diff --git a/cluster/gke/config-test.sh b/cluster/gke/config-test.sh
index c22f44d3f41..9070f44c5d0 100644
--- a/cluster/gke/config-test.sh
+++ b/cluster/gke/config-test.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 CLUSTER_NAME="${CLUSTER_NAME:-${USER}-gke-e2e}"
 NETWORK=${KUBE_GKE_NETWORK:-e2e}
 NODE_TAG="k8s-${CLUSTER_NAME}-node"
-IMAGE_TYPE="${KUBE_GKE_IMAGE_TYPE:-}"
+IMAGE_TYPE="${KUBE_GKE_IMAGE_TYPE:-container_vm}"
 
 
 # For ease of maintenance, extract any pieces that do not vary between default