diff --git a/cluster/gce/gci/configure.sh b/cluster/gce/gci/configure.sh
index 374d4fb2dc4..5368cc14835 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/gci/configure.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/gci/configure.sh
@@ -490,7 +490,10 @@ function install-containerd-ubuntu {
   # Override to latest versions of containerd and runc
   systemctl stop containerd
   if [[ ! -z "${UBUNTU_INSTALL_CONTAINERD_VERSION:-}" ]]; then
-    curl -fsSL "https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/download/${UBUNTU_INSTALL_CONTAINERD_VERSION}/containerd-${UBUNTU_INSTALL_CONTAINERD_VERSION:1}.linux-amd64.tar.gz" | tar --overwrite -xzv -C /usr/
+    # containerd versions have slightly different url(s), so try both
+    ( curl -fsSL "https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/download/${UBUNTU_INSTALL_CONTAINERD_VERSION}/containerd-${UBUNTU_INSTALL_CONTAINERD_VERSION:1}-linux-amd64.tar.gz" || \
+      curl -fsSL "https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/download/${UBUNTU_INSTALL_CONTAINERD_VERSION}/containerd-${UBUNTU_INSTALL_CONTAINERD_VERSION:1}.linux-amd64.tar.gz" ) \
+    | tar --overwrite -xzv -C /usr/
   fi
   if [[ ! -z "${UBUNTU_INSTALL_RUNC_VERSION:-}" ]]; then
     curl -fsSL "https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/releases/download/${UBUNTU_INSTALL_RUNC_VERSION}/runc.amd64" --output /usr/sbin/runc && chmod 755 /usr/sbin/runc