diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
index b339684b73d..045c590382f 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
@@ -518,8 +518,16 @@ WINDOWS_NODE_TAINTS="${WINDOWS_NODE_TAINTS:-node.kubernetes.io/os=win1809:NoSche
 export GCE_PRIVATE_CLUSTER="${KUBE_GCE_PRIVATE_CLUSTER:-false}"
 export GCE_PRIVATE_CLUSTER_PORTS_PER_VM="${KUBE_GCE_PRIVATE_CLUSTER_PORTS_PER_VM:-}"
 
-# Optional: Create apiserver konnectivity server and agent.
-export ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE="${KUBE_ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}"
+# When KUBE_ENABLE_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE is enabled, the two variables below will
+# will default to true to enable the konnectivity network proxy and start the required pods.
+# Their values can be overridden for more granular control of the proxy.
+
+# Optional: Whether to use konnectivity network proxy for all egress from apiserver.
+export EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE="${KUBE_ENABLE_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}"
+# Optional: Whether to start the konnectivity server and agent pods.
+export RUN_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PODS="${KUBE_ENABLE_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}"
+# Proxy Protocol Mode determines the protocol to use to communicate between apiserver and network proxy.
+# Valid options are grpc and http-connect. Default is grpc.
 export KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PROXY_PROTOCOL_MODE="${KUBE_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PROXY_PROTOCOL_MODE:-grpc}"
 
 # Optional: Enable Windows CSI-Proxy
diff --git a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
index 02bc98c357c..a389e4e3932 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
@@ -922,7 +922,7 @@ contexts:
   name: webhook
 EOF
   fi
-  if [[ "${ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
+  if [[ "${EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
     if [[ "${KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PROXY_PROTOCOL_MODE:-grpc}" == 'grpc' ]]; then
       cat <<EOF >/etc/srv/kubernetes/egress_selector_configuration.yaml
 apiVersion: apiserver.k8s.io/v1beta1
@@ -2599,7 +2599,7 @@ EOF
       setup-node-termination-handler-manifest ''
   fi
   # Setting up the konnectivity-agent daemonset
-  if [[ "${ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
+  if [[ "${RUN_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PODS:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
     setup-addon-manifests "addons" "konnectivity-agent"
     setup-konnectivity-agent-manifest
   fi
@@ -3028,7 +3028,7 @@ function main() {
   if [[ "${ENABLE_APISERVER_INSECURE_PORT:-false}" != "true" ]]; then
     KUBE_BOOTSTRAP_TOKEN="$(secure_random 32)"
   fi
-  if [[ "${ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
+  if [[ "${EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
     KONNECTIVITY_SERVER_TOKEN="$(secure_random 32)"
   fi
   if [[ "${ENABLE_MONITORING_TOKEN:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
@@ -3089,7 +3089,7 @@ function main() {
     fi
     source ${KUBE_BIN}/configure-kubeapiserver.sh
     start-kube-apiserver
-    if [[ "${ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
+    if [[ "${RUN_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PODS:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
       start-konnectivity-server
     fi
     start-kube-controller-manager
diff --git a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-kubeapiserver.sh b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-kubeapiserver.sh
index fa88954beaf..9aae5e71e93 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-kubeapiserver.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-kubeapiserver.sh
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ function start-kube-apiserver {
   local csc_config_volume=""
   local default_konnectivity_socket_vol=""
   local default_konnectivity_socket_mnt=""
-  if [[ "${ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
+  if [[ "${EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
     # Create the EgressSelectorConfiguration yaml file to control the Egress Selector.
     csc_config_mount="{\"name\": \"cscconfigmount\",\"mountPath\": \"/etc/srv/kubernetes/egress_selector_configuration.yaml\", \"readOnly\": false},"
     csc_config_volume="{\"name\": \"cscconfigmount\",\"hostPath\": {\"path\": \"/etc/srv/kubernetes/egress_selector_configuration.yaml\", \"type\": \"FileOrCreate\"}},"
diff --git a/cluster/gce/util.sh b/cluster/gce/util.sh
index 669d50ac480..bd4b314bb0e 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/util.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/util.sh
@@ -1506,9 +1506,14 @@ EOF
 MAX_PODS_PER_NODE: $(yaml-quote "${MAX_PODS_PER_NODE}")
 EOF
   fi
-  if [[ "${ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
-      cat >>"$file" <<EOF
-ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE: $(yaml-quote "${ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE}")
+  if [[ "${EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
+      cat >>$file <<EOF
+EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE: $(yaml-quote "${EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE}")
+EOF
+  fi
+  if [[ "${RUN_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PODS:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
+      cat >>$file <<EOF
+RUN_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PODS: $(yaml-quote "${RUN_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PODS}"")
 EOF
   fi
   if [[ -n "${KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE_PROXY_PROTOCOL_MODE:-}" ]]; then
@@ -2573,7 +2578,7 @@ function create-master() {
     --allow tcp:443 &
 
   echo "Configuring firewall for apiserver konnectivity server"
-  if [[ "${ENABLE_EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
+  if [[ "${EGRESS_VIA_KONNECTIVITY_SERVICE:-false}" == "true" ]]; then
     gcloud compute firewall-rules create "${MASTER_NAME}-konnectivity-server" \
       --project "${NETWORK_PROJECT}" \
       --network "${NETWORK}" \