diff --git a/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go b/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go
index cad9bcefa2c..bcef3ab4f0e 100644
--- a/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go
+++ b/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go
@@ -399,19 +399,10 @@ func NewProxyServer(config *componentconfig.KubeProxyConfiguration, cleanupAndEx
 	proxyMode := getProxyMode(string(config.Mode), iptInterface, iptables.LinuxKernelCompatTester{})
 	if proxyMode == proxyModeIPTables {
 		glog.V(0).Info("Using iptables Proxier.")
-		var nodeIP net.IP
-		if config.BindAddress == "0.0.0.0" || config.BindAddress == "" {
+		nodeIP := net.ParseIP(config.BindAddress)
+		if local, _ := isLocalIP(nodeIP); !local {
+			glog.V(2).Infof("bind-address %s must be local ip", config.BindAddress)
 			nodeIP = getNodeIP(client, hostname)
-		} else {
-			nodeIP = net.ParseIP(config.BindAddress)
-			if nodeIP == nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("bind-address %s must be valid ip", config.BindAddress)
-			}
-			if local, err := isLocalIP(nodeIP.String()); err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("can't determine if IP is local, assuming not: %v", err)
-			} else if !local {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("bind-address %s must be local ip", config.BindAddress)
-			}
 		}
 		if config.IPTables.MasqueradeBit == nil {
 			// MasqueradeBit must be specified or defaulted.
@@ -714,17 +705,17 @@ func getNodeIP(client clientset.Interface, hostname string) net.IP {
 	return nodeIP
 }
 
-func isLocalIP(ip string) (bool, error) {
+func isLocalIP(ip net.IP) (bool, error) {
 	addrs, err := net.InterfaceAddrs()
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
 	for i := range addrs {
-		intf, _, err := net.ParseCIDR(addrs[i].String())
+		intfIP, _, err := net.ParseCIDR(addrs[i].String())
 		if err != nil {
 			return false, err
 		}
-		if net.ParseIP(ip).Equal(intf) {
+		if ip.Equal(intfIP) {
 			return true, nil
 		}
 	}