diff --git a/staging/src/BUILD b/staging/src/BUILD
index c7ad9ec90e9..a57c071a261 100644
--- a/staging/src/BUILD
+++ b/staging/src/BUILD
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ filegroup(
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authentication/user:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizer:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory:all-srcs",
+        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/union:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/features:all-srcs",
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
index 859adaa3c36..8d45965fc2c 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -1334,6 +1334,10 @@
 			"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory",
 			"Rev": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
 		},
+		{
+			"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path",
+			"Rev": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
+		},
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/union",
 			"Rev": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory/delegating.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory/delegating.go
index 25b5aa9899d..c75c0a7552b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory/delegating.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory/delegating.go
@@ -20,9 +20,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizer"
-	authorizationclient "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/typed/authorization/v1beta1"
-
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/authorizer/webhook"
+	authorizationclient "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/typed/authorization/v1beta1"
 )
 
 // DelegatingAuthorizerConfig is the minimal configuration needed to create an authenticator
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/BUILD b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/BUILD
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4bbbe48ed7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/BUILD
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_library", "go_test")
+
+go_library(
+    name = "go_default_library",
+    srcs = [
+        "doc.go",
+        "path.go",
+    ],
+    importmap = "k8s.io/kubernetes/vendor/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path",
+    importpath = "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+    deps = [
+        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets:go_default_library",
+        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizer:go_default_library",
+    ],
+)
+
+filegroup(
+    name = "package-srcs",
+    srcs = glob(["**"]),
+    tags = ["automanaged"],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:private"],
+)
+
+filegroup(
+    name = "all-srcs",
+    srcs = [":package-srcs"],
+    tags = ["automanaged"],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
+
+go_test(
+    name = "go_default_test",
+    srcs = ["path_test.go"],
+    embed = [":go_default_library"],
+    deps = ["//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizer:go_default_library"],
+)
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/doc.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..743d945b46b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+// Package path contains an authorizer that allows certain paths and path prefixes.
+package path
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/path.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/path.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..03f524b38cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/path.go
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package path
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizer"
+)
+
+// NewAuthorizer returns an authorizer which accepts a given set of paths.
+// Each path is either a fully matching path or it ends in * in case a prefix match is done. A leading / is optional.
+func NewAuthorizer(alwaysAllowPaths []string) (authorizer.Authorizer, error) {
+	var prefixes []string
+	paths := sets.NewString()
+	for _, p := range alwaysAllowPaths {
+		p = strings.TrimPrefix(p, "/")
+		if len(p) == 0 {
+			// matches "/"
+			paths.Insert(p)
+			continue
+		}
+		if strings.ContainsRune(p[:len(p)-1], '*') {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("only trailing * allowed in %q", p)
+		}
+		if strings.HasSuffix(p, "*") {
+			prefixes = append(prefixes, p[:len(p)-1])
+		} else {
+			paths.Insert(p)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return authorizer.AuthorizerFunc(func(a authorizer.Attributes) (authorizer.Decision, string, error) {
+		if a.IsResourceRequest() {
+			return authorizer.DecisionNoOpinion, "", nil
+		}
+
+		pth := strings.TrimPrefix(a.GetPath(), "/")
+		if paths.Has(pth) {
+			return authorizer.DecisionAllow, "", nil
+		}
+
+		for _, prefix := range prefixes {
+			if strings.HasPrefix(pth, prefix) {
+				return authorizer.DecisionAllow, "", nil
+			}
+		}
+
+		return authorizer.DecisionNoOpinion, "", nil
+	}), nil
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/path_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/path_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..be48c52bc88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path/path_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package path
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizer"
+)
+
+func TestNewAuthorizer(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name                       string
+		excludedPaths              []string
+		allowed, denied, noOpinion []string
+		wantErr                    bool
+	}{
+		{"inner star", []string{"/foo*bar"}, nil, nil, nil, true},
+		{"double star", []string{"/foo**"}, nil, nil, nil, true},
+		{"empty", nil, nil, nil, []string{"/"}, false},
+		{"slash", []string{"/"}, []string{"/"}, nil, []string{"/foo", "//"}, false},
+		{"foo", []string{"/foo"}, []string{"/foo", "foo"}, nil, []string{"/", "", "/bar", "/foo/", "/fooooo", "//foo"}, false},
+		{"foo slash", []string{"/foo/"}, []string{"/foo/"}, nil, []string{"/", "", "/bar", "/foo", "/fooooo"}, false},
+		{"foo slash star", []string{"/foo/*"}, []string{"/foo/", "/foo/bar/bla"}, nil, []string{"/", "", "/foo", "/bar", "/fooooo"}, false},
+		{"foo bar", []string{"/foo", "/bar"}, []string{"/foo", "/bar"}, nil, []string{"/", "", "/foo/", "/bar/", "/fooooo"}, false},
+		{"foo star", []string{"/foo*"}, []string{"/foo", "/foooo"}, nil, []string{"/", "", "/fo", "/bar"}, false},
+		{"star", []string{"/*"}, []string{"/", "", "/foo", "/foooo"}, nil, nil, false},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			a, err := NewAuthorizer(tt.excludedPaths)
+			if err != nil && !tt.wantErr {
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+			}
+			if err == nil && tt.wantErr {
+				t.Fatalf("expected error, didn't get any")
+			}
+			if err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+
+			for _, cases := range []struct {
+				paths []string
+				want  authorizer.Decision
+			}{
+				{tt.allowed, authorizer.DecisionAllow},
+				{tt.denied, authorizer.DecisionDeny},
+				{tt.noOpinion, authorizer.DecisionNoOpinion},
+			} {
+				for _, pth := range cases.paths {
+					info := authorizer.AttributesRecord{
+						Path: pth,
+					}
+					if got, _, err := a.Authorize(info); err != nil {
+						t.Errorf("NewAuthorizer(%v).Authorize(%q) return unexpected error: %v", tt.excludedPaths, pth, err)
+					} else if got != cases.want {
+						t.Errorf("NewAuthorizer(%v).Authorize(%q) = %v, want %v", tt.excludedPaths, pth, got, cases.want)
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/BUILD b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/BUILD
index 1e3df709a5a..f646cf66f19 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/BUILD
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/BUILD
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ go_library(
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/audit:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/audit/policy:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authentication/authenticatorfactory:go_default_library",
+        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizer:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory:go_default_library",
+        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path:go_default_library",
+        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/union:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/features:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/generic:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/generic/registry:go_default_library",
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/authorization.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/authorization.go
index eadf3d1e1c5..738faa1d446 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/authorization.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options/authorization.go
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizer"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/union"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server"
 	authorizationclient "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/typed/authorization/v1beta1"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/rest"
@@ -45,6 +48,10 @@ type DelegatingAuthorizationOptions struct {
 	// DenyCacheTTL is the length of time that an unsuccessful authorization response will be cached.
 	// You generally want more responsive, "deny, try again" flows.
 	DenyCacheTTL time.Duration
+
+	// AlwaysAllowPaths are HTTP paths which are excluded from authorization. They can be plain
+	// paths or end in * in which case prefix-match is applied. A leading / is optional.
+	AlwaysAllowPaths []string
 }
 
 func NewDelegatingAuthorizationOptions() *DelegatingAuthorizationOptions {
@@ -65,9 +72,9 @@ func (s *DelegatingAuthorizationOptions) AddFlags(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	fs.StringVar(&s.RemoteKubeConfigFile, "authorization-kubeconfig", s.RemoteKubeConfigFile, ""+
+	fs.StringVar(&s.RemoteKubeConfigFile, "authorization-kubeconfig", s.RemoteKubeConfigFile,
 		"kubeconfig file pointing at the 'core' kubernetes server with enough rights to create "+
-		" subjectaccessreviews.authorization.k8s.io.")
+			" subjectaccessreviews.authorization.k8s.io.")
 
 	fs.DurationVar(&s.AllowCacheTTL, "authorization-webhook-cache-authorized-ttl",
 		s.AllowCacheTTL,
@@ -76,6 +83,10 @@ func (s *DelegatingAuthorizationOptions) AddFlags(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 	fs.DurationVar(&s.DenyCacheTTL,
 		"authorization-webhook-cache-unauthorized-ttl", s.DenyCacheTTL,
 		"The duration to cache 'unauthorized' responses from the webhook authorizer.")
+
+	fs.StringSliceVar(&s.AlwaysAllowPaths, "authorization-always-allow-paths", s.AlwaysAllowPaths,
+		"A list of HTTP paths to skip during authorization, i.e. these are authorized without "+
+			"contacting the 'core' kubernetes server.")
 }
 
 func (s *DelegatingAuthorizationOptions) ApplyTo(c *server.AuthorizationInfo) error {
@@ -84,31 +95,41 @@ func (s *DelegatingAuthorizationOptions) ApplyTo(c *server.AuthorizationInfo) er
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	cfg, err := s.ToAuthorizationConfig()
+	a, err := s.ToAuthorization()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	authorizer, err := cfg.New()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	c.Authorizer = authorizer
+	c.Authorizer = a
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (s *DelegatingAuthorizationOptions) ToAuthorizationConfig() (authorizerfactory.DelegatingAuthorizerConfig, error) {
-	sarClient, err := s.newSubjectAccessReview()
-	if err != nil {
-		return authorizerfactory.DelegatingAuthorizerConfig{}, err
+func (s *DelegatingAuthorizationOptions) ToAuthorization() (authorizer.Authorizer, error) {
+	var authorizers []authorizer.Authorizer
+
+	if len(s.AlwaysAllowPaths) > 0 {
+		a, err := path.NewAuthorizer(s.AlwaysAllowPaths)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		authorizers = append(authorizers, a)
 	}
 
-	ret := authorizerfactory.DelegatingAuthorizerConfig{
+	sarClient, err := s.newSubjectAccessReview()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	cfg := authorizerfactory.DelegatingAuthorizerConfig{
 		SubjectAccessReviewClient: sarClient,
 		AllowCacheTTL:             s.AllowCacheTTL,
 		DenyCacheTTL:              s.DenyCacheTTL,
 	}
-	return ret, nil
+	a, err := cfg.New()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	authorizers = append(authorizers, a)
+
+	return union.New(authorizers...), nil
 }
 
 func (s *DelegatingAuthorizationOptions) newSubjectAccessReview() (authorizationclient.SubjectAccessReviewInterface, error) {
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/Godeps/Godeps.json b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/Godeps/Godeps.json
index b7a6228b44d..316aff47486 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -1018,6 +1018,10 @@
 			"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory",
 			"Rev": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
 		},
+		{
+			"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path",
+			"Rev": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
+		},
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/union",
 			"Rev": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
index f278a085649..ddad64ab35e 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -990,6 +990,10 @@
 			"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/authorizerfactory",
 			"Rev": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
 		},
+		{
+			"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/path",
+			"Rev": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
+		},
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authorization/union",
 			"Rev": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"