diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index b15219166e7..167831cb0ee 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ func NewMainKubelet(
 		daemonEndpoints:            daemonEndpoints,
 		containerManager:           containerManager,
 		flannelExperimentalOverlay: flannelExperimentalOverlay,
-		flannelHelper:              NewFlannelHelper(),
+		flannelHelper:              nil,
 		nodeIP:                     nodeIP,
 		clock:                      util.RealClock{},
 		outOfDiskTransitionFrequency: outOfDiskTransitionFrequency,
@@ -363,6 +363,7 @@ func NewMainKubelet(
 	}
 
 	if klet.flannelExperimentalOverlay {
+		klet.flannelHelper = NewFlannelHelper()
 		glog.Infof("Flannel is in charge of podCIDR and overlay networking.")
 	}
 	if klet.nodeIP != nil {