diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
index 6fa4e4be4f4..c12f136ffce 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ MASTER_DISK_TYPE=pd-ssd
 MASTER_DISK_SIZE=${MASTER_DISK_SIZE:-20GB}
 MINION_DISK_TYPE=pd-standard
 MINION_DISK_SIZE=${MINION_DISK_SIZE:-100GB}
-REGISTER_MASTER_KUBELET=${REGISTER_MASTER:-true}
+REGISTER_MASTER_KUBELET=${REGISTER_MASTER:-false}
 PREEMPTIBLE_MINION=${PREEMPTIBLE_MINION:-false}
 
 OS_DISTRIBUTION=${KUBE_OS_DISTRIBUTION:-debian}