diff --git a/test/e2e/e2e.go b/test/e2e/e2e.go
index d25f664a819..2fd0d9cfca3 100644
--- a/test/e2e/e2e.go
+++ b/test/e2e/e2e.go
@@ -62,11 +62,11 @@ func setupProviderConfig() error {
 		glog.Info("The --provider flag is not set.  Treating as a conformance test.  Some tests may not be run.")
 
 	case "gce", "gke":
-		var err error
 		framework.Logf("Fetching cloud provider for %q\r\n", framework.TestContext.Provider)
 		zone := framework.TestContext.CloudConfig.Zone
 		region := framework.TestContext.CloudConfig.Region
 
+		var err error
 		if region == "" {
 			region, err = gcecloud.GetGCERegion(zone)
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/test/e2e_node/BUILD b/test/e2e_node/BUILD
index c4369ae830d..38acb433509 100644
--- a/test/e2e_node/BUILD
+++ b/test/e2e_node/BUILD
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ go_test(
             "//test/utils:go_default_library",
             "//vendor/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels:go_default_library",
             "//vendor/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime:go_default_library",
-            "//vendor/k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme:go_default_library",
             "//vendor/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache:go_default_library",
         ],
         "//conditions:default": [],
diff --git a/test/e2e_node/gpus.go b/test/e2e_node/gpus.go
index 62da15388ac..83e59dafa41 100644
--- a/test/e2e_node/gpus.go
+++ b/test/e2e_node/gpus.go
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/resource"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
-	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/apis/kubeletconfig"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/test/e2e/framework"
 
@@ -94,9 +93,7 @@ var _ = framework.KubeDescribe("GPU [Serial]", func() {
 
 			oldCfg, err = getCurrentKubeletConfig()
 			framework.ExpectNoError(err)
-			clone, err := scheme.Scheme.DeepCopy(oldCfg)
-			framework.ExpectNoError(err)
-			newCfg := clone.(*kubeletconfig.KubeletConfiguration)
+			newCfg := oldCfg.DeepCopy()
 			if newCfg.FeatureGates != "" {
 				newCfg.FeatureGates = fmt.Sprintf("%s,%s", acceleratorsFeatureGate, newCfg.FeatureGates)
 			} else {
diff --git a/test/e2e_node/node_container_manager_test.go b/test/e2e_node/node_container_manager_test.go
index c26fb1eefe7..f10f97d59bf 100644
--- a/test/e2e_node/node_container_manager_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e_node/node_container_manager_test.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/resource"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
-	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/apis/kubeletconfig"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/cm"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/test/e2e/framework"
@@ -161,11 +160,7 @@ func runTest(f *framework.Framework) error {
 	if err := createTemporaryCgroupsForReservation(cgroupManager); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	clone, err := scheme.Scheme.DeepCopy(oldCfg)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	newCfg := clone.(*kubeletconfig.KubeletConfiguration)
+	newCfg := oldCfg.DeepCopy()
 	// Change existing kubelet configuration
 	setDesiredConfiguration(newCfg)
 	// Set the new kubelet configuration.
diff --git a/test/e2e_node/util.go b/test/e2e_node/util.go
index 4ccc916cf36..515353bcca3 100644
--- a/test/e2e_node/util.go
+++ b/test/e2e_node/util.go
@@ -102,9 +102,7 @@ func tempSetCurrentKubeletConfig(f *framework.Framework, updateFunction func(ini
 		if configEnabled {
 			oldCfg, err = getCurrentKubeletConfig()
 			framework.ExpectNoError(err)
-			clone, err := scheme.Scheme.DeepCopy(oldCfg)
-			framework.ExpectNoError(err)
-			newCfg := clone.(*kubeletconfig.KubeletConfiguration)
+			newCfg := oldCfg.DeepCopy()
 			updateFunction(newCfg)
 			framework.ExpectNoError(setKubeletConfiguration(f, newCfg))
 		} else {
diff --git a/test/integration/volume/attach_detach_test.go b/test/integration/volume/attach_detach_test.go
index a5b1fe11fc0..b914ddfcc74 100644
--- a/test/integration/volume/attach_detach_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/volume/attach_detach_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import (
 	clientset "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	restclient "k8s.io/client-go/rest"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
-	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/testapi"
 	fakecloud "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/fake"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller/volume/attachdetach"
@@ -432,14 +431,7 @@ func TestPodAddedByDswp(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// let's stop pod events from getting triggered
 	close(podStopCh)
-	podObj, err := api.Scheme.DeepCopy(pod)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Error copying pod : %v", err)
-	}
-	podNew, ok := podObj.(*v1.Pod)
-	if !ok {
-		t.Fatalf("Error converting pod : %v", err)
-	}
+	podNew := pod.DeepCopy()
 	newPodName := "newFakepod"
 	podNew.SetName(newPodName)
 	err = podInformer.GetStore().Add(podNew)
diff --git a/test/integration/volume/persistent_volumes_test.go b/test/integration/volume/persistent_volumes_test.go
index b50efd829a8..f229e339fb8 100644
--- a/test/integration/volume/persistent_volumes_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/volume/persistent_volumes_test.go
@@ -245,8 +245,7 @@ func TestPersistentVolumeBindRace(t *testing.T) {
 	claims := []*v1.PersistentVolumeClaim{}
 	for counter <= maxClaims {
 		counter += 1
-		clone, _ := api.Scheme.DeepCopy(pvc)
-		newPvc, _ := clone.(*v1.PersistentVolumeClaim)
+		newPvc := pvc.DeepCopy()
 		newPvc.ObjectMeta = metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: fmt.Sprintf("fake-pvc-race-%d", counter)}
 		claim, err := testClient.CoreV1().PersistentVolumeClaims(ns.Name).Create(newPvc)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/test/utils/runners.go b/test/utils/runners.go
index ae028448fba..e3dc589b1e9 100644
--- a/test/utils/runners.go
+++ b/test/utils/runners.go
@@ -876,14 +876,7 @@ func (s *LabelNodePrepareStrategy) PreparePatch(*v1.Node) []byte {
 }
 
 func (s *LabelNodePrepareStrategy) CleanupNode(node *v1.Node) *v1.Node {
-	objCopy, err := api.Scheme.Copy(node)
-	if err != nil {
-		return &v1.Node{}
-	}
-	nodeCopy, ok := (objCopy).(*v1.Node)
-	if !ok {
-		return &v1.Node{}
-	}
+	nodeCopy := node.DeepCopy()
 	if node.Labels != nil && len(node.Labels[s.labelKey]) != 0 {
 		delete(nodeCopy.Labels, s.labelKey)
 	}