diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/doc.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..338d4cebfa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+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.
+*/
+
+// +k8s:deepcopy-gen=package
+
+package config // import "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config"
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/types.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f6424ec4e8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/types.go
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+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 config
+
+import (
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+)
+
+// LeaderElectionConfiguration defines the configuration of leader election
+// clients for components that can run with leader election enabled.
+type LeaderElectionConfiguration struct {
+	// leaderElect enables a leader election client to gain leadership
+	// before executing the main loop. Enable this when running replicated
+	// components for high availability.
+	LeaderElect bool
+	// leaseDuration is the duration that non-leader candidates will wait
+	// after observing a leadership renewal until attempting to acquire
+	// leadership of a led but unrenewed leader slot. This is effectively the
+	// maximum duration that a leader can be stopped before it is replaced
+	// by another candidate. This is only applicable if leader election is
+	// enabled.
+	LeaseDuration metav1.Duration
+	// renewDeadline is the interval between attempts by the acting master to
+	// renew a leadership slot before it stops leading. This must be less
+	// than or equal to the lease duration. This is only applicable if leader
+	// election is enabled.
+	RenewDeadline metav1.Duration
+	// retryPeriod is the duration the clients should wait between attempting
+	// acquisition and renewal of a leadership. This is only applicable if
+	// leader election is enabled.
+	RetryPeriod metav1.Duration
+	// resourceLock indicates the resource object type that will be used to lock
+	// during leader election cycles.
+	ResourceLock string
+}
+
+// DebuggingConfiguration holds configuration for Debugging related features.
+type DebuggingConfiguration struct {
+	// enableProfiling enables profiling via web interface host:port/debug/pprof/
+	EnableProfiling bool
+	// enableContentionProfiling enables lock contention profiling, if
+	// enableProfiling is true.
+	EnableContentionProfiling bool
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/defaults.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/defaults.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..87a5bda8d43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/defaults.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+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 v1alpha1
+
+import (
+	"time"
+
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	kruntime "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
+)
+
+func addDefaultingFuncs(scheme *kruntime.Scheme) error {
+	return RegisterDefaults(scheme)
+}
+
+func SetDefaults_LeaderElectionConfiguration(obj *LeaderElectionConfiguration) {
+	booltrue := true
+	zero := metav1.Duration{}
+	if obj.LeaseDuration == zero {
+		obj.LeaseDuration = metav1.Duration{Duration: 15 * time.Second}
+	}
+	if obj.RenewDeadline == zero {
+		obj.RenewDeadline = metav1.Duration{Duration: 10 * time.Second}
+	}
+	if obj.RetryPeriod == zero {
+		obj.RetryPeriod = metav1.Duration{Duration: 2 * time.Second}
+	}
+	if obj.ResourceLock == "" {
+		obj.ResourceLock = EndpointsResourceLock
+	}
+	if obj.LeaderElect == nil {
+		obj.LeaderElect = &booltrue
+	}
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/doc.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2230d28e6d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+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.
+*/
+
+// +k8s:deepcopy-gen=package
+// +k8s:conversion-gen=k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config
+// +k8s:defaulter-gen=TypeMeta
+
+package v1alpha1
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/register.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/register.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9f545f14477
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/register.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+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 v1alpha1
+
+import (
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
+)
+
+var (
+	// localSchemeBuilder and AddToScheme will stay in k8s.io/kubernetes.
+	SchemeBuilder      runtime.SchemeBuilder
+	localSchemeBuilder = &SchemeBuilder
+	AddToScheme        = localSchemeBuilder.AddToScheme
+)
+
+func init() {
+	// We only register manually written functions here. The registration of the
+	// generated functions takes place in the generated files. The separation
+	// makes the code compile even when the generated files are missing.
+	localSchemeBuilder.Register(addDefaultingFuncs)
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/types.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f5ca97151a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/config/v1alpha1/types.go
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+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 v1alpha1
+
+import (
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+)
+
+const EndpointsResourceLock = "endpoints"
+
+// LeaderElectionConfiguration defines the configuration of leader election
+// clients for components that can run with leader election enabled.
+type LeaderElectionConfiguration struct {
+	// leaderElect enables a leader election client to gain leadership
+	// before executing the main loop. Enable this when running replicated
+	// components for high availability.
+	LeaderElect *bool `json:"leaderElect"`
+	// leaseDuration is the duration that non-leader candidates will wait
+	// after observing a leadership renewal until attempting to acquire
+	// leadership of a led but unrenewed leader slot. This is effectively the
+	// maximum duration that a leader can be stopped before it is replaced
+	// by another candidate. This is only applicable if leader election is
+	// enabled.
+	LeaseDuration metav1.Duration `json:"leaseDuration"`
+	// renewDeadline is the interval between attempts by the acting master to
+	// renew a leadership slot before it stops leading. This must be less
+	// than or equal to the lease duration. This is only applicable if leader
+	// election is enabled.
+	RenewDeadline metav1.Duration `json:"renewDeadline"`
+	// retryPeriod is the duration the clients should wait between attempting
+	// acquisition and renewal of a leadership. This is only applicable if
+	// leader election is enabled.
+	RetryPeriod metav1.Duration `json:"retryPeriod"`
+	// resourceLock indicates the resource object type that will be used to lock
+	// during leader election cycles.
+	ResourceLock string `json:"resourceLock"`
+}
+
+// DebuggingConfiguration holds configuration for Debugging related features.
+type DebuggingConfiguration struct {
+	// enableProfiling enables profiling via web interface host:port/debug/pprof/
+	EnableProfiling bool `json:"enableProfiling"`
+	// enableContentionProfiling enables lock contention profiling, if
+	// enableProfiling is true.
+	EnableContentionProfiling bool `json:"enableContentionProfiling"`
+}