diff --git a/cmd/kubecfg/kubecfg.go b/cmd/kubecfg/kubecfg.go
index 181904ab16..ad36985ea8 100644
--- a/cmd/kubecfg/kubecfg.go
+++ b/cmd/kubecfg/kubecfg.go
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/client"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/kubecfg"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/version"
 	verflag "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/version/flag"
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ func executeAPIRequest(method string, c *client.Client) bool {
 		if err != nil {
 			glog.Fatalf("error obtaining resource version for update: %v", err)
 		}
-		jsonBase, err := apitools.FindJSONBase(obj)
+		jsonBase, err := runtime.FindJSONBase(obj)
 		if err != nil {
 			glog.Fatalf("error finding json base for update: %v", err)
 		}
@@ -258,16 +258,16 @@ func executeAPIRequest(method string, c *client.Client) bool {
 	if setBody {
 		if version != 0 {
 			data := readConfig(storage)
-			obj, err := apitools.Decode(data)
+			obj, err := runtime.Decode(data)
 			if err != nil {
 				glog.Fatalf("error setting resource version: %v", err)
 			}
-			jsonBase, err := apitools.FindJSONBase(obj)
+			jsonBase, err := runtime.FindJSONBase(obj)
 			if err != nil {
 				glog.Fatalf("error setting resource version: %v", err)
 			}
 			jsonBase.SetResourceVersion(version)
-			data, err = apitools.Encode(obj)
+			data, err = runtime.Encode(obj)
 			if err != nil {
 				glog.Fatalf("error setting resource version: %v", err)
 			}
diff --git a/examples/examples_test.go b/examples/examples_test.go
index beb1027ff7..2747dc46cf 100644
--- a/examples/examples_test.go
+++ b/examples/examples_test.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	_ "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/validation"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
 )
 
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func TestApiExamples(t *testing.T) {
 			return
 		}
 		tested += 1
-		if err := apitools.DecodeInto(data, expectedType); err != nil {
+		if err := runtime.DecodeInto(data, expectedType); err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("%s did not decode correctly: %v\n%s", path, err, string(data))
 			return
 		}
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func TestExamples(t *testing.T) {
 			return
 		}
 		tested += 1
-		if err := apitools.DecodeInto(data, expectedType); err != nil {
+		if err := runtime.DecodeInto(data, expectedType); err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("%s did not decode correctly: %v\n%s", path, err, string(data))
 			return
 		}
@@ -168,14 +168,14 @@ func TestReadme(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, json := range match[1:] {
 		expectedType := &api.Pod{}
-		if err := apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(json), expectedType); err != nil {
+		if err := runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(json), expectedType); err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("%s did not decode correctly: %v\n%s", path, err, string(data))
 			return
 		}
 		if errors := validateObject(expectedType); len(errors) > 0 {
 			t.Errorf("%s did not validate correctly: %v", path, errors)
 		}
-		encoded, err := apitools.Encode(expectedType)
+		encoded, err := runtime.Encode(expectedType)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Could not encode object: %v", err)
 			continue
diff --git a/pkg/api/common/doc.go b/pkg/api/common/doc.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 9464773ada..0000000000
--- a/pkg/api/common/doc.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-/*
-Copyright 2014 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
-
-Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-You may obtain a copy of the License at
-
-    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-
-Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-limitations under the License.
-*/
-
-// Package common provides types useful for all versions of any object
-// that conforms to the kubernetes API object expectations.
-package common
diff --git a/pkg/api/register.go b/pkg/api/register.go
index 42e3a8c63e..2b62442e32 100644
--- a/pkg/api/register.go
+++ b/pkg/api/register.go
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ limitations under the License.
 package api
 
 import (
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
 func init() {
-	apitools.AddKnownTypes("",
+	runtime.AddKnownTypes("",
 		PodList{},
 		Pod{},
 		ReplicationControllerList{},
diff --git a/pkg/api/serialization_test.go b/pkg/api/serialization_test.go
index 37d723a29d..985b595272 100644
--- a/pkg/api/serialization_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/serialization_test.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	_ "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/fsouza/go-dockerclient"
 	"github.com/google/gofuzz"
@@ -108,20 +108,20 @@ func objDiff(a, b interface{}) string {
 func runTest(t *testing.T, source interface{}) {
 	name := reflect.TypeOf(source).Elem().Name()
 	apiObjectFuzzer.Fuzz(source)
-	j, err := apitools.FindJSONBase(source)
+	j, err := runtime.FindJSONBase(source)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v for %#v", err, source)
 	}
 	j.SetKind("")
 	j.SetAPIVersion("")
 
-	data, err := apitools.Encode(source)
+	data, err := runtime.Encode(source)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("%v: %v (%#v)", name, err, source)
 		return
 	}
 
-	obj2, err := apitools.Decode(data)
+	obj2, err := runtime.Decode(data)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("%v: %v", name, err)
 		return
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func runTest(t *testing.T, source interface{}) {
 		}
 	}
 	obj3 := reflect.New(reflect.TypeOf(source).Elem()).Interface()
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto(data, obj3)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto(data, obj3)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("2: %v: %v", name, err)
 		return
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ func TestEncode_NonPtr(t *testing.T) {
 		Labels: map[string]string{"name": "foo"},
 	}
 	obj := interface{}(pod)
-	data, err := apitools.Encode(obj)
-	obj2, err2 := apitools.Decode(data)
+	data, err := runtime.Encode(obj)
+	obj2, err2 := runtime.Decode(data)
 	if err != nil || err2 != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failure: '%v' '%v'", err, err2)
 	}
@@ -192,8 +192,8 @@ func TestEncode_Ptr(t *testing.T) {
 		Labels: map[string]string{"name": "foo"},
 	}
 	obj := interface{}(pod)
-	data, err := apitools.Encode(obj)
-	obj2, err2 := apitools.Decode(data)
+	data, err := runtime.Encode(obj)
+	obj2, err2 := runtime.Decode(data)
 	if err != nil || err2 != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failure: '%v' '%v'", err, err2)
 	}
@@ -207,11 +207,11 @@ func TestEncode_Ptr(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestBadJSONRejection(t *testing.T) {
 	badJSONMissingKind := []byte(`{ }`)
-	if _, err := apitools.Decode(badJSONMissingKind); err == nil {
+	if _, err := runtime.Decode(badJSONMissingKind); err == nil {
 		t.Errorf("Did not reject despite lack of kind field: %s", badJSONMissingKind)
 	}
 	badJSONUnknownType := []byte(`{"kind": "bar"}`)
-	if _, err1 := apitools.Decode(badJSONUnknownType); err1 == nil {
+	if _, err1 := runtime.Decode(badJSONUnknownType); err1 == nil {
 		t.Errorf("Did not reject despite use of unknown type: %s", badJSONUnknownType)
 	}
 	/*badJSONKindMismatch := []byte(`{"kind": "Pod"}`)
diff --git a/pkg/api/types.go b/pkg/api/types.go
index a85aaac5e0..1ef0f4028a 100644
--- a/pkg/api/types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/types.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package api
 
 import (
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/common"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 	"github.com/fsouza/go-dockerclient"
@@ -522,5 +522,5 @@ type WatchEvent struct {
 
 	// For added or modified objects, this is the new object; for deleted objects,
 	// it's the state of the object immediately prior to its deletion.
-	Object common.Object
+	Object runtime.Object
 }
diff --git a/pkg/api/v1beta1/conversion.go b/pkg/api/v1beta1/conversion.go
index 8b9ba560c3..20c42e999a 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1beta1/conversion.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1beta1/conversion.go
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@ package v1beta1
 import (
 	// Alias this so it can be easily changed when we cut the next version.
 	newer "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
 func init() {
 	// Shortcut for sub-conversions. TODO: This should possibly be refactored
 	// such that this convert function is passed to each conversion func.
-	Convert := apitools.Convert
-	apitools.AddConversionFuncs(
+	Convert := runtime.Convert
+	runtime.AddConversionFuncs(
 		// EnvVar's Key is deprecated in favor of Name.
 		func(in *newer.EnvVar, out *EnvVar) error {
 			out.Value = in.Value
diff --git a/pkg/api/v1beta1/conversion_test.go b/pkg/api/v1beta1/conversion_test.go
index f202735c19..8a2f3b85fe 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1beta1/conversion_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1beta1/conversion_test.go
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ import (
 
 	newer "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
-var Convert = apitools.Convert
+var Convert = runtime.Convert
 
 func TestEnvConversion(t *testing.T) {
 	nonCanonical := []v1beta1.EnvVar{
diff --git a/pkg/api/v1beta1/register.go b/pkg/api/v1beta1/register.go
index 1d4dae99de..ae3f2be40c 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1beta1/register.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1beta1/register.go
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ limitations under the License.
 package v1beta1
 
 import (
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
 func init() {
-	apitools.AddKnownTypes("v1beta1",
+	runtime.AddKnownTypes("v1beta1",
 		PodList{},
 		Pod{},
 		ReplicationControllerList{},
diff --git a/pkg/api/v1beta1/types.go b/pkg/api/v1beta1/types.go
index 0812acefae..fb0cfff287 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1beta1/types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1beta1/types.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package v1beta1
 
 import (
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/common"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/third_party/docker-api-structs"
@@ -522,5 +522,5 @@ type WatchEvent struct {
 
 	// For added or modified objects, this is the new object; for deleted objects,
 	// it's the state of the object immediately prior to its deletion.
-	Object common.Object
+	Object runtime.Object
 }
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go
index 35ef4a1d0c..5d6789bf74 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/version"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 )
@@ -41,11 +41,11 @@ func convert(obj interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
 	return obj, nil
 }
 
-var codec = apitools.Codec
+var codec = runtime.Codec
 
 func init() {
-	apitools.AddKnownTypes("", Simple{}, SimpleList{})
-	apitools.AddKnownTypes("v1beta1", Simple{}, SimpleList{})
+	runtime.AddKnownTypes("", Simple{}, SimpleList{})
+	runtime.AddKnownTypes("v1beta1", Simple{}, SimpleList{})
 }
 
 type Simple struct {
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ func TestWriteJSONDecodeError(t *testing.T) {
 		type T struct {
 			Value string
 		}
-		writeJSON(http.StatusOK, apitools.Codec, &T{"Undecodable"}, w)
+		writeJSON(http.StatusOK, runtime.Codec, &T{"Undecodable"}, w)
 	}))
 	status := expectApiStatus(t, "GET", server.URL, nil, http.StatusInternalServerError)
 	if status.Reason != api.StatusReasonUnknown {
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/watch.go b/pkg/apiserver/watch.go
index 4e5422cc48..1a0907778f 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/watch.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/watch.go
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ import (
 
 	"code.google.com/p/go.net/websocket"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/common"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/httplog"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 )
 
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func (w *WatchServer) HandleWS(ws *websocket.Conn) {
 			}
 			err := websocket.JSON.Send(ws, &api.WatchEvent{
 				Type:   event.Type,
-				Object: common.Object{event.Object},
+				Object: runtime.Object{event.Object},
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				// Client disconnect.
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (self *WatchServer) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 			}
 			err := encoder.Encode(&api.WatchEvent{
 				Type:   event.Type,
-				Object: common.Object{event.Object},
+				Object: runtime.Object{event.Object},
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				// Client disconnect.
diff --git a/pkg/client/cache/reflector.go b/pkg/client/cache/reflector.go
index 81ab014c06..31a774410f 100644
--- a/pkg/client/cache/reflector.go
+++ b/pkg/client/cache/reflector.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"reflect"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func (gc *Reflector) watchHandler(w watch.Interface, resourceVersion *uint64) {
 			glog.Errorf("expected type %v, but watch event object had type %v", e, a)
 			continue
 		}
-		jsonBase, err := apitools.FindJSONBase(event.Object)
+		jsonBase, err := runtime.FindJSONBase(event.Object)
 		if err != nil {
 			glog.Errorf("unable to understand watch event %#v", event)
 			continue
diff --git a/pkg/client/client.go b/pkg/client/client.go
index d848cafa4e..338bb5eb16 100644
--- a/pkg/client/client.go
+++ b/pkg/client/client.go
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	_ "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/version"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 )
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func (c *RESTClient) doRequest(request *http.Request) ([]byte, error) {
 	// Did the server give us a status response?
 	isStatusResponse := false
 	var status api.Status
-	if err := apitools.DecodeInto(body, &status); err == nil && status.Status != "" {
+	if err := runtime.DecodeInto(body, &status); err == nil && status.Status != "" {
 		isStatusResponse = true
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/client/client_test.go b/pkg/client/client_test.go
index c4934e519e..9150e89177 100644
--- a/pkg/client/client_test.go
+++ b/pkg/client/client_test.go
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/version"
 )
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ func TestCreateController(t *testing.T) {
 
 func body(obj interface{}, raw *string) *string {
 	if obj != nil {
-		bs, _ := apitools.Encode(obj)
+		bs, _ := runtime.Encode(obj)
 		body := string(bs)
 		return &body
 	}
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ func TestDoRequest(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestDoRequestAccepted(t *testing.T) {
 	status := api.Status{Status: api.StatusWorking}
-	expectedBody, _ := apitools.Encode(status)
+	expectedBody, _ := runtime.Encode(status)
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   202,
 		ResponseBody: string(expectedBody),
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ func TestDoRequestAccepted(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestDoRequestAcceptedSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 	status := api.Status{Status: api.StatusSuccess}
-	expectedBody, _ := apitools.Encode(status)
+	expectedBody, _ := runtime.Encode(status)
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   202,
 		ResponseBody: string(expectedBody),
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ func TestDoRequestAcceptedSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected error %#v", err)
 	}
-	statusOut, err := apitools.Decode(body)
+	statusOut, err := runtime.Decode(body)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected error %#v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/client/request.go b/pkg/client/request.go
index a692a59ea3..2aceb7ae47 100644
--- a/pkg/client/request.go
+++ b/pkg/client/request.go
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/tools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ func (r *Request) Body(obj interface{}) *Request {
 	case io.Reader:
 		r.body = t
 	default:
-		data, err := apitools.Encode(obj)
+		data, err := runtime.Encode(obj)
 		if err != nil {
 			r.err = err
 			return r
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ func (r Result) Get() (interface{}, error) {
 	if r.err != nil {
 		return nil, r.err
 	}
-	return apitools.Decode(r.body)
+	return runtime.Decode(r.body)
 }
 
 // Into stores the result into obj, if possible.
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ func (r Result) Into(obj interface{}) error {
 	if r.err != nil {
 		return r.err
 	}
-	return apitools.DecodeInto(r.body, obj)
+	return runtime.DecodeInto(r.body, obj)
 }
 
 // Error returns the error executing the request, nil if no error occurred.
diff --git a/pkg/client/request_test.go b/pkg/client/request_test.go
index 0d3d8e256e..904706bc09 100644
--- a/pkg/client/request_test.go
+++ b/pkg/client/request_test.go
@@ -29,9 +29,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/common"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 )
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ import (
 func TestDoRequestNewWay(t *testing.T) {
 	reqBody := "request body"
 	expectedObj := &api.Service{Port: 12345}
-	expectedBody, _ := apitools.Encode(expectedObj)
+	expectedBody, _ := runtime.Encode(expectedObj)
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
 		ResponseBody: string(expectedBody),
@@ -72,9 +71,9 @@ func TestDoRequestNewWay(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestDoRequestNewWayReader(t *testing.T) {
 	reqObj := &api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}
-	reqBodyExpected, _ := apitools.Encode(reqObj)
+	reqBodyExpected, _ := runtime.Encode(reqObj)
 	expectedObj := &api.Service{Port: 12345}
-	expectedBody, _ := apitools.Encode(expectedObj)
+	expectedBody, _ := runtime.Encode(expectedObj)
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
 		ResponseBody: string(expectedBody),
@@ -109,9 +108,9 @@ func TestDoRequestNewWayReader(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestDoRequestNewWayObj(t *testing.T) {
 	reqObj := &api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}
-	reqBodyExpected, _ := apitools.Encode(reqObj)
+	reqBodyExpected, _ := runtime.Encode(reqObj)
 	expectedObj := &api.Service{Port: 12345}
-	expectedBody, _ := apitools.Encode(expectedObj)
+	expectedBody, _ := runtime.Encode(expectedObj)
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
 		ResponseBody: string(expectedBody),
@@ -145,7 +144,7 @@ func TestDoRequestNewWayObj(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestDoRequestNewWayFile(t *testing.T) {
 	reqObj := &api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}
-	reqBodyExpected, err := apitools.Encode(reqObj)
+	reqBodyExpected, err := runtime.Encode(reqObj)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -161,7 +160,7 @@ func TestDoRequestNewWayFile(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	expectedObj := &api.Service{Port: 12345}
-	expectedBody, _ := apitools.Encode(expectedObj)
+	expectedBody, _ := runtime.Encode(expectedObj)
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
 		ResponseBody: string(expectedBody),
@@ -296,7 +295,7 @@ func TestPolling(t *testing.T) {
 
 	callNumber := 0
 	testServer := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		data, err := apitools.Encode(objects[callNumber])
+		data, err := runtime.Encode(objects[callNumber])
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Unexpected encode error")
 		}
@@ -402,7 +401,7 @@ func TestWatch(t *testing.T) {
 
 		encoder := json.NewEncoder(w)
 		for _, item := range table {
-			encoder.Encode(&api.WatchEvent{item.t, common.Object{item.obj}})
+			encoder.Encode(&api.WatchEvent{item.t, runtime.Object{item.obj}})
 			flusher.Flush()
 		}
 	}))
diff --git a/pkg/controller/replication_controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/replication_controller_test.go
index 96143c6e9f..028a0745e1 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/replication_controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/replication_controller_test.go
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/client"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/tools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func validateSyncReplication(t *testing.T, fakePodControl *FakePodControl, expec
 }
 
 func TestSyncReplicationControllerDoesNothing(t *testing.T) {
-	body, _ := apitools.Encode(newPodList(2))
+	body, _ := runtime.Encode(newPodList(2))
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
 		ResponseBody: string(body),
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func TestSyncReplicationControllerDoesNothing(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSyncReplicationControllerDeletes(t *testing.T) {
-	body, _ := apitools.Encode(newPodList(2))
+	body, _ := runtime.Encode(newPodList(2))
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
 		ResponseBody: string(body),
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ func TestSyncReplicationControllerDeletes(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSyncReplicationControllerCreates(t *testing.T) {
-	body, _ := apitools.Encode(newPodList(0))
+	body, _ := runtime.Encode(newPodList(0))
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
 		ResponseBody: string(body),
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func TestSyncReplicationControllerCreates(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestCreateReplica(t *testing.T) {
-	body, _ := apitools.Encode(api.Pod{})
+	body, _ := runtime.Encode(api.Pod{})
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
 		ResponseBody: string(body),
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ func TestSyncronize(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	fakeControllerHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode: 200,
-		ResponseBody: apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.ReplicationControllerList{
+		ResponseBody: runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.ReplicationControllerList{
 			Items: []api.ReplicationController{
 				controllerSpec1,
 				controllerSpec2,
diff --git a/pkg/kubecfg/parse.go b/pkg/kubecfg/parse.go
index f363fe5c26..8069d9c1ce 100644
--- a/pkg/kubecfg/parse.go
+++ b/pkg/kubecfg/parse.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
 type Parser struct {
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ func (p *Parser) ToWireFormat(data []byte, storage string) ([]byte, error) {
 	}
 
 	obj := reflect.New(prototypeType).Interface()
-	err := apitools.DecodeInto(data, obj)
+	err := runtime.DecodeInto(data, obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return apitools.Encode(obj)
+	return runtime.Encode(obj)
 }
 
 func (p *Parser) SupportedWireStorage() []string {
diff --git a/pkg/kubecfg/parse_test.go b/pkg/kubecfg/parse_test.go
index 790493a45a..99e7f907e2 100644
--- a/pkg/kubecfg/parse_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubecfg/parse_test.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"gopkg.in/v1/yaml"
 )
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func TestParseBadStorage(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func DoParseTest(t *testing.T, storage string, obj interface{}, p *Parser) {
-	jsonData, _ := apitools.Encode(obj)
+	jsonData, _ := runtime.Encode(obj)
 	yamlData, _ := yaml.Marshal(obj)
 	t.Logf("Intermediate yaml:\n%v\n", string(yamlData))
 	t.Logf("Intermediate json:\n%v\n", string(jsonData))
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ type TestParseType struct {
 }
 
 func TestParseCustomType(t *testing.T) {
-	apitools.AddKnownTypes("", TestParseType{})
-	apitools.AddKnownTypes("v1beta1", TestParseType{})
+	runtime.AddKnownTypes("", TestParseType{})
+	runtime.AddKnownTypes("v1beta1", TestParseType{})
 	parser := NewParser(map[string]interface{}{
 		"custom": TestParseType{},
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/kubecfg/proxy_server.go b/pkg/kubecfg/proxy_server.go
index a9e03a2f5b..03a2dcdcea 100644
--- a/pkg/kubecfg/proxy_server.go
+++ b/pkg/kubecfg/proxy_server.go
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/client"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
 // ProxyServer is a http.Handler which proxies Kubernetes APIs to remote API server.
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func (s *ProxyServer) Serve() error {
 func (s *ProxyServer) doError(w http.ResponseWriter, err error) {
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
 	w.Header().Add("Content-type", "application/json")
-	data, _ := apitools.Encode(api.Status{
+	data, _ := runtime.Encode(api.Status{
 		Status:  api.StatusFailure,
 		Message: fmt.Sprintf("internal error: %#v", err),
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/kubecfg/resource_printer.go b/pkg/kubecfg/resource_printer.go
index 3f4e06e919..de2f0dcabb 100644
--- a/pkg/kubecfg/resource_printer.go
+++ b/pkg/kubecfg/resource_printer.go
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ import (
 	"text/template"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
 	"gopkg.in/v1/yaml"
 )
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func (i *IdentityPrinter) Print(data []byte, w io.Writer) error {
 
 // PrintObj is an implementation of ResourcePrinter.PrintObj which simply writes the object to the Writer.
 func (i *IdentityPrinter) PrintObj(obj interface{}, output io.Writer) error {
-	data, err := apitools.Encode(obj)
+	data, err := runtime.Encode(obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ func (h *HumanReadablePrinter) Print(data []byte, output io.Writer) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unexpected object with no 'kind' field: %s", data)
 	}
 
-	obj, err := apitools.Decode(data)
+	obj, err := runtime.Decode(data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ type TemplatePrinter struct {
 
 // Print parses the data as JSON, and re-formats it with the Go Template.
 func (t *TemplatePrinter) Print(data []byte, w io.Writer) error {
-	obj, err := apitools.Decode(data)
+	obj, err := runtime.Decode(data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kubecfg/resource_printer_test.go b/pkg/kubecfg/resource_printer_test.go
index 4a9b3942b3..03b7cc2375 100644
--- a/pkg/kubecfg/resource_printer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubecfg/resource_printer_test.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"gopkg.in/v1/yaml"
 )
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func TestIdentityPrinter(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	buff.Reset()
 	printer.PrintObj(obj, buff)
-	objOut, err := apitools.Decode([]byte(buff.String()))
+	objOut, err := runtime.Decode([]byte(buff.String()))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpeted error: %#v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/config/etcd_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/config/etcd_test.go
index 482527941e..629a626617 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/config/etcd_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/config/etcd_test.go
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/tools"
 	"github.com/coreos/go-etcd/etcd"
 )
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func TestGetEtcdData(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient.Data["/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet"] = tools.EtcdResponseWithError{
 		R: &etcd.Response{
 			Node: &etcd.Node{
-				Value: apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{
+				Value: runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{
 					Items: []api.ContainerManifest{{ID: "foo"}},
 				}),
 				ModifiedIndex: 1,
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func TestGetEtcd(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient.Data["/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet"] = tools.EtcdResponseWithError{
 		R: &etcd.Response{
 			Node: &etcd.Node{
-				Value: apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{
+				Value: runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{
 					Items: []api.ContainerManifest{manifest},
 				}),
 				ModifiedIndex: 1,
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func TestWatchEtcd(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient.Data["/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet"] = tools.EtcdResponseWithError{
 		R: &etcd.Response{
 			Node: &etcd.Node{
-				Value:         apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{}),
+				Value:         runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{}),
 				ModifiedIndex: 2,
 			},
 		},
diff --git a/pkg/master/master.go b/pkg/master/master.go
index 394b726238..8f802108b4 100644
--- a/pkg/master/master.go
+++ b/pkg/master/master.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 
 	_ "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apiserver"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/client"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/registry/binding"
@@ -32,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/registry/minion"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/registry/pod"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/registry/service"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	servicecontroller "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/service"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 
@@ -136,5 +136,5 @@ func (m *Master) API_v1beta1() (map[string]apiserver.RESTStorage, apiserver.Code
 	for k, v := range m.storage {
 		storage[k] = v
 	}
-	return storage, apitools.Codec
+	return storage, runtime.Codec
 }
diff --git a/pkg/proxy/config/etcd.go b/pkg/proxy/config/etcd.go
index 2c239842a4..1e604cbed6 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/config/etcd.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/config/etcd.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/tools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/coreos/go-etcd/etcd"
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ func (s ConfigSourceEtcd) GetServices() ([]api.Service, []api.Endpoints, error)
 		// and create a Service entry for it.
 		for i, node := range response.Node.Nodes {
 			var svc api.Service
-			err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(node.Value), &svc)
+			err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(node.Value), &svc)
 			if err != nil {
 				glog.Errorf("Failed to load Service: %s (%#v)", node.Value, err)
 				continue
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ func (s ConfigSourceEtcd) GetEndpoints(service string) (api.Endpoints, error) {
 	}
 	// Parse all the endpoint specifications in this value.
 	var e api.Endpoints
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &e)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &e)
 	return e, err
 }
 
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func etcdResponseToService(response *etcd.Response) (*api.Service, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid response from etcd: %#v", response)
 	}
 	var svc api.Service
-	err := apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &svc)
+	err := runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &svc)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ func (s ConfigSourceEtcd) ProcessChange(response *etcd.Response) {
 func (s ConfigSourceEtcd) ProcessEndpointResponse(response *etcd.Response) {
 	glog.Infof("Processing a change in endpoint configuration... %s", *response)
 	var endpoints api.Endpoints
-	err := apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &endpoints)
+	err := runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &endpoints)
 	if err != nil {
 		glog.Errorf("Failed to parse service out of etcd key: %v : %+v", response.Node.Value, err)
 		return
diff --git a/pkg/registry/binding/storage_test.go b/pkg/registry/binding/storage_test.go
index 78f374cb54..6dfe59721d 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/binding/storage_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/binding/storage_test.go
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	_ "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
 func TestNewBindingStorage(t *testing.T) {
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ func TestNewBindingStorage(t *testing.T) {
 		PodID: "foo",
 		Host:  "bar",
 	}
-	body, err := apitools.Encode(binding)
+	body, err := runtime.Encode(binding)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected encode error %v", err)
 	}
 	obj := b.New()
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto(body, obj)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto(body, obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/registry/controller/storage_test.go b/pkg/registry/controller/storage_test.go
index 4cdd146a4f..6bd157e333 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/controller/storage_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/controller/storage_test.go
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apiserver"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/registry/registrytest"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
 func TestListControllersError(t *testing.T) {
@@ -112,13 +112,13 @@ func TestControllerDecode(t *testing.T) {
 			ID: "foo",
 		},
 	}
-	body, err := apitools.Encode(controller)
+	body, err := runtime.Encode(controller)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	controllerOut := storage.New()
-	if err := apitools.DecodeInto(body, controllerOut); err != nil {
+	if err := runtime.DecodeInto(body, controllerOut); err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd.go b/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd.go
index be808b14b6..1be8233b9c 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd.go
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apiserver"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/constraint"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/tools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ func NewRegistry(client tools.EtcdClient) *Registry {
 	registry := &Registry{
 		EtcdHelper: tools.EtcdHelper{
 			client,
-			apitools.Codec,
-			apitools.ResourceVersioner,
+			runtime.Codec,
+			runtime.ResourceVersioner,
 		},
 	}
 	registry.manifestFactory = &BasicManifestFactory{
diff --git a/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd_test.go b/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd_test.go
index f62c07830c..b6951ed969 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd_test.go
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	_ "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apiserver"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/registry/registrytest"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/tools"
 
 	"github.com/coreos/go-etcd/etcd"
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func NewTestEtcdRegistry(client tools.EtcdClient) *Registry {
 
 func TestEtcdGetPod(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := tools.NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/pods/foo", apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/pods/foo", runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient)
 	pod, err := registry.GetPod("foo")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePod(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		E: tools.EtcdErrorNotFound,
 	}
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{}), 0)
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{}), 0)
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient)
 	err := registry.CreatePod(api.Pod{
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePod(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}
 	var pod api.Pod
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &pod)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &pod)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePod(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &manifests)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &manifests)
 	if len(manifests.Items) != 1 || manifests.Items[0].ID != "foo" {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected manifest list: %#v", manifests)
 	}
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodAlreadyExisting(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient.Data["/registry/pods/foo"] = tools.EtcdResponseWithError{
 		R: &etcd.Response{
 			Node: &etcd.Node{
-				Value: apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}),
+				Value: runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}),
 			},
 		},
 		E: nil,
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithContainersNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}
 	var pod api.Pod
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &pod)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &pod)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithContainersNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &manifests)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &manifests)
 	if len(manifests.Items) != 1 || manifests.Items[0].ID != "foo" {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected manifest list: %#v", manifests)
 	}
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithExistingContainers(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		E: tools.EtcdErrorNotFound,
 	}
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.ContainerManifestList{
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.ContainerManifestList{
 		Items: []api.ContainerManifest{
 			{ID: "bar"},
 		},
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithExistingContainers(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}
 	var pod api.Pod
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &pod)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &pod)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithExistingContainers(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &manifests)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &manifests)
 	if len(manifests.Items) != 2 || manifests.Items[1].ID != "foo" {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected manifest list: %#v", manifests)
 	}
@@ -325,11 +325,11 @@ func TestEtcdDeletePod(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient.TestIndex = true
 
 	key := "/registry/pods/foo"
-	fakeClient.Set(key, apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{
+	fakeClient.Set(key, runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{
 		JSONBase:     api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
 		DesiredState: api.PodState{Host: "machine"},
 	}), 0)
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{
 		Items: []api.ContainerManifest{
 			{ID: "foo"},
 		},
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ func TestEtcdDeletePod(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}
 	var manifests api.ContainerManifestList
-	apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &manifests)
+	runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &manifests)
 	if len(manifests.Items) != 0 {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected container set: %s, expected empty", response.Node.Value)
 	}
@@ -361,11 +361,11 @@ func TestEtcdDeletePodMultipleContainers(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient.TestIndex = true
 
 	key := "/registry/pods/foo"
-	fakeClient.Set(key, apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{
+	fakeClient.Set(key, runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{
 		JSONBase:     api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
 		DesiredState: api.PodState{Host: "machine"},
 	}), 0)
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{
 		Items: []api.ContainerManifest{
 			{ID: "foo"},
 			{ID: "bar"},
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ func TestEtcdDeletePodMultipleContainers(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}
 	var manifests api.ContainerManifestList
-	apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &manifests)
+	runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &manifests)
 	if len(manifests.Items) != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected manifest set: %#v, expected empty", manifests)
 	}
@@ -445,13 +445,13 @@ func TestEtcdListPods(t *testing.T) {
 			Node: &etcd.Node{
 				Nodes: []*etcd.Node{
 					{
-						Value: apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{
+						Value: runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{
 							JSONBase:     api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
 							DesiredState: api.PodState{Host: "machine"},
 						}),
 					},
 					{
-						Value: apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{
+						Value: runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{
 							JSONBase:     api.JSONBase{ID: "bar"},
 							DesiredState: api.PodState{Host: "machine"},
 						}),
@@ -520,10 +520,10 @@ func TestEtcdListControllers(t *testing.T) {
 			Node: &etcd.Node{
 				Nodes: []*etcd.Node{
 					{
-						Value: apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}),
+						Value: runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}),
 					},
 					{
-						Value: apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "bar"}}),
+						Value: runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "bar"}}),
 					},
 				},
 			},
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ func TestEtcdListControllers(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestEtcdGetController(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := tools.NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/controllers/foo", apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/controllers/foo", runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient)
 	ctrl, err := registry.GetController("foo")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreateController(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}
 	var ctrl api.ReplicationController
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &ctrl)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &ctrl)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreateController(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestEtcdCreateControllerAlreadyExisting(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := tools.NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/controllers/foo", apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/controllers/foo", runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
 
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient)
 	err := registry.CreateController(api.ReplicationController{
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ func TestEtcdUpdateController(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := tools.NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
 	fakeClient.TestIndex = true
 
-	resp, _ := fakeClient.Set("/registry/controllers/foo", apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
+	resp, _ := fakeClient.Set("/registry/controllers/foo", runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient)
 	err := registry.UpdateController(api.ReplicationController{
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo", ResourceVersion: resp.Node.ModifiedIndex},
@@ -662,10 +662,10 @@ func TestEtcdListServices(t *testing.T) {
 			Node: &etcd.Node{
 				Nodes: []*etcd.Node{
 					{
-						Value: apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}),
+						Value: runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}),
 					},
 					{
-						Value: apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "bar"}}),
+						Value: runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "bar"}}),
 					},
 				},
 			},
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreateService(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	var service api.Service
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &service)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(resp.Node.Value), &service)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreateService(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestEtcdCreateServiceAlreadyExisting(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := tools.NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/specs/foo", apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/specs/foo", runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient)
 	err := registry.CreateService(api.Service{
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreateServiceAlreadyExisting(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestEtcdGetService(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := tools.NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/specs/foo", apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/specs/foo", runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient)
 	service, err := registry.GetService("foo")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ func TestEtcdUpdateService(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := tools.NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
 	fakeClient.TestIndex = true
 
-	resp, _ := fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/specs/foo", apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
+	resp, _ := fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/specs/foo", runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Service{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient)
 	testService := api.Service{
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo", ResourceVersion: resp.Node.ModifiedIndex},
@@ -812,7 +812,7 @@ func TestEtcdGetEndpoints(t *testing.T) {
 		Endpoints: []string{"127.0.0.1:34855"},
 	}
 
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/endpoints/foo", apitools.EncodeOrDie(endpoints), 0)
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/endpoints/foo", runtime.EncodeOrDie(endpoints), 0)
 
 	got, err := registry.GetEndpoints("foo")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -833,7 +833,7 @@ func TestEtcdUpdateEndpoints(t *testing.T) {
 		Endpoints: []string{"baz", "bar"},
 	}
 
-	fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/endpoints/foo", apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Endpoints{}), 0)
+	fakeClient.Set("/registry/services/endpoints/foo", runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Endpoints{}), 0)
 
 	err := registry.UpdateEndpoints(endpoints)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ func TestEtcdUpdateEndpoints(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}
 	var endpointsOut api.Endpoints
-	err = apitools.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &endpointsOut)
+	err = runtime.DecodeInto([]byte(response.Node.Value), &endpointsOut)
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(endpoints, endpointsOut) {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected endpoints: %#v, expected %#v", endpointsOut, endpoints)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/registry/pod/storage_test.go b/pkg/registry/pod/storage_test.go
index 2a6f922bb5..7268306788 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/pod/storage_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/pod/storage_test.go
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apiserver"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider/fake"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/registry/registrytest"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 
 	"github.com/fsouza/go-dockerclient"
 )
@@ -178,13 +178,13 @@ func TestPodDecode(t *testing.T) {
 			ID: "foo",
 		},
 	}
-	body, err := apitools.Encode(expected)
+	body, err := runtime.Encode(expected)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	actual := storage.New()
-	if err := apitools.DecodeInto(body, actual); err != nil {
+	if err := runtime.DecodeInto(body, actual); err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/apitools/doc.go b/pkg/runtime/doc.go
similarity index 83%
rename from pkg/apitools/doc.go
rename to pkg/runtime/doc.go
index a0550549ef..18c930c8ff 100644
--- a/pkg/apitools/doc.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/doc.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-// Package apitools includes helper functions for working with API objects
+// Package runtime includes helper functions for working with API objects
 // that follow the kubernetes API object conventions, which are:
 //
 // 0. Your API objects have a common metadata struct member, JSONBase.
@@ -33,10 +33,12 @@ limitations under the License.
 // 7. All of your serializations and deserializations are handled in a
 //    centralized place.
 //
-// Package apitools provides a conversion helper to make 5 easy, and the
+// Package runtime provides a conversion helper to make 5 easy, and the
 // Encode/Decode/DecodeInto trio to accomplish 7. You can also register
 // additional "codecs" which use a version of your choice. It's
-// recommended that you register your types with apitools in your
+// recommended that you register your types with runtime in your
 // package's init function.
 //
-package apitools
+// As a bonus, a few common types useful from all api objects and versions
+// are provided in types.go.
+package runtime
diff --git a/pkg/apitools/helper.go b/pkg/runtime/helper.go
similarity index 99%
rename from pkg/apitools/helper.go
rename to pkg/runtime/helper.go
index ddd6a58d6b..c94a5a6ce4 100644
--- a/pkg/apitools/helper.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/helper.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-package apitools
+package runtime
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
diff --git a/pkg/apitools/helper_test.go b/pkg/runtime/helper_test.go
similarity index 84%
rename from pkg/apitools/helper_test.go
rename to pkg/runtime/helper_test.go
index 91912349f2..b2bcc9f6bf 100644
--- a/pkg/apitools/helper_test.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/helper_test.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-package apitools_test
+package runtime_test
 
 import (
 	"reflect"
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	_ "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
 func TestEncode_NonPtr(t *testing.T) {
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ func TestEncode_NonPtr(t *testing.T) {
 		Labels: map[string]string{"name": "foo"},
 	}
 	obj := interface{}(pod)
-	data, err := apitools.Encode(obj)
-	obj2, err2 := apitools.Decode(data)
+	data, err := runtime.Encode(obj)
+	obj2, err2 := runtime.Decode(data)
 	if err != nil || err2 != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failure: '%v' '%v'", err, err2)
 	}
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ func TestEncode_Ptr(t *testing.T) {
 		Labels: map[string]string{"name": "foo"},
 	}
 	obj := interface{}(pod)
-	data, err := apitools.Encode(obj)
-	obj2, err2 := apitools.Decode(data)
+	data, err := runtime.Encode(obj)
+	obj2, err2 := runtime.Decode(data)
 	if err != nil || err2 != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failure: '%v' '%v'", err, err2)
 	}
@@ -63,11 +63,11 @@ func TestEncode_Ptr(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestBadJSONRejection(t *testing.T) {
 	badJSONMissingKind := []byte(`{ }`)
-	if _, err := apitools.Decode(badJSONMissingKind); err == nil {
+	if _, err := runtime.Decode(badJSONMissingKind); err == nil {
 		t.Errorf("Did not reject despite lack of kind field: %s", badJSONMissingKind)
 	}
 	badJSONUnknownType := []byte(`{"kind": "bar"}`)
-	if _, err1 := apitools.Decode(badJSONUnknownType); err1 == nil {
+	if _, err1 := runtime.Decode(badJSONUnknownType); err1 == nil {
 		t.Errorf("Did not reject despite use of unknown type: %s", badJSONUnknownType)
 	}
 	/*badJSONKindMismatch := []byte(`{"kind": "Pod"}`)
diff --git a/pkg/apitools/jsonbase.go b/pkg/runtime/jsonbase.go
similarity index 99%
rename from pkg/apitools/jsonbase.go
rename to pkg/runtime/jsonbase.go
index 1577cea360..bcd6fe0a50 100644
--- a/pkg/apitools/jsonbase.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/jsonbase.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-package apitools
+package runtime
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
diff --git a/pkg/apitools/jsonbase_test.go b/pkg/runtime/jsonbase_test.go
similarity index 95%
rename from pkg/apitools/jsonbase_test.go
rename to pkg/runtime/jsonbase_test.go
index e1843a3e10..759cd7611b 100644
--- a/pkg/apitools/jsonbase_test.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/jsonbase_test.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-package apitools
+package runtime
 
 import (
 	"reflect"
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ func TestResourceVersionerOfAPI(t *testing.T) {
 		Object   interface{}
 		Expected uint64
 	}{
-		"pointer to api object with version": {&Service{JSONBase: JSONBase{ResourceVersion: 1}}, 1},
+		"pointer to api object with version": {&MyAPIObject{JSONBase: JSONBase{ResourceVersion: 1}}, 1},
 	}
 	for key, testCase := range setCases {
 		if err := versioning.SetResourceVersion(testCase.Object, 5); err != nil {
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ func TestResourceVersionerOfAPI(t *testing.T) {
 		Object   interface{}
 		Expected uint64
 	}{
-		"empty api object":        {Service{}, 0},
-		"api object with version": {Service{JSONBase: JSONBase{ResourceVersion: 1}}, 1},
+		"empty api object":        {MyAPIObject{}, 0},
+		"api object with version": {MyAPIObject{JSONBase: JSONBase{ResourceVersion: 1}}, 1},
 	}
 	for key, testCase := range failingSetCases {
 		if err := versioning.SetResourceVersion(testCase.Object, 5); err == nil {
diff --git a/pkg/api/common/object.go b/pkg/runtime/object.go
similarity index 91%
rename from pkg/api/common/object.go
rename to pkg/runtime/object.go
index 32ad2ed734..84b5323123 100644
--- a/pkg/api/common/object.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/object.go
@@ -14,12 +14,10 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-package common
+package runtime
 
 import (
 	"gopkg.in/v1/yaml"
-
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 )
 
 // Encode()/Decode() are the canonical way of converting an API object to/from
@@ -35,7 +33,7 @@ func (a *Object) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	obj, err := apitools.Decode(b)
+	obj, err := Decode(b)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -50,7 +48,7 @@ func (a Object) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 		return []byte("null"), nil
 	}
 
-	return apitools.Encode(a.Object)
+	return Encode(a.Object)
 }
 
 // SetYAML implements the yaml.Setter interface.
@@ -69,7 +67,7 @@ func (a *Object) SetYAML(tag string, value interface{}) bool {
 	if err != nil {
 		panic("yaml can't reverse its own object")
 	}
-	obj, err := apitools.Decode(b)
+	obj, err := Decode(b)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false
 	}
@@ -84,7 +82,7 @@ func (a Object) GetYAML() (tag string, value interface{}) {
 		return
 	}
 	// Encode returns JSON, which is conveniently a subset of YAML.
-	v, err := apitools.Encode(a.Object)
+	v, err := Encode(a.Object)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic("impossible to encode API object!")
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/api/common/object_test.go b/pkg/runtime/object_test.go
similarity index 84%
rename from pkg/api/common/object_test.go
rename to pkg/runtime/object_test.go
index a9316c1871..784c956818 100644
--- a/pkg/api/common/object_test.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/object_test.go
@@ -14,14 +14,12 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-package common
+package runtime
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 )
 
 func TestObject(t *testing.T) {
@@ -30,8 +28,8 @@ func TestObject(t *testing.T) {
 		Object      Object `yaml:"object,omitempty" json:"object,omitempty"`
 		EmptyObject Object `yaml:"emptyObject,omitempty" json:"emptyObject,omitempty"`
 	}
-	apitools.AddKnownTypes("", EmbeddedTest{})
-	apitools.AddKnownTypes("v1beta1", EmbeddedTest{})
+	AddKnownTypes("", EmbeddedTest{})
+	AddKnownTypes("v1beta1", EmbeddedTest{})
 
 	outer := &EmbeddedTest{
 		JSONBase: JSONBase{ID: "outer"},
@@ -42,14 +40,14 @@ func TestObject(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	wire, err := apitools.Encode(outer)
+	wire, err := Encode(outer)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected encode error '%v'", err)
 	}
 
 	t.Logf("Wire format is:\n%v\n", string(wire))
 
-	decoded, err := apitools.Decode(wire)
+	decoded, err := Decode(wire)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected decode error %v", err)
 	}
@@ -58,7 +56,7 @@ func TestObject(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected: %#v but got %#v", e, a)
 	}
 
-	// test JSON decoding, too, since apitools.Decode uses yaml unmarshalling.
+	// test JSON decoding, too, since Decode uses yaml unmarshalling.
 	var decodedViaJSON EmbeddedTest
 	err = json.Unmarshal(wire, &decodedViaJSON)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/api/common/types.go b/pkg/runtime/types.go
similarity index 91%
rename from pkg/api/common/types.go
rename to pkg/runtime/types.go
index e76e29db27..8e08487e29 100644
--- a/pkg/api/common/types.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/types.go
@@ -14,16 +14,19 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-package common
+package runtime
 
 import (
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 )
 
+// Note that the types provided in this file are not versioned and are intended to be
+// safe to use from within all versions of every API object.
+
 // JSONBase is shared by all top level objects. The proper way to use it is to inline it in your type,
 // like this:
 // type MyAwesomeAPIObject struct {
-// 	common.JSONBase    `yaml:",inline" json:",inline"`
+// 	runtime.JSONBase    `yaml:",inline" json:",inline"`
 // 	... // other fields
 // }
 //
diff --git a/pkg/tools/decoder_test.go b/pkg/tools/decoder_test.go
index eeb14d9a67..fb76e5e455 100644
--- a/pkg/tools/decoder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tools/decoder_test.go
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/common"
 	_ "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 )
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func TestDecoder(t *testing.T) {
 
 	expect := &api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}
 	go func() {
-		err := encoder.Encode(api.WatchEvent{watch.Added, common.Object{expect}})
+		err := encoder.Encode(api.WatchEvent{watch.Added, runtime.Object{expect}})
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/tools/etcd_tools_test.go b/pkg/tools/etcd_tools_test.go
index 132de4b2f7..da9e64c6b9 100644
--- a/pkg/tools/etcd_tools_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tools/etcd_tools_test.go
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/conversion"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/coreos/go-etcd/etcd"
 )
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ type TestResource struct {
 }
 
 var scheme *conversion.Scheme
-var codec = apitools.Codec
-var versioner = apitools.ResourceVersioner
+var codec = runtime.Codec
+var versioner = runtime.ResourceVersioner
 
 func init() {
 	scheme = conversion.NewScheme()
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func TestSetObjWithVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient.Data["/some/key"] = EtcdResponseWithError{
 		R: &etcd.Response{
 			Node: &etcd.Node{
-				Value:         apitools.EncodeOrDie(obj),
+				Value:         runtime.EncodeOrDie(obj),
 				ModifiedIndex: 1,
 			},
 		},
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ func TestAtomicUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
 	fakeClient.TestIndex = true
 	codec := scheme
-	helper := EtcdHelper{fakeClient, codec, apitools.NewJSONBaseResourceVersioner()}
+	helper := EtcdHelper{fakeClient, codec, runtime.NewJSONBaseResourceVersioner()}
 
 	// Create a new node.
 	fakeClient.ExpectNotFoundGet("/some/key")
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ func TestAtomicUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 func TestAtomicUpdateNoChange(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
 	fakeClient.TestIndex = true
-	helper := EtcdHelper{fakeClient, scheme, apitools.NewJSONBaseResourceVersioner()}
+	helper := EtcdHelper{fakeClient, scheme, runtime.NewJSONBaseResourceVersioner()}
 
 	// Create a new node.
 	fakeClient.ExpectNotFoundGet("/some/key")
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ func TestAtomicUpdate_CreateCollision(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeClient := NewFakeEtcdClient(t)
 	fakeClient.TestIndex = true
 	codec := scheme
-	helper := EtcdHelper{fakeClient, codec, apitools.NewJSONBaseResourceVersioner()}
+	helper := EtcdHelper{fakeClient, codec, runtime.NewJSONBaseResourceVersioner()}
 
 	fakeClient.ExpectNotFoundGet("/some/key")
 
diff --git a/pkg/tools/etcd_tools_watch_test.go b/pkg/tools/etcd_tools_watch_test.go
index 59d59493af..73da21ce23 100644
--- a/pkg/tools/etcd_tools_watch_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tools/etcd_tools_watch_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 	"github.com/coreos/go-etcd/etcd"
 )
@@ -48,62 +48,62 @@ func TestWatchInterpretations(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		"create": {
 			actions:      []string{"create", "get"},
-			nodeValue:    apitools.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
+			nodeValue:    runtime.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
 			expectEmit:   true,
 			expectType:   watch.Added,
 			expectObject: podBar,
 		},
 		"create but filter blocks": {
 			actions:    []string{"create", "get"},
-			nodeValue:  apitools.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
+			nodeValue:  runtime.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
 			expectEmit: false,
 		},
 		"delete": {
 			actions:       []string{"delete"},
-			prevNodeValue: apitools.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
+			prevNodeValue: runtime.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
 			expectEmit:    true,
 			expectType:    watch.Deleted,
 			expectObject:  podBar,
 		},
 		"delete but filter blocks": {
 			actions:    []string{"delete"},
-			nodeValue:  apitools.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
+			nodeValue:  runtime.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
 			expectEmit: false,
 		},
 		"modify appears to create 1": {
 			actions:      []string{"set", "compareAndSwap"},
-			nodeValue:    apitools.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
+			nodeValue:    runtime.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
 			expectEmit:   true,
 			expectType:   watch.Added,
 			expectObject: podBar,
 		},
 		"modify appears to create 2": {
 			actions:       []string{"set", "compareAndSwap"},
-			prevNodeValue: apitools.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
-			nodeValue:     apitools.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
+			prevNodeValue: runtime.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
+			nodeValue:     runtime.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
 			expectEmit:    true,
 			expectType:    watch.Added,
 			expectObject:  podBar,
 		},
 		"modify appears to delete": {
 			actions:       []string{"set", "compareAndSwap"},
-			prevNodeValue: apitools.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
-			nodeValue:     apitools.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
+			prevNodeValue: runtime.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
+			nodeValue:     runtime.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
 			expectEmit:    true,
 			expectType:    watch.Deleted,
 			expectObject:  podBar, // Should return last state that passed the filter!
 		},
 		"modify modifies": {
 			actions:       []string{"set", "compareAndSwap"},
-			prevNodeValue: apitools.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
-			nodeValue:     apitools.EncodeOrDie(podBaz),
+			prevNodeValue: runtime.EncodeOrDie(podBar),
+			nodeValue:     runtime.EncodeOrDie(podBaz),
 			expectEmit:    true,
 			expectType:    watch.Modified,
 			expectObject:  podBaz,
 		},
 		"modify ignores": {
 			actions:    []string{"set", "compareAndSwap"},
-			nodeValue:  apitools.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
+			nodeValue:  runtime.EncodeOrDie(podFoo),
 			expectEmit: false,
 		},
 	}
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ func TestWatchEtcdState(t *testing.T) {
 				{
 					Action: "create",
 					Node: &etcd.Node{
-						Value: string(apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{}})),
+						Value: string(runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{}})),
 					},
 				},
 			},
@@ -273,12 +273,12 @@ func TestWatchEtcdState(t *testing.T) {
 				{
 					Action: "compareAndSwap",
 					Node: &etcd.Node{
-						Value:         string(apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{"127.0.0.1:9000"}})),
+						Value:         string(runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{"127.0.0.1:9000"}})),
 						CreatedIndex:  1,
 						ModifiedIndex: 2,
 					},
 					PrevNode: &etcd.Node{
-						Value:         string(apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{}})),
+						Value:         string(runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{}})),
 						CreatedIndex:  1,
 						ModifiedIndex: 1,
 					},
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ func TestWatchEtcdState(t *testing.T) {
 					R: &etcd.Response{
 						Action: "get",
 						Node: &etcd.Node{
-							Value:         string(apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{}})),
+							Value:         string(runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{}})),
 							CreatedIndex:  1,
 							ModifiedIndex: 1,
 						},
@@ -308,12 +308,12 @@ func TestWatchEtcdState(t *testing.T) {
 				{
 					Action: "compareAndSwap",
 					Node: &etcd.Node{
-						Value:         string(apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{"127.0.0.1:9000"}})),
+						Value:         string(runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{"127.0.0.1:9000"}})),
 						CreatedIndex:  1,
 						ModifiedIndex: 2,
 					},
 					PrevNode: &etcd.Node{
-						Value:         string(apitools.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{}})),
+						Value:         string(runtime.EncodeOrDie(&api.Endpoints{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}, Endpoints: []string{}})),
 						CreatedIndex:  1,
 						ModifiedIndex: 1,
 					},
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ func TestWatchFromZeroIndex(t *testing.T) {
 			EtcdResponseWithError{
 				R: &etcd.Response{
 					Node: &etcd.Node{
-						Value:         apitools.EncodeOrDie(pod),
+						Value:         runtime.EncodeOrDie(pod),
 						CreatedIndex:  1,
 						ModifiedIndex: 1,
 					},
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ func TestWatchFromZeroIndex(t *testing.T) {
 			EtcdResponseWithError{
 				R: &etcd.Response{
 					Node: &etcd.Node{
-						Value:         apitools.EncodeOrDie(pod),
+						Value:         runtime.EncodeOrDie(pod),
 						CreatedIndex:  1,
 						ModifiedIndex: 2,
 					},
@@ -443,13 +443,13 @@ func TestWatchListFromZeroIndex(t *testing.T) {
 				Dir: true,
 				Nodes: etcd.Nodes{
 					&etcd.Node{
-						Value:         apitools.EncodeOrDie(pod),
+						Value:         runtime.EncodeOrDie(pod),
 						CreatedIndex:  1,
 						ModifiedIndex: 1,
 						Nodes:         etcd.Nodes{},
 					},
 					&etcd.Node{
-						Value:         apitools.EncodeOrDie(pod),
+						Value:         runtime.EncodeOrDie(pod),
 						CreatedIndex:  2,
 						ModifiedIndex: 2,
 						Nodes:         etcd.Nodes{},
diff --git a/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/factory_test.go b/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/factory_test.go
index 7de93a0abe..6ff1b50ea9 100644
--- a/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/factory_test.go
+++ b/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/factory_test.go
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/client"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/client/cache"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 )
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func TestPollMinions(t *testing.T) {
 		ml := &api.MinionList{Items: item.minions}
 		handler := util.FakeHandler{
 			StatusCode:   200,
-			ResponseBody: apitools.EncodeOrDie(ml),
+			ResponseBody: runtime.EncodeOrDie(ml),
 			T:            t,
 		}
 		mux := http.NewServeMux()
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func TestDefaultErrorFunc(t *testing.T) {
 	testPod := &api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}
 	handler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
-		ResponseBody: apitools.EncodeOrDie(testPod),
+		ResponseBody: runtime.EncodeOrDie(testPod),
 		T:            t,
 	}
 	mux := http.NewServeMux()
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ func TestBind(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
 			continue
 		}
-		expectedBody := apitools.EncodeOrDie(item.binding)
+		expectedBody := runtime.EncodeOrDie(item.binding)
 		handler.ValidateRequest(t, "/api/v1beta1/bindings", "POST", &expectedBody)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/test/integration/etcd_tools_test.go b/test/integration/etcd_tools_test.go
index fcfdf68158..b605a0b75e 100644
--- a/test/integration/etcd_tools_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/etcd_tools_test.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/apitools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/tools"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 )
@@ -84,9 +84,9 @@ func TestExtractObj(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestWatch(t *testing.T) {
 	client := newEtcdClient()
-	helper := tools.EtcdHelper{Client: client, Codec: apitools.Codec, ResourceVersioner: apitools.ResourceVersioner}
+	helper := tools.EtcdHelper{Client: client, Codec: runtime.Codec, ResourceVersioner: runtime.ResourceVersioner}
 	withEtcdKey(func(key string) {
-		resp, err := client.Set(key, apitools.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
+		resp, err := client.Set(key, runtime.EncodeOrDie(api.Pod{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"}}), 0)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 		}