diff --git a/hack/lib/golang.sh b/hack/lib/golang.sh
index 38663df0338..fb236f93a1b 100755
--- a/hack/lib/golang.sh
+++ b/hack/lib/golang.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
 
 # The golang package that we are building.
 readonly KUBE_GO_PACKAGE=k8s.io/kubernetes
-readonly KUBE_GOPATH="${KUBE_OUTPUT}/go"
+readonly KUBE_GOPATH="${KUBE_GOPATH:-"${KUBE_OUTPUT}/go"}"
+export KUBE_GOPATH
 
 # The server platform we are building on.
 readonly KUBE_SUPPORTED_SERVER_PLATFORMS=(