diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/rkt/log.go b/pkg/kubelet/rkt/log.go
index 738b4ea45a7..b4bffa0b46f 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/rkt/log.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/rkt/log.go
@@ -118,7 +118,9 @@ func (r *Runtime) GetContainerLogs(pod *api.Pod, containerID kubecontainer.Conta
 		return err
 	}
 
-	cmd := exec.Command("journalctl", "-m", fmt.Sprintf("_MACHINE_ID=%s", strings.Replace(id.uuid, "-", "", -1)), "-u", id.appName, "-a")
+	// Note: this only works for rkt versions after 1.6.0
+	// See https://github.com/coreos/rkt/issues/2630
+	cmd := exec.Command("journalctl", "-m", fmt.Sprintf("_MACHINE_ID=%s", strings.Replace(id.uuid, "-", "", -1)), "-t", id.appName, "-a")
 	// Get the json structured logs.
 	cmd.Args = append(cmd.Args, "-o", "json")
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/rkt/rkt.go b/pkg/kubelet/rkt/rkt.go
index 608153c58cb..3f0c993106a 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/rkt/rkt.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/rkt/rkt.go
@@ -66,11 +66,11 @@ const (
 	RktType                      = "rkt"
 	DefaultRktAPIServiceEndpoint = "localhost:15441"
 
-	minimumAppcVersion       = "0.8.1"
-	minimumRktBinVersion     = "1.6.0"
-	recommendedRktBinVersion = "1.6.0"
-	minimumRktApiVersion     = "1.0.0-alpha"
-	minimumSystemdVersion    = "219"
+	minimumRktBinVersion     = "1.7.0"
+	recommendedRktBinVersion = "1.7.0"
+
+	minimumRktApiVersion  = "1.0.0-alpha"
+	minimumSystemdVersion = "219"
 
 	systemdServiceDir = "/run/systemd/system"
 	rktDataDir        = "/var/lib/rkt"
@@ -1579,7 +1579,7 @@ func (r *Runtime) APIVersion() (kubecontainer.Version, error) {
 
 // Status returns error if rkt is unhealthy, nil otherwise.
 func (r *Runtime) Status() error {
-	return r.checkVersion(minimumRktBinVersion, recommendedRktBinVersion, minimumAppcVersion, minimumRktApiVersion, minimumSystemdVersion)
+	return r.checkVersion(minimumRktBinVersion, recommendedRktBinVersion, minimumRktApiVersion, minimumSystemdVersion)
 }
 
 // SyncPod syncs the running pod to match the specified desired pod.
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/rkt/rkt_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/rkt/rkt_test.go
index 314cc5e453d..74d516c30c0 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/rkt/rkt_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/rkt/rkt_test.go
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ func TestCheckVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		minimumRktBinVersion     string
 		recommendedRktBinVersion string
-		minimumAppcVersion       string
 		minimumRktApiVersion     string
 		minimumSystemdVersion    string
 		err                      error
@@ -183,7 +182,6 @@ func TestCheckVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			"1.2.3",
 			"1.2.3",
-			"1.2.4",
 			"1.2.5",
 			"99",
 			nil,
@@ -194,7 +192,6 @@ func TestCheckVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			"1.2.3+git",
 			"1.2.3+git",
-			"1.2.4+git",
 			"1.2.6-alpha",
 			"100",
 			nil,
@@ -203,7 +200,6 @@ func TestCheckVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		// Requires greater binary version.
 		{
-			"1.2.4",
 			"1.2.4",
 			"1.2.4",
 			"1.2.6-alpha",
@@ -212,22 +208,10 @@ func TestCheckVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			true,
 			true,
 		},
-		// Requires greater Appc version.
-		{
-			"1.2.3",
-			"1.2.3",
-			"1.2.5",
-			"1.2.6-alpha",
-			"100",
-			fmt.Errorf("rkt: appc version is too old(%v), requires at least %v", fr.info.AppcVersion, "1.2.5"),
-			true,
-			true,
-		},
 		// Requires greater API version.
 		{
 			"1.2.3",
 			"1.2.3",
-			"1.2.4",
 			"1.2.6",
 			"100",
 			fmt.Errorf("rkt: API version is too old(%v), requires at least %v", fr.info.ApiVersion, "1.2.6"),
@@ -238,7 +222,6 @@ func TestCheckVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			"1.2.3",
 			"1.2.3",
-			"1.2.4",
 			"1.2.7",
 			"100",
 			fmt.Errorf("rkt: API version is too old(%v), requires at least %v", fr.info.ApiVersion, "1.2.7"),
@@ -249,7 +232,6 @@ func TestCheckVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			"1.2.3",
 			"1.2.3",
-			"1.2.4",
 			"1.2.7",
 			"101",
 			fmt.Errorf("rkt: systemd version(%v) is too old, requires at least %v", fs.version, "101"),
@@ -260,7 +242,7 @@ func TestCheckVersion(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for i, tt := range tests {
 		testCaseHint := fmt.Sprintf("test case #%d", i)
-		err := r.checkVersion(tt.minimumRktBinVersion, tt.recommendedRktBinVersion, tt.minimumAppcVersion, tt.minimumRktApiVersion, tt.minimumSystemdVersion)
+		err := r.checkVersion(tt.minimumRktBinVersion, tt.recommendedRktBinVersion, tt.minimumRktApiVersion, tt.minimumSystemdVersion)
 		assert.Equal(t, tt.err, err, testCaseHint)
 
 		if tt.calledGetInfo {
@@ -271,7 +253,6 @@ func TestCheckVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		if err == nil {
 			assert.Equal(t, fr.info.RktVersion, r.versions.binVersion.String(), testCaseHint)
-			assert.Equal(t, fr.info.AppcVersion, r.versions.appcVersion.String(), testCaseHint)
 			assert.Equal(t, fr.info.ApiVersion, r.versions.apiVersion.String(), testCaseHint)
 		}
 		fr.CleanCalls()
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/rkt/version.go b/pkg/kubelet/rkt/version.go
index 32b66b29bcd..9144cf2ff33 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/rkt/version.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/rkt/version.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ type versions struct {
 	sync.RWMutex
 	binVersion     rktVersion
 	apiVersion     rktVersion
-	appcVersion    rktVersion
 	systemdVersion systemdVersion
 }
 
@@ -87,12 +86,6 @@ func (r *Runtime) getVersions() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// Get Appc version.
-	r.versions.appcVersion, err = newRktVersion(resp.Info.AppcVersion)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	// Get rkt API version.
 	r.versions.apiVersion, err = newRktVersion(resp.Info.ApiVersion)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -103,7 +96,7 @@ func (r *Runtime) getVersions() error {
 
 // checkVersion tests whether the rkt/systemd/rkt-api-service that meet the version requirement.
 // If all version requirements are met, it returns nil.
-func (r *Runtime) checkVersion(minimumRktBinVersion, recommendedRktBinVersion, minimumAppcVersion, minimumRktApiVersion, minimumSystemdVersion string) error {
+func (r *Runtime) checkVersion(minimumRktBinVersion, recommendedRktBinVersion, minimumRktApiVersion, minimumSystemdVersion string) error {
 	if err := r.getVersions(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -137,15 +130,6 @@ func (r *Runtime) checkVersion(minimumRktBinVersion, recommendedRktBinVersion, m
 		glog.Warningf("rkt: current binary version %q is not recommended (recommended version %q)", r.versions.binVersion, recommendedRktBinVersion)
 	}
 
-	// Check Appc version.
-	result, err = r.versions.appcVersion.Compare(minimumAppcVersion)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if result < 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("rkt: appc version is too old(%v), requires at least %v", r.versions.appcVersion, minimumAppcVersion)
-	}
-
 	// Check rkt API version.
 	result, err = r.versions.apiVersion.Compare(minimumRktApiVersion)
 	if err != nil {