diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/nodes_util.go b/test/e2e/framework/nodes_util.go
index e4ec834ce37..b4058a89bb9 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/nodes_util.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/nodes_util.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package framework
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -66,8 +67,7 @@ var NodeUpgrade = func(f *Framework, v string, img string) error {
 	var err error
 	switch TestContext.Provider {
 	case "gce":
-		// TODO(maisem): add GCE support for upgrading to different images.
-		err = nodeUpgradeGCE(v)
+		err = nodeUpgradeGCE(v, img)
 	case "gke":
 		err = nodeUpgradeGKE(v, img)
 	default:
@@ -88,8 +88,13 @@ var NodeUpgrade = func(f *Framework, v string, img string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func nodeUpgradeGCE(rawV string) error {
+func nodeUpgradeGCE(rawV, img string) error {
 	v := "v" + rawV
+	if img != "" {
+		env := append(os.Environ(), "KUBE_NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION="+img)
+		_, _, err := RunCmdEnv(env, path.Join(TestContext.RepoRoot, "cluster/gce/upgrade.sh"), "-N", "-o", v)
+		return err
+	}
 	_, _, err := RunCmd(path.Join(TestContext.RepoRoot, "cluster/gce/upgrade.sh"), "-N", v)
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/util.go b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
index 6a10ee91b5b..66e99768083 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/util.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
@@ -4846,6 +4846,13 @@ func GetPodsInNamespace(c clientset.Interface, ns string, ignoreLabels map[strin
 // RunCmd runs cmd using args and returns its stdout and stderr. It also outputs
 // cmd's stdout and stderr to their respective OS streams.
 func RunCmd(command string, args ...string) (string, string, error) {
+	return RunCmdEnv(nil, command, args...)
+}
+
+// RunCmdEnv runs cmd with the provided environment and args and
+// returns its stdout and stderr. It also outputs cmd's stdout and
+// stderr to their respective OS streams.
+func RunCmdEnv(env []string, command string, args ...string) (string, string, error) {
 	Logf("Running %s %v", command, args)
 	var bout, berr bytes.Buffer
 	cmd := exec.Command(command, args...)
@@ -4856,6 +4863,7 @@ func RunCmd(command string, args ...string) (string, string, error) {
 	// newlines.
 	cmd.Stdout = io.MultiWriter(os.Stdout, &bout)
 	cmd.Stderr = io.MultiWriter(os.Stderr, &berr)
+	cmd.Env = env
 	err := cmd.Run()
 	stdout, stderr := bout.String(), berr.String()
 	if err != nil {