diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/upgrade/diff.go b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/upgrade/diff.go
index 56940713b64..be62ed6509b 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/upgrade/diff.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/upgrade/diff.go
@@ -57,8 +57,11 @@ type diffFlags struct {
 // newCmdDiff returns the cobra command for `kubeadm upgrade diff`
 func newCmdDiff(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	flags := &diffFlags{
-		kubeConfigPath: constants.GetAdminKubeConfigPath(),
-		out:            out,
+		kubeConfigPath:                constants.GetAdminKubeConfigPath(),
+		out:                           out,
+		apiServerManifestPath:         constants.GetStaticPodFilepath(constants.KubeAPIServer, constants.GetStaticPodDirectory()),
+		controllerManagerManifestPath: constants.GetStaticPodFilepath(constants.KubeControllerManager, constants.GetStaticPodDirectory()),
+		schedulerManifestPath:         constants.GetStaticPodFilepath(constants.KubeScheduler, constants.GetStaticPodDirectory()),
 	}
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
@@ -88,9 +91,6 @@ func newCmdDiff(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 
 func validateManifestsPath(manifests ...string) (err error) {
 	for _, manifestPath := range manifests {
-		if len(manifestPath) == 0 {
-			return errors.New("empty manifest path")
-		}
 		s, err := os.Stat(manifestPath)
 		if err != nil {
 			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/upgrade/diff_test.go b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/upgrade/diff_test.go
index 8d7d858a69b..65d4e6b5c2a 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/upgrade/diff_test.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/upgrade/diff_test.go
@@ -113,13 +113,6 @@ diff:
 			cfgPath:       "missing-path-to-a-config",
 			expectedError: true,
 		},
-		{
-			name:            "invalid: valid config but empty manifest path",
-			cfgPath:         testUpgradeDiffConfig,
-			setManifestPath: true,
-			manifestPath:    "",
-			expectedError:   true,
-		},
 		{
 			name:            "invalid: valid config but bad manifest path",
 			cfgPath:         testUpgradeDiffConfig,