diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/util.go b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
index 69b38f7c935..2416a94b47d 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/util.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
@@ -4343,7 +4343,9 @@ func sshRestartMaster() error {
 	}
 	var command string
 	if ProviderIs("gce") {
-		command = "sudo docker ps | grep /kube-apiserver | cut -d ' ' -f 1 | xargs sudo docker kill"
+		// `kube-apiserver_kube-apiserver` matches the name of the apiserver
+		// container.
+		command = "sudo docker ps | grep kube-apiserver_kube-apiserver | cut -d ' ' -f 1 | xargs sudo docker kill"
 	} else {
 		command = "sudo /etc/init.d/kube-apiserver restart"
 	}