diff --git a/hack/local-up-cluster.sh b/hack/local-up-cluster.sh
index 3aedfe93988..e86fbaa7c37 100755
--- a/hack/local-up-cluster.sh
+++ b/hack/local-up-cluster.sh
@@ -193,7 +193,6 @@ ENABLE_CONTROLLER_ATTACH_DETACH=${ENABLE_CONTROLLER_ATTACH_DETACH:-"true"} # cur
 # which should be able to be used as the CA to verify itself
 CERT_DIR=${CERT_DIR:-"/var/run/kubernetes"}
 ROOT_CA_FILE=${CERT_DIR}/server-ca.crt
-EXPERIMENTAL_CRI=${EXPERIMENTAL_CRI:-"false"}
 
 # name of the cgroup driver, i.e. cgroupfs or systemd
 if [[ ${CONTAINER_RUNTIME} == "docker" ]]; then
@@ -570,7 +569,6 @@ function start_kubelet {
         --v=${LOG_LEVEL} \
         --chaos-chance="${CHAOS_CHANCE}" \
         --container-runtime="${CONTAINER_RUNTIME}" \
-        --experimental-cri=${EXPERIMENTAL_CRI} \
         --rkt-path="${RKT_PATH}" \
         --rkt-stage1-image="${RKT_STAGE1_IMAGE}" \
         --hostname-override="${HOSTNAME_OVERRIDE}" \