diff --git a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/calico-node-daemonset.yaml b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/calico-node-daemonset.yaml
index 63a1e9182e0..27a2ece72fb 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/calico-node-daemonset.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/calico-node-daemonset.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-node-critical
       nodeSelector:
         projectcalico.org/ds-ready: "true"
       hostNetwork: true
diff --git a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/calico-node-vertical-autoscaler-deployment.yaml b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/calico-node-vertical-autoscaler-deployment.yaml
index 50ffcab83d9..c7919269216 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/calico-node-vertical-autoscaler-deployment.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/calico-node-vertical-autoscaler-deployment.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - image: k8s.gcr.io/cpvpa-amd64:v0.6.0
           name: autoscaler
diff --git a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-deployment.yaml b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-deployment.yaml
index 955844aaa8a..f4c9ba82fc1 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-deployment.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-deployment.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       tolerations:
       - key: CriticalAddonsOnly
         operator: Exists
diff --git a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-horizontal-autoscaler-deployment.yaml b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-horizontal-autoscaler-deployment.yaml
index b338df79df0..7d0b553d77f 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-horizontal-autoscaler-deployment.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-horizontal-autoscaler-deployment.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - image: k8s.gcr.io/cluster-proportional-autoscaler-amd64:1.1.2
           name: autoscaler
diff --git a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-vertical-autoscaler-deployment.yaml b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-vertical-autoscaler-deployment.yaml
index 4f559626855..05489182704 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-vertical-autoscaler-deployment.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/calico-policy-controller/typha-vertical-autoscaler-deployment.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - image: k8s.gcr.io/cpvpa-amd64:v0.6.0
           name: autoscaler
diff --git a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/google/heapster-controller.yaml b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/google/heapster-controller.yaml
index e5c512d4f5d..3ca44cfde4d 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/google/heapster-controller.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/google/heapster-controller.yaml
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - image: k8s.gcr.io/heapster-amd64:v1.5.0
           name: heapster
diff --git a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/googleinfluxdb/heapster-controller-combined.yaml b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/googleinfluxdb/heapster-controller-combined.yaml
index 384ec060d2b..c4d3b6c3f90 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/googleinfluxdb/heapster-controller-combined.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/googleinfluxdb/heapster-controller-combined.yaml
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - image: k8s.gcr.io/heapster-amd64:v1.5.0
           name: heapster
diff --git a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/influxdb/heapster-controller.yaml b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/influxdb/heapster-controller.yaml
index 6ed433f417c..e54c72b28b2 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/influxdb/heapster-controller.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/influxdb/heapster-controller.yaml
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - image: k8s.gcr.io/heapster-amd64:v1.5.0
           name: heapster
diff --git a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/influxdb/influxdb-grafana-controller.yaml b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/influxdb/influxdb-grafana-controller.yaml
index 7c78ed2c49c..1c447b21cb3 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/influxdb/influxdb-grafana-controller.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/influxdb/influxdb-grafana-controller.yaml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       tolerations:
       - key: node-role.kubernetes.io/master
         effect: NoSchedule
diff --git a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/stackdriver/heapster-controller.yaml b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/stackdriver/heapster-controller.yaml
index f4943654d75..f1564204300 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/stackdriver/heapster-controller.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/stackdriver/heapster-controller.yaml
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - image: k8s.gcr.io/heapster-amd64:v1.5.0
           name: heapster
diff --git a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/standalone/heapster-controller.yaml b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/standalone/heapster-controller.yaml
index c3f9f8ce61b..de869df5444 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/standalone/heapster-controller.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/cluster-monitoring/standalone/heapster-controller.yaml
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - image: k8s.gcr.io/heapster-amd64:v1.5.0
           name: heapster
diff --git a/cluster/addons/dashboard/dashboard-controller.yaml b/cluster/addons/dashboard/dashboard-controller.yaml
index 5a2377620b0..c8869917c97 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/dashboard/dashboard-controller.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/dashboard/dashboard-controller.yaml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
       - name: kubernetes-dashboard
         image: k8s.gcr.io/kubernetes-dashboard-amd64:v1.8.0
diff --git a/cluster/addons/dns-horizontal-autoscaler/dns-horizontal-autoscaler.yaml b/cluster/addons/dns-horizontal-autoscaler/dns-horizontal-autoscaler.yaml
index dc638e44dc8..3dc0f7959c9 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/dns-horizontal-autoscaler/dns-horizontal-autoscaler.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/dns-horizontal-autoscaler/dns-horizontal-autoscaler.yaml
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
       - name: autoscaler
         image: k8s.gcr.io/cluster-proportional-autoscaler-amd64:1.1.2-r2
diff --git a/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.base b/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.base
index ffd13ed47b1..e68ec81f8dd 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.base
+++ b/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.base
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       tolerations:
       - key: "CriticalAddonsOnly"
         operator: "Exists"
diff --git a/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.in b/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.in
index c3698a4877d..1cbaed20d19 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.in
+++ b/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.in
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       tolerations:
       - key: "CriticalAddonsOnly"
         operator: "Exists"
diff --git a/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.sed b/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.sed
index 3d44112eba5..9d34fe4e444 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.sed
+++ b/cluster/addons/dns/kube-dns.yaml.sed
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       tolerations:
       - key: "CriticalAddonsOnly"
         operator: "Exists"
diff --git a/cluster/addons/etcd-empty-dir-cleanup/etcd-empty-dir-cleanup.yaml b/cluster/addons/etcd-empty-dir-cleanup/etcd-empty-dir-cleanup.yaml
index dd14bdc9bdf..b4d33a19666 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/etcd-empty-dir-cleanup/etcd-empty-dir-cleanup.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/etcd-empty-dir-cleanup/etcd-empty-dir-cleanup.yaml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ metadata:
   labels:
     k8s-app: etcd-empty-dir-cleanup
 spec:
+  priorityClassName: system-node-critical
   serviceAccountName: etcd-empty-dir-cleanup
   hostNetwork: true
   dnsPolicy: Default
diff --git a/cluster/addons/fluentd-elasticsearch/fluentd-es-ds.yaml b/cluster/addons/fluentd-elasticsearch/fluentd-es-ds.yaml
index bd2d6d25582..92222865cc7 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/fluentd-elasticsearch/fluentd-es-ds.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/fluentd-elasticsearch/fluentd-es-ds.yaml
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-node-critical
       serviceAccountName: fluentd-es
       containers:
       - name: fluentd-es
diff --git a/cluster/addons/fluentd-gcp/fluentd-gcp-ds.yaml b/cluster/addons/fluentd-gcp/fluentd-gcp-ds.yaml
index 118de635a42..415847c3f66 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/fluentd-gcp/fluentd-gcp-ds.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/fluentd-gcp/fluentd-gcp-ds.yaml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-node-critical
       serviceAccountName: fluentd-gcp
       dnsPolicy: Default
       containers:
diff --git a/cluster/addons/ip-masq-agent/ip-masq-agent.yaml b/cluster/addons/ip-masq-agent/ip-masq-agent.yaml
index c27a802cb75..19a68b6b360 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/ip-masq-agent/ip-masq-agent.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/ip-masq-agent/ip-masq-agent.yaml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-node-critical
       serviceAccountName: ip-masq-agent
       hostNetwork: true
       containers:
diff --git a/cluster/addons/metadata-proxy/gce/metadata-proxy.yaml b/cluster/addons/metadata-proxy/gce/metadata-proxy.yaml
index 22e84bb2045..99f7097784d 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/metadata-proxy/gce/metadata-proxy.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/metadata-proxy/gce/metadata-proxy.yaml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-node-critical
       serviceAccountName: metadata-proxy
       hostNetwork: true
       dnsPolicy: Default
diff --git a/cluster/addons/metrics-server/metrics-server-deployment.yaml b/cluster/addons/metrics-server/metrics-server-deployment.yaml
index b5c087b12ce..3b6e5e66ff5 100644
--- a/cluster/addons/metrics-server/metrics-server-deployment.yaml
+++ b/cluster/addons/metrics-server/metrics-server-deployment.yaml
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ spec:
       annotations:
         scheduler.alpha.kubernetes.io/critical-pod: ''
     spec:
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       serviceAccountName: metrics-server
       containers:
       - name: metrics-server