diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
index 1afb487c605..a16c6844f76 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ PREEMPTIBLE_NODE=${PREEMPTIBLE_NODE:-false}
 PREEMPTIBLE_MASTER=${PREEMPTIBLE_MASTER:-false}
 
 MASTER_OS_DISTRIBUTION=${KUBE_MASTER_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-${KUBE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-gci}}
-NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION=${KUBE_NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-${KUBE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-debian}}
+NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION=${KUBE_NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-${KUBE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-gci}}
 # By default a cluster will be started with the master on GCI and nodes on
 # containervm. If you are updating the containervm version, update this
 # variable.
diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
index d5cb6f0d9f4..7b6bf1b746a 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ PREEMPTIBLE_NODE=${PREEMPTIBLE_NODE:-false}
 PREEMPTIBLE_MASTER=${PREEMPTIBLE_MASTER:-false}
 
 MASTER_OS_DISTRIBUTION=${KUBE_MASTER_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-${KUBE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-gci}}
-NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION=${KUBE_NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-${KUBE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-debian}}
+NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION=${KUBE_NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-${KUBE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-gci}}
 # By default a cluster will be started with the master on GCI and nodes on
 # containervm. If you are updating the containervm version, update this
 # variable.