diff --git a/contrib/init/systemd/environ/kubelet b/contrib/init/systemd/environ/kubelet
index f4d0da2bc5c..303850be496 100644
--- a/contrib/init/systemd/environ/kubelet
+++ b/contrib/init/systemd/environ/kubelet
@@ -10,5 +10,8 @@ KUBELET_PORT="--port=10250"
 # You may leave this blank to use the actual hostname
 KUBELET_HOSTNAME="--hostname_override=127.0.0.1"
 
+# location of the api-server
+KUBELET_API_SERVER="--api_server=127.0.0.1:8080"
+
 # Add your own!
 KUBELET_ARGS=""
diff --git a/contrib/init/systemd/kubelet.service b/contrib/init/systemd/kubelet.service
index 9c43f50ef1c..112dbe6dc1f 100644
--- a/contrib/init/systemd/kubelet.service
+++ b/contrib/init/systemd/kubelet.service
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ EnvironmentFile=-/etc/kubernetes/kubelet
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/kubelet \
 	    $KUBE_LOGTOSTDERR \
 	    $KUBE_LOG_LEVEL \
-	    $KUBE_ETCD_SERVERS \
+	    $KUBELET_API_SERVER \
 	    $KUBELET_ADDRESS \
 	    $KUBELET_PORT \
 	    $KUBELET_HOSTNAME \
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/server/server.go b/pkg/kubelet/server/server.go
index 727b003b950..25307df26aa 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/server/server.go
@@ -165,7 +165,9 @@ func (s *KubeletServer) Run(_ []string) error {
 	//
 	// TODO(erictune): convert all cloud provider scripts and Google Container Engine to
 	// use only --api_servers, then delete --etcd_servers flag and the resulting dead code.
-	if len(s.EtcdServerList) > 0 && len(s.APIServerList) > 0 {
+	if len(s.APIServerList) == 0 {
+		glog.Fatalf("--api_server is required.")
+	} else if len(s.EtcdServerList) >0 {
 		glog.Infof("Both --etcd_servers and --api_servers are set.  Not using etcd source.")
 		s.EtcdServerList = util.StringList{}
 	}