diff --git a/test/kubemark/gce/util.sh b/test/kubemark/gce/util.sh
index 398913779c8..e6a7c9c95ab 100644
--- a/test/kubemark/gce/util.sh
+++ b/test/kubemark/gce/util.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ function run-gcloud-compute-with-retries {
   run-cmd-with-retries gcloud compute "$@"
 }
 
+function authenticate-docker {
+  echo "Configuring registry authentication"
+  mkdir -p "${HOME}/.docker"
+  gcloud beta auth configure-docker -q
+}
+
 function create-master-instance-with-resources {
   GCLOUD_COMMON_ARGS="--project ${PROJECT} --zone ${ZONE}"
 
diff --git a/test/kubemark/skeleton/util.sh b/test/kubemark/skeleton/util.sh
index d646b3d9f25..fdd0c1c2936 100644
--- a/test/kubemark/skeleton/util.sh
+++ b/test/kubemark/skeleton/util.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@
 # Kubermark must implement to use test/kubemark/start-kubemark.sh and
 # test/kubemark/stop-kubemark.sh scripts.
 
+# This function should authenticate docker to be able to read/write to
+# the right container registry (needed for pushing kubemark image).
+function authenticate-docker {
+	echo "Configuring registry authentication" 1>&2
+}
+
 # This function should create a machine instance for the master along
 # with any/all of the following resources:
 # - Attach a PD to the master (optionally 1 more for storing events)
diff --git a/test/kubemark/start-kubemark.sh b/test/kubemark/start-kubemark.sh
index 1710bbf7f4b..0c794ae37be 100755
--- a/test/kubemark/start-kubemark.sh
+++ b/test/kubemark/start-kubemark.sh
@@ -190,10 +190,7 @@ function start-master-components {
 
 # Create a docker image for hollow-node and upload it to the appropriate docker registry.
 function create-and-upload-hollow-node-image {
-  echo "Configuring registry authentication"
-  mkdir -p "${HOME}/.docker"
-  gcloud beta auth configure-docker -q
-
+  authenticate-docker
   KUBEMARK_IMAGE_REGISTRY="${KUBEMARK_IMAGE_REGISTRY:-${CONTAINER_REGISTRY}/${PROJECT}}"
   if [[ "${KUBEMARK_BAZEL_BUILD:-}" =~ ^[yY]$ ]]; then
     # Build+push the image through bazel.