diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
index 8b8016a97dd..444b34a8aa7 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
@@ -490,6 +490,9 @@ KUBE_PROXY_DAEMONSET="${KUBE_PROXY_DAEMONSET:-false}" # true, false
 # as an addon daemonset.
 KUBE_PROXY_DISABLE="${KUBE_PROXY_DISABLE:-false}" # true, false
 
+# Will be passed into the kube-proxy via `--detect-local-mode`
+DETECT_LOCAL_MODE="${DETECT_LOCAL_MODE:-}"
+
 # Optional: duration of cluster signed certificates.
 CLUSTER_SIGNING_DURATION="${CLUSTER_SIGNING_DURATION:-}"
 
diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
index f2566269b1c..37a97148ac3 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
@@ -535,6 +535,9 @@ KUBE_PROXY_DISABLE="${KUBE_PROXY_DISABLE:-false}" # true, false
 # Optional: Change the kube-proxy implementation. Choices are [iptables, ipvs].
 KUBE_PROXY_MODE=${KUBE_PROXY_MODE:-iptables}
 
+# Will be passed into the kube-proxy via `--detect-local-mode`
+DETECT_LOCAL_MODE="${DETECT_LOCAL_MODE:-NodeCIDR}"
+
 # Optional: duration of cluster signed certificates.
 CLUSTER_SIGNING_DURATION=${CLUSTER_SIGNING_DURATION:-}
 
diff --git a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
index 1a64c81ab06..b829d65db5f 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
@@ -1657,6 +1657,9 @@ function prepare-kube-proxy-manifest-variables {
   if [[ -n "${KUBEPROXY_TEST_ARGS:-}" ]]; then
     params+=" ${KUBEPROXY_TEST_ARGS}"
   fi
+  if [[ -n "${DETECT_LOCAL_MODE:-}" ]]; then
+    params+=" --detect-local-mode=${DETECT_LOCAL_MODE}"
+  fi
   local container_env=""
   local kube_cache_mutation_detector_env_name=""
   local kube_cache_mutation_detector_env_value=""
diff --git a/cluster/gce/util.sh b/cluster/gce/util.sh
index f9ec0b40f2f..5e0bfa4ff58 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/util.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/util.sh
@@ -1159,6 +1159,7 @@ ENABLE_DNS_HORIZONTAL_AUTOSCALER: $(yaml-quote "${ENABLE_DNS_HORIZONTAL_AUTOSCAL
 KUBE_PROXY_DAEMONSET: $(yaml-quote "${KUBE_PROXY_DAEMONSET:-false}")
 KUBE_PROXY_TOKEN: $(yaml-quote "${KUBE_PROXY_TOKEN:-}")
 KUBE_PROXY_MODE: $(yaml-quote "${KUBE_PROXY_MODE:-iptables}")
+DETECT_LOCAL_MODE: $(yaml-quote "${DETECT_LOCAL_MODE:-}")
 NODE_PROBLEM_DETECTOR_TOKEN: $(yaml-quote "${NODE_PROBLEM_DETECTOR_TOKEN:-}")
 ADMISSION_CONTROL: $(yaml-quote "${ADMISSION_CONTROL:-}")
 ENABLE_POD_SECURITY_POLICY: $(yaml-quote "${ENABLE_POD_SECURITY_POLICY:-}")