diff --git a/cluster/common.sh b/cluster/common.sh
index dd7dd01c89..36d1ed9df6 100755
--- a/cluster/common.sh
+++ b/cluster/common.sh
@@ -666,9 +666,10 @@ EOF
     cat >>$file <<EOF
 KUBE_MANIFESTS_TAR_URL: $(yaml-quote ${KUBE_MANIFESTS_TAR_URL})
 KUBE_MANIFESTS_TAR_HASH: $(yaml-quote ${KUBE_MANIFESTS_TAR_HASH})
-KUBERNETES_CONTAINER_RUNTIME: $(yaml-quote ${CONTAINER_RUNTIME:-docker})
+KUBERNETES_CONTAINER_RUNTIME: $(yaml-quote ${CONTAINER_RUNTIME:-rkt})
 RKT_VERSION: $(yaml-quote ${RKT_VERSION:-})
 RKT_PATH: $(yaml-quote ${RKT_PATH:-})
+RKT_STAGE1_IMAGE: $(yaml-quote ${RKT_STAGE1_IMAGE:-})
 KUBERNETES_CONFIGURE_CBR0: $(yaml-quote ${KUBERNETES_CONFIGURE_CBR0:-true})
 EOF
   fi
diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
index c0d0eaaa7d..3fb64fca9d 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ MASTER_IMAGE_PROJECT=${KUBE_GCE_MASTER_PROJECT:-google-containers}
 NODE_IMAGE=${KUBE_GCE_NODE_IMAGE:-"${MASTER_IMAGE}"}
 NODE_IMAGE_PROJECT=${KUBE_GCE_NODE_PROJECT:-"${MASTER_IMAGE_PROJECT}"}
 CONTAINER_RUNTIME=${KUBE_CONTAINER_RUNTIME:-docker}
-RKT_VERSION=${KUBE_RKT_VERSION:-0.5.5}
+RKT_VERSION=${KUBE_RKT_VERSION:-1.8.0}
+RKT_STAGE1_IMAGE=${KUBE_RKT_STAGE1_IMAGE:-coreos.com/rkt/stage1-coreos}
 
 NETWORK=${KUBE_GCE_NETWORK:-default}
 INSTANCE_PREFIX="${KUBE_GCE_INSTANCE_PREFIX:-kubernetes}"
diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
index d19efbc646..1c6181a9b6 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
@@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ MASTER_IMAGE_PROJECT=${KUBE_GCE_MASTER_PROJECT:-google-containers}
 NODE_IMAGE=${KUBE_GCE_NODE_IMAGE:-"${MASTER_IMAGE}"}
 NODE_IMAGE_PROJECT=${KUBE_GCE_NODE_PROJECT:-"${MASTER_IMAGE_PROJECT}"}
 CONTAINER_RUNTIME=${KUBE_CONTAINER_RUNTIME:-docker}
-RKT_VERSION=${KUBE_RKT_VERSION:-0.5.5}
 GCI_DOCKER_VERSION=${KUBE_GCI_DOCKER_VERSION:-}
+RKT_VERSION=${KUBE_RKT_VERSION:-1.8.0}
+RKT_STAGE1_IMAGE=${KUBE_RKT_STAGE1_IMAGE:-coreos.com/rkt/stage1-coreos}
 
 NETWORK=${KUBE_GCE_NETWORK:-e2e}
 INSTANCE_PREFIX="${KUBE_GCE_INSTANCE_PREFIX:-e2e-test-${USER}}"
diff --git a/cluster/gce/coreos/configure-node.sh b/cluster/gce/coreos/configure-node.sh
index d462e50ba1..fac1e9d1dd 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/coreos/configure-node.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/coreos/configure-node.sh
@@ -300,9 +300,8 @@ function load-docker-images() {
   done
 }
 
-
 function load-master-components-images() {
-  echo "Loading docker images for master components"
+  echo "Loading images for master components"
   export RKT_BIN=/opt/rkt/rkt
   export DOCKER2ACI_BIN=/opt/docker2aci/docker2aci
   ${SALT_DIR}/install.sh ${KUBE_BIN_TAR}
@@ -314,7 +313,6 @@ function load-master-components-images() {
   KUBE_SCHEDULER_DOCKER_TAG=$(cat ${KUBE_BIN_DIR}/kube-scheduler.docker_tag)
 }
 
-
 ##########
 #  main  #
 ##########
diff --git a/cluster/gce/coreos/master-rkt.yaml b/cluster/gce/coreos/master-rkt.yaml
index 1f7060568c..89fff887b7 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/coreos/master-rkt.yaml
+++ b/cluster/gce/coreos/master-rkt.yaml
@@ -70,6 +70,20 @@ coreos:
         ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/curl --fail --silent --location --create-dirs --output /opt/downloads/rkt.tar.gz https://github.com/coreos/rkt/releases/download/v${RKT_VERSION}/rkt-v${RKT_VERSION}.tar.gz
         ExecStart=/usr/bin/tar --strip-components=1 -xf /opt/downloads/rkt.tar.gz -C /opt/rkt/ --overwrite
 
+    - name: kubernetes-load-rkt-stage1.service
+      command: start
+      content: |
+        [Unit]
+        Description=Load rkt stage1 images
+        Documentation=http://github.com/coreos/rkt
+        Requires=network-online.target
+        After=network-online.target
+        Requires=kubernetes-install-rkt.service
+        After=kubernetes-install-rkt.service
+        [Service]
+        Type=oneshot
+        ExecStart=/opt/rkt/rkt fetch /opt/rkt/stage1-coreos.aci /opt/rkt/stage1-kvm.aci /opt/rkt/stage1-fly.aci  --insecure-options=image
+
     - name: kubernetes-download-salt.service
       command: start
       content: |
@@ -145,8 +159,8 @@ coreos:
       content: |
         [Unit]
         Description=Run Kubelet service
-        Requires=network-online.target kube-env.service kubernetes-download-manifests.service kubernetes-install-cni.service
-        After=network-online.target kube-env.service kubernetes-download-manifests.service kubernetes-install-cni.service
+        Requires=network-online.target kube-env.service kubernetes-download-manifests.service kubernetes-install-cni.service kubernetes-load-rkt-stage1.service
+        After=network-online.target kube-env.service kubernetes-download-manifests.service kubernetes-install-cni.service kubernetes-load-rkt-stage1.service
         [Service]
         EnvironmentFile=/etc/kube-env
         ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/curl --fail --silent --show-error \
@@ -167,7 +181,7 @@ coreos:
         --logtostderr=true \
         --container-runtime=rkt \
         --rkt-path=/opt/rkt/rkt \
-        --rkt-stage1-image=/opt/rkt/stage1-coreos.aci \
+        --rkt-stage1-image=${RKT_STAGE_IMAGE} \
         --configure-cbr0=${KUBERNETES_CONFIGURE_CBR0} \
         --pod-cidr=${MASTER_IP_RANGE} \
         --register-schedulable=false \
@@ -194,7 +208,6 @@ coreos:
         After=kubernetes-download-manifests.service
         Requires=kubernetes-install-docker2aci.service
         After=kubernetes-install-docker2aci.service
-        # Need the kubelet/docker running because we will use docker load for docker images.
         Requires=kubelet.service
         After=kubelet.service
         [Service]
diff --git a/cluster/gce/coreos/node-rkt.yaml b/cluster/gce/coreos/node-rkt.yaml
index 2b72e16cf3..9a9781cf3c 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/coreos/node-rkt.yaml
+++ b/cluster/gce/coreos/node-rkt.yaml
@@ -56,6 +56,20 @@ coreos:
         ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/curl --fail --silent --location --create-dirs --output /opt/downloads/rkt.tar.gz https://github.com/coreos/rkt/releases/download/v${RKT_VERSION}/rkt-v${RKT_VERSION}.tar.gz
         ExecStart=/usr/bin/tar --strip-components=1 -xf /opt/downloads/rkt.tar.gz -C /opt/rkt/ --overwrite
 
+    - name: kubernetes-load-rkt-stage1.service
+      command: start
+      content: |
+        [Unit]
+        Description=Load rkt stage1 images
+        Documentation=http://github.com/coreos/rkt
+        Requires=network-online.target
+        After=network-online.target
+        Requires=kubernetes-install-rkt.service
+        After=kubernetes-install-rkt.service
+        [Service]
+        Type=oneshot
+        ExecStart=/opt/rkt/rkt fetch /opt/rkt/stage1-coreos.aci /opt/rkt/stage1-kvm.aci /opt/rkt/stage1-fly.aci  --insecure-options=image
+
     - name: kubernetes-download-manifests.service
       command: start
       content: |
@@ -111,8 +125,8 @@ coreos:
       content: |
         [Unit]
         Description=Run Kubelet service
-        Requires=network-online.target kube-env.service kubernetes-download-manifests.service kubernetes-install-cni.service
-        After=network-online.target kube-env.service kubernetes-download-manifests.service kubernetes-install-cni.service
+        Requires=network-online.target kube-env.service kubernetes-download-manifests.service kubernetes-install-cni.service kubernetes-load-rkt-stage1.service
+        After=network-online.target kube-env.service kubernetes-download-manifests.service kubernetes-install-cni.service kubernetes-load-rkt-stage1.service
         [Service]
         EnvironmentFile=/etc/kube-env
         ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/curl --fail --silent --show-error \
@@ -133,7 +147,7 @@ coreos:
         --logtostderr=true \
         --container-runtime=rkt \
         --rkt-path=/opt/rkt/rkt \
-        --rkt-stage1-image=/opt/rkt/stage1-coreos.aci \
+        --rkt-stage1-image=${RKT_STAGE1_IMAGE} \
         --configure-cbr0=${KUBERNETES_CONFIGURE_CBR0} \
         --network-plugin=kubenet \
         --reconcile-cidr=true