diff --git a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
index 515bb2d22ee..9ab7b1df333 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
@@ -1207,7 +1207,15 @@ function prepare-kube-proxy-manifest-variables {
     params+=" --feature-gates=${FEATURE_GATES}"
   fi
   if [[ "${KUBE_PROXY_MODE:-}" == "ipvs" ]];then
-    params+=" --proxy-mode=ipvs --feature-gates=SupportIPVSProxyMode=true"
+    sudo modprobe -a ip_vs ip_vs_rr ip_vs_wrr ip_vs_sh nf_conntrack_ipv4
+    if [[ $? -eq 0 ]];
+    then
+      params+=" --proxy-mode=ipvs"
+    else
+      # If IPVS modules are not present, make sure the node does not come up as
+      # healthy.
+      exit 1
+    fi
   fi
   params+=" --iptables-sync-period=1m --iptables-min-sync-period=10s --ipvs-sync-period=1m --ipvs-min-sync-period=10s"
   if [[ -n "${KUBEPROXY_TEST_ARGS:-}" ]]; then