diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/config.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/config.go
index 2f72ef776db..0b5781f4b96 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/config.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/config.go
@@ -724,6 +724,12 @@ func (c *RecommendedConfig) Complete() CompletedConfig {
 	return c.Config.Complete(c.SharedInformerFactory)
 }
 
+var allowedMediaTypes = []string{
+	runtime.ContentTypeJSON,
+	runtime.ContentTypeYAML,
+	runtime.ContentTypeProtobuf,
+}
+
 // New creates a new server which logically combines the handling chain with the passed server.
 // name is used to differentiate for logging. The handler chain in particular can be difficult as it starts delegating.
 // delegationTarget may not be nil.
@@ -731,6 +737,18 @@ func (c completedConfig) New(name string, delegationTarget DelegationTarget) (*G
 	if c.Serializer == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Genericapiserver.New() called with config.Serializer == nil")
 	}
+	for _, info := range c.Serializer.SupportedMediaTypes() {
+		var ok bool
+		for _, mt := range allowedMediaTypes {
+			if info.MediaType == mt {
+				ok = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("refusing to create new apiserver %q with support for media type %q (allowed media types are: %s)", name, info.MediaType, strings.Join(allowedMediaTypes, ", "))
+		}
+	}
 	if c.LoopbackClientConfig == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Genericapiserver.New() called with config.LoopbackClientConfig == nil")
 	}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/config_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/config_test.go
index 6e4ef65ef1a..a1d6d8902f9 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/config_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/config_test.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/json"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
@@ -362,3 +363,21 @@ func (b *testBackend) ProcessEvents(events ...*auditinternal.Event) bool {
 	b.events = append(b.events, events...)
 	return true
 }
+
+func TestNewErrorForbiddenSerializer(t *testing.T) {
+	config := CompletedConfig{
+		&completedConfig{
+			Config: &Config{
+				Serializer: runtime.NewSimpleNegotiatedSerializer(runtime.SerializerInfo{
+					MediaType: "application/cbor",
+				}),
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	_, err := config.New("test", NewEmptyDelegate())
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("successfully created a new server configured with cbor support")
+	} else if err.Error() != `refusing to create new apiserver "test" with support for media type "application/cbor" (allowed media types are: application/json, application/yaml, application/vnd.kubernetes.protobuf)` {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/etcd.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/etcd.go
index d4f75ddd721..14a96f0ca74 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/etcd.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/etcd.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
@@ -87,6 +88,12 @@ func NewEtcdOptions(backendConfig *storagebackend.Config) *EtcdOptions {
 	return options
 }
 
+var storageMediaTypes = sets.New(
+	runtime.ContentTypeJSON,
+	runtime.ContentTypeYAML,
+	runtime.ContentTypeProtobuf,
+)
+
 func (s *EtcdOptions) Validate() []error {
 	if s == nil {
 		return nil
@@ -120,6 +127,10 @@ func (s *EtcdOptions) Validate() []error {
 		allErrors = append(allErrors, fmt.Errorf("--encryption-provider-config-automatic-reload must be set with --encryption-provider-config"))
 	}
 
+	if s.DefaultStorageMediaType != "" && !storageMediaTypes.Has(s.DefaultStorageMediaType) {
+		allErrors = append(allErrors, fmt.Errorf("--storage-media-type %q invalid, allowed values: %s", s.DefaultStorageMediaType, strings.Join(sets.List(storageMediaTypes), ", ")))
+	}
+
 	return allErrors
 }
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/etcd_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/etcd_test.go
index 89a1251bc1e..8c21a3880ee 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/etcd_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/etcd_test.go
@@ -160,6 +160,40 @@ func TestEtcdOptionsValidate(t *testing.T) {
 				EtcdServersOverrides:    []string{"/events#http://127.0.0.1:4002"},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "empty storage-media-type",
+			testOptions: &EtcdOptions{
+				StorageConfig: storagebackend.Config{
+					Transport: storagebackend.TransportConfig{
+						ServerList: []string{"http://127.0.0.1"},
+					},
+				},
+				DefaultStorageMediaType: "",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "recognized storage-media-type",
+			testOptions: &EtcdOptions{
+				StorageConfig: storagebackend.Config{
+					Transport: storagebackend.TransportConfig{
+						ServerList: []string{"http://127.0.0.1"},
+					},
+				},
+				DefaultStorageMediaType: "application/json",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "unrecognized storage-media-type",
+			testOptions: &EtcdOptions{
+				StorageConfig: storagebackend.Config{
+					Transport: storagebackend.TransportConfig{
+						ServerList: []string{"http://127.0.0.1"},
+					},
+				},
+				DefaultStorageMediaType: "foo/bar",
+			},
+			expectErr: `--storage-media-type "foo/bar" invalid, allowed values: application/json, application/vnd.kubernetes.protobuf, application/yaml`,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, testcase := range testCases {