old taints that were not updated,
-// old taints that were updated, old taints that were deleted, and new taints.
-func reorganizeTaints(node *v1.Node, overwrite bool, taintsToAdd []v1.Taint, taintsToRemove []v1.Taint) (string, []v1.Taint, error) {
-	newTaints := append([]v1.Taint{}, taintsToAdd...)
-	oldTaints := node.Spec.Taints
-	// add taints that already existing but not updated to newTaints
-	added := addTaints(oldTaints, &newTaints)
-	allErrs, deleted := deleteTaints(taintsToRemove, &newTaints)
-	if (added && deleted) || overwrite {
-		return MODIFIED, newTaints, utilerrors.NewAggregate(allErrs)
-	} else if added {
-		return TAINTED, newTaints, utilerrors.NewAggregate(allErrs)
-	}
-	return UNTAINTED, newTaints, utilerrors.NewAggregate(allErrs)
-}
-
-// deleteTaints deletes the given taints from the node's taintlist.
-func deleteTaints(taintsToRemove []v1.Taint, newTaints *[]v1.Taint) ([]error, bool) {
-	allErrs := []error{}
-	var removed bool
-	for _, taintToRemove := range taintsToRemove {
-		removed = false
-		if len(taintToRemove.Effect) > 0 {
-			*newTaints, removed = v1helper.DeleteTaint(*newTaints, &taintToRemove)
-		} else {
-			*newTaints, removed = v1helper.DeleteTaintsByKey(*newTaints, taintToRemove.Key)
-		}
-		if !removed {
-			allErrs = append(allErrs, fmt.Errorf("taint %q not found", taintToRemove.ToString()))
-		}
-	}
-	return allErrs, removed
-}
-
-// addTaints adds the newTaints list to existing ones and updates the newTaints List.
-// TODO: This needs a rewrite to take only the new values instead of appended newTaints list to be consistent.
-func addTaints(oldTaints []v1.Taint, newTaints *[]v1.Taint) bool {
-	for _, oldTaint := range oldTaints {
-		existsInNew := false
-		for _, taint := range *newTaints {
-			if taint.MatchTaint(&oldTaint) {
-				existsInNew = true
-				break
-			}
-		}
-		if !existsInNew {
-			*newTaints = append(*newTaints, oldTaint)
-		}
-	}
-	return len(oldTaints) != len(*newTaints)
-}
-
-func parseTaints(spec []string) ([]v1.Taint, []v1.Taint, error) {
-	var taints, taintsToRemove []v1.Taint
-	uniqueTaints := map[v1.TaintEffect]sets.String{}
-
-	for _, taintSpec := range spec {
-		if strings.Contains(taintSpec, "=") && strings.Contains(taintSpec, ":") {
-			newTaint, err := utiltaints.ParseTaint(taintSpec)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, nil, err
-			}
-			// validate if taint is unique by <key, effect>
-			if len(uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect]) > 0 && uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect].Has(newTaint.Key) {
-				return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("duplicated taints with the same key and effect: %v", newTaint)
-			}
-			// add taint to existingTaints for uniqueness check
-			if len(uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect]) == 0 {
-				uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect] = sets.String{}
-			}
-			uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect].Insert(newTaint.Key)
-
-			taints = append(taints, newTaint)
-		} else if strings.HasSuffix(taintSpec, "-") {
-			taintKey := taintSpec[:len(taintSpec)-1]
-			var effect v1.TaintEffect
-			if strings.Contains(taintKey, ":") {
-				parts := strings.Split(taintKey, ":")
-				taintKey = parts[0]
-				effect = v1.TaintEffect(parts[1])
-			}
-			taintsToRemove = append(taintsToRemove, v1.Taint{Key: taintKey, Effect: effect})
-		} else {
-			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown taint spec: %v", taintSpec)
-		}
-	}
-	return taints, taintsToRemove, nil
-}
-
 // Complete adapts from the command line args and factory to the data required.
 func (o *TaintOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 	namespace, _, err := f.DefaultNamespace()
@@ -243,7 +145,7 @@ func (o *TaintOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Com
 		return fmt.Errorf("at least one taint update is required")
 	}
 
-	if o.taintsToAdd, o.taintsToRemove, err = parseTaints(taintArgs); err != nil {
+	if o.taintsToAdd, o.taintsToRemove, err = taintutils.ParseTaints(taintArgs); err != nil {
 		return cmdutil.UsageErrorf(cmd, err.Error())
 	}
 	o.builder = f.NewBuilder(true).
@@ -380,21 +282,6 @@ func (o TaintOptions) RunTaint() error {
 	})
 }
 
-// validateNoTaintOverwrites validates that when overwrite is false, to-be-updated taints don't exist in the node taint list (yet)
-func validateNoTaintOverwrites(node *v1.Node, taints []v1.Taint) error {
-	allErrs := []error{}
-	oldTaints := node.Spec.Taints
-	for _, taint := range taints {
-		for _, oldTaint := range oldTaints {
-			if taint.Key == oldTaint.Key && taint.Effect == oldTaint.Effect {
-				allErrs = append(allErrs, fmt.Errorf("Node '%s' already has a taint with key (%s) and effect (%v), and --overwrite is false", node.Name, taint.Key, taint.Effect))
-				break
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return utilerrors.NewAggregate(allErrs)
-}
-
 // updateTaints applies a taint option(o) to a node in cluster after computing the net effect of operation(i.e. does it result in an overwrite?), it reports back the end result in a way that user can easily interpret.
 func (o TaintOptions) updateTaints(obj runtime.Object) (string, error) {
 	node, ok := obj.(*v1.Node)
@@ -402,11 +289,11 @@ func (o TaintOptions) updateTaints(obj runtime.Object) (string, error) {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("unexpected type %T, expected Node", obj)
 	}
 	if !o.overwrite {
-		if err := validateNoTaintOverwrites(node, o.taintsToAdd); err != nil {
-			return "", err
+		if exists := taintutils.CheckIfTaintsAlreadyExists(node.Spec.Taints, o.taintsToAdd); len(exists) != 0 {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("Node %s already has %v taint(s) with same effect(s) and --overwrite is false", node.Name, exists)
 		}
 	}
-	operation, newTaints, err := reorganizeTaints(node, o.overwrite, o.taintsToAdd, o.taintsToRemove)
+	operation, newTaints, err := taintutils.ReorganizeTaints(node, o.overwrite, o.taintsToAdd, o.taintsToRemove)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/util/taints/taints.go b/pkg/util/taints/taints.go
index 869925d3a7..1822b2ec62 100644
--- a/pkg/util/taints/taints.go
+++ b/pkg/util/taints/taints.go
@@ -14,20 +14,29 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-// package taints implements uitilites for working with taints
+// package taints implements utilites for working with taints
 package taints
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 	"strings"
 
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	utilerrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/errors"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api"
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/helper"
 )
 
-// ParseTaint parses a taint from a string. Taint must be of the format '<key>=<value>:<effect>'.
-func ParseTaint(st string) (v1.Taint, error) {
+const (
+	MODIFIED  = "modified"
+	TAINTED   = "tainted"
+	UNTAINTED = "untainted"
+)
+
+// parseTaint parses a taint from a string. Taint must be off the format '<key>=<value>:<effect>'.
+func parseTaint(st string) (v1.Taint, error) {
 	var taint v1.Taint
 	parts := strings.Split(st, "=")
 	if len(parts) != 2 || len(parts[1]) == 0 || len(validation.IsQualifiedName(parts[0])) > 0 {
@@ -70,7 +79,7 @@ func (t taintsVar) Set(s string) error {
 	sts := strings.Split(s, ",")
 	var taints []api.Taint
 	for _, st := range sts {
-		taint, err := ParseTaint(st)
+		taint, err := parseTaint(st)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -94,3 +103,199 @@ func (t taintsVar) String() string {
 func (t taintsVar) Type() string {
 	return "[]api.Taint"
 }
+
+// ParseTaints takes a spec which is an array and creates slices for new taints to be added, taints to be deleted.
+func ParseTaints(spec []string) ([]v1.Taint, []v1.Taint, error) {
+	var taints, taintsToRemove []v1.Taint
+	uniqueTaints := map[v1.TaintEffect]sets.String{}
+
+	for _, taintSpec := range spec {
+		if strings.Index(taintSpec, "=") != -1 && strings.Index(taintSpec, ":") != -1 {
+			newTaint, err := parseTaint(taintSpec)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, nil, err
+			}
+			// validate if taint is unique by <key, effect>
+			if len(uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect]) > 0 && uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect].Has(newTaint.Key) {
+				return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("duplicated taints with the same key and effect: %v", newTaint)
+			}
+			// add taint to existingTaints for uniqueness check
+			if len(uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect]) == 0 {
+				uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect] = sets.String{}
+			}
+			uniqueTaints[newTaint.Effect].Insert(newTaint.Key)
+
+			taints = append(taints, newTaint)
+		} else if strings.HasSuffix(taintSpec, "-") {
+			taintKey := taintSpec[:len(taintSpec)-1]
+			var effect v1.TaintEffect
+			if strings.Index(taintKey, ":") != -1 {
+				parts := strings.Split(taintKey, ":")
+				taintKey = parts[0]
+				effect = v1.TaintEffect(parts[1])
+			}
+			taintsToRemove = append(taintsToRemove, v1.Taint{Key: taintKey, Effect: effect})
+		} else {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown taint spec: %v", taintSpec)
+		}
+	}
+	return taints, taintsToRemove, nil
+}
+
+// ReorganizeTaints returns the updated set of taints, taking into account old taints that were not updated,
+// old taints that were updated, old taints that were deleted, and new taints.
+func ReorganizeTaints(node *v1.Node, overwrite bool, taintsToAdd []v1.Taint, taintsToRemove []v1.Taint) (string, []v1.Taint, error) {
+	newTaints := append([]v1.Taint{}, taintsToAdd...)
+	oldTaints := node.Spec.Taints
+	// add taints that already existing but not updated to newTaints
+	added := addTaints(oldTaints, &newTaints)
+	allErrs, deleted := deleteTaints(taintsToRemove, &newTaints)
+	if (added && deleted) || overwrite {
+		return MODIFIED, newTaints, utilerrors.NewAggregate(allErrs)
+	} else if added {
+		return TAINTED, newTaints, utilerrors.NewAggregate(allErrs)
+	}
+	return UNTAINTED, newTaints, utilerrors.NewAggregate(allErrs)
+}
+
+// deleteTaints deletes the given taints from the node's taintlist.
+func deleteTaints(taintsToRemove []v1.Taint, newTaints *[]v1.Taint) ([]error, bool) {
+	allErrs := []error{}
+	var removed bool
+	for _, taintToRemove := range taintsToRemove {
+		removed = false
+		if len(taintToRemove.Effect) > 0 {
+			*newTaints, removed = DeleteTaint(*newTaints, &taintToRemove)
+		} else {
+			*newTaints, removed = DeleteTaintsByKey(*newTaints, taintToRemove.Key)
+		}
+		if !removed {
+			allErrs = append(allErrs, fmt.Errorf("taint %q not found", taintToRemove.ToString()))
+		}
+	}
+	return allErrs, removed
+}
+
+// addTaints adds the newTaints list to existing ones and updates the newTaints List.
+// TODO: This needs a rewrite to take only the new values instead of appended newTaints list to be consistent.
+func addTaints(oldTaints []v1.Taint, newTaints *[]v1.Taint) bool {
+	for _, oldTaint := range oldTaints {
+		existsInNew := false
+		for _, taint := range *newTaints {
+			if taint.MatchTaint(&oldTaint) {
+				existsInNew = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !existsInNew {
+			*newTaints = append(*newTaints, oldTaint)
+		}
+	}
+	return len(oldTaints) != len(*newTaints)
+}
+
+// CheckIfTaintsAlreadyExists checks if the node already has taints that we want to add and returns a string with taint keys.
+func CheckIfTaintsAlreadyExists(oldTaints []v1.Taint, taints []v1.Taint) string {
+	var existingTaintList = make([]string, 0)
+	for _, taint := range taints {
+		for _, oldTaint := range oldTaints {
+			if taint.Key == oldTaint.Key && taint.Effect == oldTaint.Effect {
+				existingTaintList = append(existingTaintList, taint.Key)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return strings.Join(existingTaintList, ",")
+}
+
+// DeleteTaintsByKey removes all the taints that have the same key to given taintKey
+func DeleteTaintsByKey(taints []v1.Taint, taintKey string) ([]v1.Taint, bool) {
+	newTaints := []v1.Taint{}
+	deleted := false
+	for i := range taints {
+		if taintKey == taints[i].Key {
+			deleted = true
+			continue
+		}
+		newTaints = append(newTaints, taints[i])
+	}
+	return newTaints, deleted
+}
+
+// DeleteTaint removes all the the taints that have the same key and effect to given taintToDelete.
+func DeleteTaint(taints []v1.Taint, taintToDelete *v1.Taint) ([]v1.Taint, bool) {
+	newTaints := []v1.Taint{}
+	deleted := false
+	for i := range taints {
+		if taintToDelete.MatchTaint(&taints[i]) {
+			deleted = true
+			continue
+		}
+		newTaints = append(newTaints, taints[i])
+	}
+	return newTaints, deleted
+}
+
+// RemoveTaint tries to remove a taint from annotations list. Returns a new copy of updated Node and true if something was updated
+// false otherwise.
+func RemoveTaint(node *v1.Node, taint *v1.Taint) (*v1.Node, bool, error) {
+	objCopy, err := api.Scheme.DeepCopy(node)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, false, err
+	}
+	newNode := objCopy.(*v1.Node)
+	nodeTaints := newNode.Spec.Taints
+	if len(nodeTaints) == 0 {
+		return newNode, false, nil
+	}
+
+	if !TaintExists(nodeTaints, taint) {
+		return newNode, false, nil
+	}
+
+	newTaints, _ := DeleteTaint(nodeTaints, taint)
+	newNode.Spec.Taints = newTaints
+	return newNode, true, nil
+}
+
+// AddOrUpdateTaint tries to add a taint to annotations list. Returns a new copy of updated Node and true if something was updated
+// false otherwise.
+func AddOrUpdateTaint(node *v1.Node, taint *v1.Taint) (*v1.Node, bool, error) {
+	objCopy, err := api.Scheme.DeepCopy(node)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, false, err
+	}
+	newNode := objCopy.(*v1.Node)
+	nodeTaints := newNode.Spec.Taints
+
+	var newTaints []v1.Taint
+	updated := false
+	for i := range nodeTaints {
+		if taint.MatchTaint(&nodeTaints[i]) {
+			if helper.Semantic.DeepEqual(taint, nodeTaints[i]) {
+				return newNode, false, nil
+			}
+			newTaints = append(newTaints, *taint)
+			updated = true
+			continue
+		}
+
+		newTaints = append(newTaints, nodeTaints[i])
+	}
+
+	if !updated {
+		newTaints = append(newTaints, *taint)
+	}
+
+	newNode.Spec.Taints = newTaints
+	return newNode, true, nil
+}
+
+// TaintExists checks if the given taint exists in list of taints. Returns true if exists false otherwise.
+func TaintExists(taints []v1.Taint, taintToFind *v1.Taint) bool {
+	for _, taint := range taints {
+		if taint.MatchTaint(taintToFind) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/util.go b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
index f8b76005da..0fc3f665e2 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/util.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ import (
 	clientset "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/testapi"
-	v1helper "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/helper"
 	nodeutil "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/node"
 	podutil "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/pod"
 	batchinternal "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/apis/batch"
@@ -92,6 +91,7 @@ import (
 	sshutil "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/ssh"
 	uexec "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/exec"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/system"
+	taintutils "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/taints"
 	utilversion "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/version"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/plugin/pkg/scheduler/algorithm/predicates"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/plugin/pkg/scheduler/schedulercache"
@@ -2492,7 +2492,7 @@ func VerifyThatTaintIsGone(c clientset.Interface, nodeName string, taint *v1.Tai
 	By("verifying the node doesn't have the taint " + taint.ToString())
 	nodeUpdated, err := c.Core().Nodes().Get(nodeName, metav1.GetOptions{})
 	ExpectNoError(err)
-	if v1helper.TaintExists(nodeUpdated.Spec.Taints, taint) {
+	if taintutils.TaintExists(nodeUpdated.Spec.Taints, taint) {
 		Failf("Failed removing taint " + taint.ToString() + " of the node " + nodeName)
 	}
 }
@@ -2513,7 +2513,7 @@ func NodeHasTaint(c clientset.Interface, nodeName string, taint *v1.Taint) (bool
 
 	nodeTaints := node.Spec.Taints
 
-	if len(nodeTaints) == 0 || !v1helper.TaintExists(nodeTaints, taint) {
+	if len(nodeTaints) == 0 || !taintutils.TaintExists(nodeTaints, taint) {
 		return false, nil
 	}
 	return true, nil