diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index a1c7dac82d..fc7236a723 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ limitations under the License.
 package kubelet
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
@@ -79,12 +78,14 @@ type Kubelet struct {
 // Starts background goroutines. If file, manifest_url, or address are empty,
 // they are not watched. Never returns.
 func (kl *Kubelet) RunKubelet(file, manifest_url, etcd_servers, address string, port uint) {
-	fileChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
+	fileChannel := make(chan []api.ContainerManifest)
 	etcdChannel := make(chan []api.ContainerManifest)
-	httpChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
-	serverChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
+	httpChannel := make(chan []api.ContainerManifest)
+	serverChannel := make(chan []api.ContainerManifest)
 
-	go util.Forever(func() { kl.WatchFile(file, fileChannel) }, 20*time.Second)
+	if file != "" {
+		go util.Forever(func() { kl.WatchFile(file, fileChannel) }, 20*time.Second)
+	}
 	if manifest_url != "" {
 		go util.Forever(func() { kl.WatchHTTP(manifest_url, httpChannel) }, 20*time.Second)
 	}
@@ -363,72 +364,78 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) KillContainer(name string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func (kl *Kubelet) extractFromFile(lastData []byte, name string, changeChannel chan<- api.ContainerManifest) ([]byte, error) {
+func (kl *Kubelet) extractFromFile(name string, changeChannel chan<- []api.ContainerManifest) error {
 	var file *os.File
 	var err error
 	if file, err = os.Open(name); err != nil {
-		return lastData, err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return kl.extractFromReader(lastData, file, changeChannel)
+	return kl.extractFromReader(file, changeChannel)
 }
 
-func (kl *Kubelet) extractFromReader(lastData []byte, reader io.Reader, changeChannel chan<- api.ContainerManifest) ([]byte, error) {
+func (kl *Kubelet) extractFromReader(reader io.Reader, changeChannel chan<- []api.ContainerManifest) error {
 	var manifest api.ContainerManifest
 	data, err := ioutil.ReadAll(reader)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("Couldn't read file: %v", err)
-		return lastData, err
+		log.Printf("Couldn't read from reader: %v", err)
+		return err
 	}
 	if err = kl.ExtractYAMLData(data, &manifest); err != nil {
-		return lastData, err
+		return err
 	}
-	if !bytes.Equal(lastData, data) {
-		lastData = data
-		// Ok, we have a valid configuration, send to channel for
-		// rejiggering.
-		changeChannel <- manifest
-		return data, nil
+	changeChannel <- []api.ContainerManifest{manifest}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (kl *Kubelet) extractMultipleFromReader(reader io.Reader, changeChannel chan<- []api.ContainerManifest) error {
+	var manifests []api.ContainerManifest
+	data, err := ioutil.ReadAll(reader)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Couldn't read from reader: %v", err)
+		return err
 	}
-	return lastData, nil
+	if err = kl.ExtractYAMLData(data, &manifests); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	changeChannel <- manifests
+	return nil
 }
 
 // Watch a file for changes to the set of pods that should run on this Kubelet
 // This function loops forever and is intended to be run as a goroutine
-func (kl *Kubelet) WatchFile(file string, changeChannel chan<- api.ContainerManifest) {
-	var lastData []byte
+func (kl *Kubelet) WatchFile(file string, changeChannel chan<- []api.ContainerManifest) {
 	for {
 		var err error
 		time.Sleep(kl.FileCheckFrequency)
-		lastData, err = kl.extractFromFile(lastData, file, changeChannel)
+		err = kl.extractFromFile(file, changeChannel)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("Error polling file: %#v", err)
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func (kl *Kubelet) extractFromHTTP(lastData []byte, url string, changeChannel chan<- api.ContainerManifest) ([]byte, error) {
+func (kl *Kubelet) extractFromHTTP(url string, changeChannel chan<- []api.ContainerManifest) error {
 	client := &http.Client{}
 	request, err := http.NewRequest("GET", url, nil)
 	if err != nil {
-		return lastData, err
+		return err
 	}
 	response, err := client.Do(request)
 	if err != nil {
-		return lastData, err
+		return err
 	}
 	defer response.Body.Close()
-	return kl.extractFromReader(lastData, response.Body, changeChannel)
+	return kl.extractMultipleFromReader(response.Body, changeChannel)
 }
 
 // Watch an HTTP endpoint for changes to the set of pods that should run on this Kubelet
 // This function runs forever and is intended to be run as a goroutine
-func (kl *Kubelet) WatchHTTP(url string, changeChannel chan<- api.ContainerManifest) {
-	var lastData []byte
+func (kl *Kubelet) WatchHTTP(url string, changeChannel chan<- []api.ContainerManifest) {
 	for {
 		var err error
 		time.Sleep(kl.HTTPCheckFrequency)
-		lastData, err = kl.extractFromHTTP(lastData, url, changeChannel)
+		err = kl.extractFromHTTP(url, changeChannel)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("Error syncing http: %#v", err)
 		}
@@ -655,27 +662,27 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) SyncManifests(config []api.ContainerManifest) error {
 }
 
 // runSyncLoop is the main loop for processing changes. It watches for changes from
-// four channels (file, etcd, server, and http) and creates a union of the two. For
+// four channels (file, etcd, server, and http) and creates a union of them. For
 // any new change seen, will run a sync against desired state and running state. If
 // no changes are seen to the configuration, will synchronize the last known desired
 // state every sync_frequency seconds.
 // Never returns.
-func (kl *Kubelet) RunSyncLoop(etcdChannel <-chan []api.ContainerManifest, fileChannel, serverChannel, httpChannel <-chan api.ContainerManifest, handler SyncHandler) {
+func (kl *Kubelet) RunSyncLoop(etcdChannel, fileChannel, serverChannel, httpChannel <-chan []api.ContainerManifest, handler SyncHandler) {
 	var lastFile, lastEtcd, lastHttp, lastServer []api.ContainerManifest
 	for {
 		select {
-		case manifest := <-fileChannel:
-			log.Printf("Got new manifest from file... %v", manifest)
-			lastFile = []api.ContainerManifest{manifest}
+		case manifests := <-fileChannel:
+			log.Printf("Got new configuration from file... %v", manifests)
+			lastFile = manifests
 		case manifests := <-etcdChannel:
 			log.Printf("Got new configuration from etcd... %v", manifests)
 			lastEtcd = manifests
-		case manifest := <-httpChannel:
-			log.Printf("Got new manifest from external http... %v", manifest)
-			lastHttp = []api.ContainerManifest{manifest}
-		case manifest := <-serverChannel:
-			log.Printf("Got new manifest from our server... %v", manifest)
-			lastServer = []api.ContainerManifest{manifest}
+		case manifests := <-httpChannel:
+			log.Printf("Got new configuration from external http... %v", manifests)
+			lastHttp = manifests
+		case manifests := <-serverChannel:
+			log.Printf("Got new configuration from our server... %v", manifests)
+			lastServer = manifests
 		case <-time.After(kl.SyncFrequency):
 		}
 
@@ -683,6 +690,7 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) RunSyncLoop(etcdChannel <-chan []api.ContainerManifest, fileC
 		manifests = append(manifests, lastEtcd...)
 		manifests = append(manifests, lastHttp...)
 		manifests = append(manifests, lastServer...)
+
 		err := handler.SyncManifests(manifests)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("Couldn't sync containers : %#v", err)
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_server.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_server.go
index 04899cee38..34ae0c9bc4 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_server.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_server.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import (
 
 type KubeletServer struct {
 	Kubelet       kubeletInterface
-	UpdateChannel chan api.ContainerManifest
+	UpdateChannel chan []api.ContainerManifest
 }
 
 // kubeletInterface contains all the kubelet methods required by the server.
@@ -52,20 +52,31 @@ func (s *KubeletServer) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 	switch {
-	case u.Path == "/container":
+	case u.Path == "/container" || u.Path == "/containers":
 		defer req.Body.Close()
 		data, err := ioutil.ReadAll(req.Body)
 		if err != nil {
 			s.error(w, err)
 			return
 		}
-		var manifest api.ContainerManifest
-		err = yaml.Unmarshal(data, &manifest)
-		if err != nil {
-			s.error(w, err)
-			return
+		if u.Path == "/container" {
+			// This is to provide backward compatibility. It only supports a single manifest
+			var manifest api.ContainerManifest
+			err = yaml.Unmarshal(data, &manifest)
+			if err != nil {
+				s.error(w, err)
+				return
+			}
+			s.UpdateChannel <- []api.ContainerManifest{manifest}
+		} else if u.Path == "/containers" {
+			var manifests []api.ContainerManifest
+			err = yaml.Unmarshal(data, &manifests)
+			if err != nil {
+				s.error(w, err)
+				return
+			}
+			s.UpdateChannel <- manifests
 		}
-		s.UpdateChannel <- manifest
 	case u.Path == "/containerStats":
 		container := u.Query().Get("container")
 		if len(container) == 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_server_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_server_test.go
index ba2a3531f4..c8c026d131 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_server_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"reflect"
-	"sync"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
@@ -33,37 +32,9 @@ func (fk *fakeKubelet) GetContainerStats(name string) (*api.ContainerStats, erro
 	return fk.statsFunc(name)
 }
 
-// If we made everything distribute a list of ContainerManifests, we could just use
-// channelReader.
-type channelReaderSingle struct {
-	list []api.ContainerManifest
-	wg   sync.WaitGroup
-}
-
-func startReadingSingle(channel <-chan api.ContainerManifest) *channelReaderSingle {
-	cr := &channelReaderSingle{}
-	cr.wg.Add(1)
-	go func() {
-		for {
-			manifest, ok := <-channel
-			if !ok {
-				break
-			}
-			cr.list = append(cr.list, manifest)
-		}
-		cr.wg.Done()
-	}()
-	return cr
-}
-
-func (cr *channelReaderSingle) GetList() []api.ContainerManifest {
-	cr.wg.Wait()
-	return cr.list
-}
-
 type serverTestFramework struct {
-	updateChan      chan api.ContainerManifest
-	updateReader    *channelReaderSingle
+	updateChan      chan []api.ContainerManifest
+	updateReader    *channelReader
 	serverUnderTest *KubeletServer
 	fakeKubelet     *fakeKubelet
 	testHttpServer  *httptest.Server
@@ -71,9 +42,9 @@ type serverTestFramework struct {
 
 func makeServerTest() *serverTestFramework {
 	fw := &serverTestFramework{
-		updateChan: make(chan api.ContainerManifest),
+		updateChan: make(chan []api.ContainerManifest),
 	}
-	fw.updateReader = startReadingSingle(fw.updateChan)
+	fw.updateReader = startReading(fw.updateChan)
 	fw.fakeKubelet = &fakeKubelet{}
 	fw.serverUnderTest = &KubeletServer{
 		Kubelet:       fw.fakeKubelet,
@@ -91,8 +62,10 @@ func readResp(resp *http.Response) (string, error) {
 
 func TestContainer(t *testing.T) {
 	fw := makeServerTest()
-	expected := api.ContainerManifest{Id: "test_manifest"}
-	body := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte(util.MakeJSONString(expected)))
+	expected := []api.ContainerManifest{
+		{Id: "test_manifest"},
+	}
+	body := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte(util.MakeJSONString(expected[0]))) // Only send a single ContainerManifest
 	resp, err := http.Post(fw.testHttpServer.URL+"/container", "application/json", body)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Post returned: %v", err)
@@ -108,6 +81,28 @@ func TestContainer(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestContainers(t *testing.T) {
+	fw := makeServerTest()
+	expected := []api.ContainerManifest{
+		{Id: "test_manifest_1"},
+		{Id: "test_manifest_2"},
+	}
+	body := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte(util.MakeJSONString(expected)))
+	resp, err := http.Post(fw.testHttpServer.URL+"/containers", "application/json", body)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Post returned: %v", err)
+	}
+	resp.Body.Close()
+	close(fw.updateChan)
+	received := fw.updateReader.GetList()
+	if len(received) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 1 update, but got %v", len(received))
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(expected, received[0]) {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %#v, but got %#v", expected, received[0])
+	}
+}
+
 func TestContainerInfo(t *testing.T) {
 	fw := makeServerTest()
 	expected := "good container info string"
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go
index 9116d9ce89..f966489e33 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet_test.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ limitations under the License.
 package kubelet
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -730,164 +729,120 @@ func TestMakePortsAndBindings(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestExtractFromNonExistentFile(t *testing.T) {
 	kubelet := Kubelet{}
-	changeChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
-	lastData := []byte{1, 2, 3}
-	data, err := kubelet.extractFromFile(lastData, "/some/fake/file", changeChannel)
+	changeChannel := make(chan []api.ContainerManifest)
+	reader := startReading(changeChannel)
+
+	err := kubelet.extractFromFile("/some/fake/file", changeChannel)
+	close(changeChannel)
+
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Error("Unexpected non-error.")
 	}
-	if !bytes.Equal(data, lastData) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected data response.  Expected %#v, found %#v", lastData, data)
+
+	list := reader.GetList()
+	if len(list) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected list: %#v", list)
 	}
 }
 
 func TestExtractFromBadDataFile(t *testing.T) {
 	kubelet := Kubelet{}
-	changeChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
-	lastData := []byte{1, 2, 3}
+	changeChannel := make(chan []api.ContainerManifest)
+	reader := startReading(changeChannel)
+
+	badData := []byte{1, 2, 3}
 	file, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "foo")
 	expectNoError(t, err)
 	name := file.Name()
 	file.Close()
-	ioutil.WriteFile(name, lastData, 0755)
-	data, err := kubelet.extractFromFile(lastData, name, changeChannel)
+	ioutil.WriteFile(name, badData, 0755)
+	err = kubelet.extractFromFile(name, changeChannel)
+	close(changeChannel)
 
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Error("Unexpected non-error.")
 	}
-	if !bytes.Equal(data, lastData) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected data response.  Expected %#v, found %#v", lastData, data)
+
+	list := reader.GetList()
+	if len(list) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected list: %#v", list)
 	}
 }
 
-func TestExtractFromSameDataFile(t *testing.T) {
+func TestExtractFromValidDataFile(t *testing.T) {
 	kubelet := Kubelet{}
-	changeChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
-	manifest := api.ContainerManifest{
-		Id: "foo",
+	changeChannel := make(chan []api.ContainerManifest)
+	reader := startReading(changeChannel)
+
+	manifests := []api.ContainerManifest{
+		{Id: "bar"},
 	}
-	lastData, err := json.Marshal(manifest)
+	data, err := json.Marshal(manifests[0]) // Right now, files only support a single manifest
 	expectNoError(t, err)
 	file, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "foo")
 	expectNoError(t, err)
 	name := file.Name()
 	expectNoError(t, file.Close())
-	ioutil.WriteFile(name, lastData, 0755)
-	data, err := kubelet.extractFromFile(lastData, name, changeChannel)
-
-	expectNoError(t, err)
-	if !bytes.Equal(data, lastData) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected data response.  Expected %#v, found %#v", lastData, data)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestExtractFromChangedDataFile(t *testing.T) {
-	kubelet := Kubelet{}
-	changeChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
-	reader := startReadingSingle(changeChannel)
-	oldManifest := api.ContainerManifest{
-		Id: "foo",
-	}
-	newManifest := api.ContainerManifest{
-		Id: "bar",
-	}
-	lastData, err := json.Marshal(oldManifest)
-	expectNoError(t, err)
-	newData, err := json.Marshal(newManifest)
-	expectNoError(t, err)
-	file, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "foo")
-	expectNoError(t, err)
-	name := file.Name()
-	expectNoError(t, file.Close())
-	ioutil.WriteFile(name, newData, 0755)
-	data, err := kubelet.extractFromFile(lastData, name, changeChannel)
+	ioutil.WriteFile(name, data, 0755)
+	err = kubelet.extractFromFile(name, changeChannel)
 	close(changeChannel)
 
 	expectNoError(t, err)
-	if !bytes.Equal(data, newData) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected data response.  Expected %#v, found %#v", lastData, data)
-	}
 	read := reader.GetList()
 	if len(read) != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected channel traffic: %#v", read)
 	}
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(read[0], newManifest) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected difference.  Expected %#v, got %#v", newManifest, read[0])
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(read[0], manifests) {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected difference.  Expected %#v, got %#v", manifests, read[0])
 	}
 }
 
 func TestExtractFromHttpBadness(t *testing.T) {
 	kubelet := Kubelet{}
-	lastData := []byte{1, 2, 3}
-	changeChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
-	data, err := kubelet.extractFromHTTP(lastData, "http://localhost:12345", changeChannel)
+	changeChannel := make(chan []api.ContainerManifest)
+	reader := startReading(changeChannel)
+
+	err := kubelet.extractFromHTTP("http://localhost:12345", changeChannel)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Error("Unexpected non-error.")
 	}
-	if !bytes.Equal(lastData, data) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected difference.  Expected: %#v, Saw: %#v", lastData, data)
+	close(changeChannel)
+	list := reader.GetList()
+
+	if len(list) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected list: %#v", list)
 	}
 }
 
-func TestExtractFromHttpNoChange(t *testing.T) {
+func TestExtractFromHttp(t *testing.T) {
 	kubelet := Kubelet{}
-	changeChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
+	changeChannel := make(chan []api.ContainerManifest)
+	reader := startReading(changeChannel)
 
-	manifest := api.ContainerManifest{
-		Id: "foo",
+	manifests := []api.ContainerManifest{
+		{Id: "foo"},
 	}
-	lastData, err := json.Marshal(manifest)
+	data, err := json.Marshal(manifests)
 
 	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
 		StatusCode:   200,
-		ResponseBody: string(lastData),
+		ResponseBody: string(data),
 	}
 	testServer := httptest.NewServer(&fakeHandler)
 
-	data, err := kubelet.extractFromHTTP(lastData, testServer.URL, changeChannel)
+	err = kubelet.extractFromHTTP(testServer.URL, changeChannel)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected error: %#v", err)
 	}
-	if !bytes.Equal(lastData, data) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected difference.  Expected: %#v, Saw: %#v", lastData, data)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestExtractFromHttpChanges(t *testing.T) {
-	kubelet := Kubelet{}
-	changeChannel := make(chan api.ContainerManifest)
-	reader := startReadingSingle(changeChannel)
-
-	manifest := api.ContainerManifest{
-		Id: "foo",
-	}
-	newManifest := api.ContainerManifest{
-		Id: "bar",
-	}
-	lastData, _ := json.Marshal(manifest)
-	newData, _ := json.Marshal(newManifest)
-	fakeHandler := util.FakeHandler{
-		StatusCode:   200,
-		ResponseBody: string(newData),
-	}
-	testServer := httptest.NewServer(&fakeHandler)
-
-	data, err := kubelet.extractFromHTTP(lastData, testServer.URL, changeChannel)
 	close(changeChannel)
 
 	read := reader.GetList()
 
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected error: %#v", err)
-	}
 	if len(read) != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected list: %#v", read)
 	}
-	if !bytes.Equal(newData, data) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected difference.  Expected: %#v, Saw: %#v", lastData, data)
-	}
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(newManifest, read[0]) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected difference.  Expected: %#v, Saw: %#v", newManifest, read[0])
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(manifests, read[0]) {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected difference.  Expected: %#v, Saw: %#v", manifests, read[0])
 	}
 }