diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index df2d70dec95..6b0a5bfc2ac 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// This is a generated file.
+// This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
 // Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
 // Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
diff --git a/hack/update-vendor.sh b/hack/update-vendor.sh
index 25b81fa75b0..b44e6b0b84a 100755
--- a/hack/update-vendor.sh
+++ b/hack/update-vendor.sh
@@ -232,6 +232,14 @@ for repo in $(tsort "${TMP_DIR}/tidy_deps.txt"); do
   pushd "${KUBE_ROOT}/staging/src/${repo}" >/dev/null 2>&1
     echo "=== tidying ${repo}" >> "${LOG_FILE}"
     go mod tidy >>"${LOG_FILE}" 2>&1
+
+    # disallow transitive dependencies on k8s.io/kubernetes
+    loopback_deps="$(go list all 2>/dev/null | grep k8s.io/kubernetes/ || true)"
+    if [[ ! -z "${loopback_deps}" ]]; then
+      kube::log::error "Disallowed ${repo} -> k8s.io/kubernetes dependencies exist via the following imports:
+$(go mod why ${loopback_deps})"
+      exit 1
+    fi
   popd >/dev/null 2>&1
 done
 echo "=== tidying root" >> "${LOG_FILE}"
@@ -241,17 +249,13 @@ go mod tidy >>"${LOG_FILE}" 2>&1
 # Phase 6: add generated comments to go.mod files
 kube::log::status "go.mod: adding generated comments"
 add_generated_comments "
-// This is a generated file.
+// This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
 // Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
 // Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 "
 for repo in $(ls staging/src/k8s.io | sort); do
   pushd "staging/src/k8s.io/${repo}" >/dev/null 2>&1
-    add_generated_comments "
-// This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
-"
+    add_generated_comments "// This is a generated file. Do not edit directly."
   popd >/dev/null 2>&1
 done
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/go.mod
index 90134b572cf..ecc13a2fdfd 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/api
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/go.mod
index 72cb28df299..12a05604547 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/go.mod
index e6feb26f7dc..1528ce45c33 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/apimachinery
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/go.mod
index 952129d6f31..f446b65ba0f 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/apiserver
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/cli-runtime/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/cli-runtime/go.mod
index 4b9723e1b98..2d8dcd8a181 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/cli-runtime/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/cli-runtime/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/cli-runtime
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/go.mod
index e544e50d21f..88aaf12d4f6 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/client-go
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/go.mod
index 1949d89b9e7..de53924ff44 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/cloud-provider/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/cloud-provider
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/cluster-bootstrap/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/cluster-bootstrap/go.mod
index 8173a244a28..b35acf3f3a7 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/cluster-bootstrap/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/cluster-bootstrap/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/cluster-bootstrap
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/go.mod
index 18f5f863924..6fb89ab8d4f 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/code-generator
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/go.mod
index 037f7cb1b17..f08701c042d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/component-base
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/cri-api/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/cri-api/go.mod
index 909dc2e6082..011857b8ced 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/cri-api/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/cri-api/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/cri-api
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/go.mod
index 1aad1855356..a41881a904e 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/csi-translation-lib
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/go.mod
index eb9f96891d9..83e3bdf0ab2 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/kube-aggregator
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-controller-manager/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-controller-manager/go.mod
index 620417005d9..7889b170ee3 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-controller-manager/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-controller-manager/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/kube-controller-manager
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-proxy/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-proxy/go.mod
index db1c16da13f..27aec96fb8f 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-proxy/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-proxy/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/kube-proxy
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-scheduler/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-scheduler/go.mod
index dcacb2d9e6f..3ea02fd2320 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-scheduler/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-scheduler/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/kube-scheduler
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubelet/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubelet/go.mod
index cdf1955122b..f1be08ff13d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubelet/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubelet/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/kubelet
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/metrics/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/metrics/go.mod
index f8260239ddf..15818cc799b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/metrics/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/metrics/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/metrics
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/node-api/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/node-api/go.mod
index de570d4a982..f1cd6a002c1 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/node-api/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/node-api/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/node-api
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/go.mod
index 1a2a490ad80..a0ca36543a7 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/sample-apiserver
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-cli-plugin/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-cli-plugin/go.mod
index f690c7bf83a..dc87756fa82 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-cli-plugin/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-cli-plugin/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/sample-cli-plugin
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-controller/go.mod b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-controller/go.mod
index 8f6f631f612..4a044bb1c22 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-controller/go.mod
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-controller/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 // This is a generated file. Do not edit directly.
-// Run hack/pin-dependency.sh to change pinned dependency versions.
-// Run hack/update-vendor.sh to update go.mod files and the vendor directory.
 
 module k8s.io/sample-controller