diff --git a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
index 2cc370372e7..d91d7a47f1b 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function safe-format-and-mount() {
   # Format only if the disk is not already formatted.
   if ! tune2fs -l "${device}" ; then
     echo "Formatting '${device}'"
-    mkfs.ext4 -F -E lazy_itable_init=0,lazy_journal_init=0,discard "${device}"
+    mkfs.ext4 -F "${device}"
   fi
 
   mkdir -p "${mountpoint}"
diff --git a/cluster/saltbase/salt/helpers/safe_format_and_mount b/cluster/saltbase/salt/helpers/safe_format_and_mount
index 90be230ad28..53cfe6cc815 100644
--- a/cluster/saltbase/salt/helpers/safe_format_and_mount
+++ b/cluster/saltbase/salt/helpers/safe_format_and_mount
@@ -22,12 +22,9 @@
 
 FSCK=fsck.ext4
 MOUNT_OPTIONS="discard,defaults"
-MKFS="mkfs.ext4 -E lazy_itable_init=0,lazy_journal_init=0 -F"
+MKFS="mkfs.ext4 -F"
 if [ -e /etc/redhat-release ]; then
-    if grep -q '6\..' /etc/redhat-release; then
-      # lazy_journal_init is not recognized in redhat 6
-      MKFS="mkfs.ext4 -E lazy_itable_init=0 -F"
-    elif grep -q '7\..' /etc/redhat-release; then
+    if grep -q '7\..' /etc/redhat-release; then
       FSCK=fsck.xfs
       MKFS=mkfs.xfs
     fi
diff --git a/pkg/util/mount/mount_linux.go b/pkg/util/mount/mount_linux.go
index 4cd7103ae53..69f756d1ca8 100644
--- a/pkg/util/mount/mount_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/util/mount/mount_linux.go
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ func (mounter *SafeFormatAndMount) formatAndMount(source string, target string,
 				fstype = "ext4"
 			}
 			if fstype == "ext4" || fstype == "ext3" {
-				args = []string{"-E", "lazy_itable_init=0,lazy_journal_init=0", "-F", source}
+				args = []string{"-F", source}
 			}
 			glog.Infof("Disk %q appears to be unformatted, attempting to format as type: %q with options: %v", source, fstype, args)
 			cmd := mounter.Runner.Command("mkfs."+fstype, args...)
diff --git a/pkg/util/mount/safe_format_and_mount_test.go b/pkg/util/mount/safe_format_and_mount_test.go
index 8ce48335d4c..a6669080e34 100644
--- a/pkg/util/mount/safe_format_and_mount_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/mount/safe_format_and_mount_test.go
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func TestSafeFormatAndMount(t *testing.T) {
 			execScripts: []ExecArgs{
 				{"fsck", []string{"-a", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
 				{"lsblk", []string{"-nd", "-o", "FSTYPE", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
-				{"mkfs.ext4", []string{"-E", "lazy_itable_init=0,lazy_journal_init=0", "-F", "/dev/foo"}, "", fmt.Errorf("formatting failed")},
+				{"mkfs.ext4", []string{"-F", "/dev/foo"}, "", fmt.Errorf("formatting failed")},
 			},
 			expectedError: fmt.Errorf("formatting failed"),
 		},
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func TestSafeFormatAndMount(t *testing.T) {
 			execScripts: []ExecArgs{
 				{"fsck", []string{"-a", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
 				{"lsblk", []string{"-nd", "-o", "FSTYPE", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
-				{"mkfs.ext4", []string{"-E", "lazy_itable_init=0,lazy_journal_init=0", "-F", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
+				{"mkfs.ext4", []string{"-F", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
 			},
 			expectedError: fmt.Errorf("Still cannot mount"),
 		},
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func TestSafeFormatAndMount(t *testing.T) {
 			execScripts: []ExecArgs{
 				{"fsck", []string{"-a", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
 				{"lsblk", []string{"-nd", "-o", "FSTYPE", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
-				{"mkfs.ext4", []string{"-E", "lazy_itable_init=0,lazy_journal_init=0", "-F", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
+				{"mkfs.ext4", []string{"-F", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
 			},
 			expectedError: nil,
 		},
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func TestSafeFormatAndMount(t *testing.T) {
 			execScripts: []ExecArgs{
 				{"fsck", []string{"-a", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
 				{"lsblk", []string{"-nd", "-o", "FSTYPE", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
-				{"mkfs.ext3", []string{"-E", "lazy_itable_init=0,lazy_journal_init=0", "-F", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
+				{"mkfs.ext3", []string{"-F", "/dev/foo"}, "", nil},
 			},
 			expectedError: nil,
 		},
diff --git a/test/kubemark/resources/start-kubemark-master.sh b/test/kubemark/resources/start-kubemark-master.sh
index 3c97eb3dfcb..5ea66d96564 100644
--- a/test/kubemark/resources/start-kubemark-master.sh
+++ b/test/kubemark/resources/start-kubemark-master.sh
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ function safe-format-and-mount() {
 	# Format only if the disk is not already formatted.
 	if ! tune2fs -l "${device}" ; then
 		echo "Formatting '${device}'"
-		mkfs.ext4 -F -E lazy_itable_init=0,lazy_journal_init=0,discard "${device}"
+		mkfs.ext4 -F "${device}"
 	fi
 
 	mkdir -p "${mountpoint}"