diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go
index 3948129c578..8620c9fcb73 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go
@@ -415,6 +415,9 @@ func NewCacherFromConfig(config Config) (*Cacher, error) {
 	// We don't want to terminate all watchers as recreating all watchers puts high load on api-server.
 	// In most of the cases, leader is reelected within few cycles.
 	reflector.MaxInternalErrorRetryDuration = time.Second * 30
+	// since the watch-list is provided by the watch cache instruct
+	// the reflector to issue a regular LIST against the store
+	reflector.UseWatchList = false
 
 	cacher.watchCache = watchCache
 	cacher.reflector = reflector
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/controller.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/controller.go
index 466a708e9a6..eaed229569d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/controller.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/controller.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package cache
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"os"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -147,6 +148,9 @@ func (c *controller) Run(stopCh <-chan struct{}) {
 	if c.config.WatchErrorHandler != nil {
 		r.watchErrorHandler = c.config.WatchErrorHandler
 	}
+	if s := os.Getenv("ENABLE_CLIENT_GO_WATCH_LIST_ALPHA"); len(s) > 0 {
+		r.UseWatchList = true
+	}
 
 	c.reflectorMutex.Lock()
 	c.reflector = r