diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
index e5a3a671fd7..ff6ac05e9bf 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
@@ -247,6 +247,10 @@ RUNTIME_CONFIG="${KUBE_RUNTIME_CONFIG:-}"
 
 if [[ "${KUBE_FEATURE_GATES:-}" == "AllAlpha=true" ]]; then
   RUNTIME_CONFIG="${KUBE_RUNTIME_CONFIG:-api/all=true}"
+fi
+
+# If feature gates includes AllAlpha or EndpointSlice, and EndpointSlice has not been disabled, add EndpointSlice controller to list of controllers to run.
+if [[ (( "${KUBE_FEATURE_GATES:-}" == *"AllAlpha=true"* ) || ( "${KUBE_FEATURE_GATES:-}" == *"EndpointSlice=true"* )) && "${KUBE_FEATURE_GATES:-}" != *"EndpointSlice=false"* ]]; then
   RUN_CONTROLLERS="${RUN_CONTROLLERS:-*,endpointslice}"
 fi
 
diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
index 6ab9a4ea9d9..56edd167a78 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
@@ -136,6 +136,10 @@ RUNTIME_CONFIG="${KUBE_RUNTIME_CONFIG:-}"
 
 if [[ "${KUBE_FEATURE_GATES:-}" == "AllAlpha=true" ]]; then
   RUNTIME_CONFIG="${KUBE_RUNTIME_CONFIG:-api/all=true}"
+fi
+
+# If feature gates includes AllAlpha or EndpointSlice, and EndpointSlice has not been disabled, add EndpointSlice controller to list of controllers to run.
+if [[ (( "${KUBE_FEATURE_GATES:-}" == *"AllAlpha=true"* ) || ( "${KUBE_FEATURE_GATES:-}" == *"EndpointSlice=true"* )) && "${KUBE_FEATURE_GATES:-}" != *"EndpointSlice=false"* ]]; then
   RUN_CONTROLLERS="${RUN_CONTROLLERS:-*,endpointslice}"
 fi