diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/app/config/config.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/app/config/config.go
index be6ad618949..d6971adcac7 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/app/config/config.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/app/config/config.go
@@ -42,9 +42,6 @@ type Config struct {
 	// the general kube client
 	Client *clientset.Clientset
 
-	// the client only used for leader election
-	LeaderElectionClient *clientset.Clientset
-
 	// the rest config for the master
 	Kubeconfig *restclient.Config
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/app/controllermanager.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/app/controllermanager.go
index 27b06ffaf09..7c7e9a90061 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/app/controllermanager.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/app/controllermanager.go
@@ -186,15 +186,15 @@ func Run(c *cloudcontrollerconfig.CompletedConfig, controllerInitializers map[st
 	id = id + "_" + string(uuid.NewUUID())
 
 	// Lock required for leader election
-	rl, err := resourcelock.New(c.ComponentConfig.Generic.LeaderElection.ResourceLock,
+	rl, err := resourcelock.NewFromKubeconfig(c.ComponentConfig.Generic.LeaderElection.ResourceLock,
 		c.ComponentConfig.Generic.LeaderElection.ResourceNamespace,
 		c.ComponentConfig.Generic.LeaderElection.ResourceName,
-		c.LeaderElectionClient.CoreV1(),
-		c.LeaderElectionClient.CoordinationV1(),
 		resourcelock.ResourceLockConfig{
 			Identity:      id,
 			EventRecorder: c.EventRecorder,
-		})
+		},
+		c.Kubeconfig,
+		c.ComponentConfig.Generic.LeaderElection.RenewDeadline.Duration)
 	if err != nil {
 		klog.Fatalf("error creating lock: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/options/options.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/options/options.go
index 6f852d8ec87..b156011c995 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/options/options.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/options/options.go
@@ -188,8 +188,6 @@ func (o *CloudControllerManagerOptions) ApplyTo(c *config.Config, userAgent stri
 		return err
 	}
 
-	c.LeaderElectionClient = clientset.NewForConfigOrDie(restclient.AddUserAgent(c.Kubeconfig, "leader-election"))
-
 	c.EventRecorder = createRecorder(c.Client, userAgent)
 
 	rootClientBuilder := clientbuilder.SimpleControllerClientBuilder{