diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index 271cb24da27..a8b2e6c7b9a 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -2026,11 +2026,6 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) LatestLoopEntryTime() time.Time {
 	return val.(time.Time)
 }
 
-// PLEGHealthCheck returns whether the PLEG is healthy.
-func (kl *Kubelet) PLEGHealthCheck() (bool, error) {
-	return kl.pleg.Healthy()
-}
-
 // updateRuntimeUp calls the container runtime status callback, initializing
 // the runtime dependent modules when the container runtime first comes up,
 // and returns an error if the status check fails.  If the status check is OK,
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/pleg/generic.go b/pkg/kubelet/pleg/generic.go
index 8e00bd83deb..3215b14edd4 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/pleg/generic.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/pleg/generic.go
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ const (
 	plegContainerExited      plegContainerState = "exited"
 	plegContainerUnknown     plegContainerState = "unknown"
 	plegContainerNonExistent plegContainerState = "non-existent"
+
+	// The threshold needs to be greater than the relisting period + the
+	// relisting time, which can vary significantly. Set a conservative
+	// threshold to avoid flipping between healthy and unhealthy.
+	relistThreshold = 3 * time.Minute
 )
 
 func convertState(state kubecontainer.ContainerState) plegContainerState {
@@ -126,13 +131,9 @@ func (g *GenericPLEG) Start() {
 
 func (g *GenericPLEG) Healthy() (bool, error) {
 	relistTime := g.getRelistTime()
-	// TODO: Evaluate if we can reduce this threshold.
-	// The threshold needs to be greater than the relisting period + the
-	// relisting time, which can vary significantly. Set a conservative
-	// threshold so that we don't cause kubelet to be restarted unnecessarily.
-	threshold := 2 * time.Minute
-	if g.clock.Since(relistTime) > threshold {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("pleg was last seen active at %v", relistTime)
+	elapsed := g.clock.Since(relistTime)
+	if elapsed > relistThreshold {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("pleg was last seen active %v ago; threshold is %v", elapsed, relistThreshold)
 	}
 	return true, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/runtime.go b/pkg/kubelet/runtime.go
index 6cb74fe364c..445b4cf4ebb 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/runtime.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/runtime.go
@@ -30,6 +30,22 @@ type runtimeState struct {
 	internalError            error
 	cidr                     string
 	initError                error
+	healthChecks             []*healthCheck
+}
+
+// A health check function should be efficient and not rely on external
+// components (e.g., container runtime).
+type healthCheckFnType func() (bool, error)
+
+type healthCheck struct {
+	name string
+	fn   healthCheckFnType
+}
+
+func (s *runtimeState) addHealthCheck(name string, f healthCheckFnType) {
+	s.Lock()
+	defer s.Unlock()
+	s.healthChecks = append(s.healthChecks, &healthCheck{name: name, fn: f})
 }
 
 func (s *runtimeState) setRuntimeSync(t time.Time) {
@@ -81,6 +97,12 @@ func (s *runtimeState) runtimeErrors() []string {
 	if s.internalError != nil {
 		ret = append(ret, s.internalError.Error())
 	}
+	for _, hc := range s.healthChecks {
+		if ok, err := hc.fn(); !ok {
+			ret = append(ret, fmt.Sprintf("%s is not healthy: %v", hc.name, err))
+		}
+	}
+
 	return ret
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/server/server.go b/pkg/kubelet/server/server.go
index 9b39ddff0b9..50532875c9a 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/server/server.go
@@ -182,7 +182,6 @@ type HostInterface interface {
 	ImagesFsInfo() (cadvisorapiv2.FsInfo, error)
 	RootFsInfo() (cadvisorapiv2.FsInfo, error)
 	ListVolumesForPod(podUID types.UID) (map[string]volume.Volume, bool)
-	PLEGHealthCheck() (bool, error)
 	GetExec(podFullName string, podUID types.UID, containerName string, cmd []string, streamOpts remotecommand.Options) (*url.URL, error)
 	GetAttach(podFullName string, podUID types.UID, containerName string, streamOpts remotecommand.Options) (*url.URL, error)
 	GetPortForward(podName, podNamespace string, podUID types.UID) (*url.URL, error)
@@ -257,7 +256,6 @@ func (s *Server) InstallDefaultHandlers() {
 	healthz.InstallHandler(s.restfulCont,
 		healthz.PingHealthz,
 		healthz.NamedCheck("syncloop", s.syncLoopHealthCheck),
-		healthz.NamedCheck("pleg", s.plegHealthCheck),
 	)
 	var ws *restful.WebService
 	ws = new(restful.WebService)
@@ -417,14 +415,6 @@ func (s *Server) syncLoopHealthCheck(req *http.Request) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Checks if pleg, which lists pods periodically, is healthy.
-func (s *Server) plegHealthCheck(req *http.Request) error {
-	if ok, err := s.host.PLEGHealthCheck(); !ok {
-		return fmt.Errorf("PLEG took longer than expected: %v", err)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // getContainerLogs handles containerLogs request against the Kubelet
 func (s *Server) getContainerLogs(request *restful.Request, response *restful.Response) {
 	podNamespace := request.PathParameter("podNamespace")
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/server/server_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/server/server_test.go
index 792c1d660fa..452bd59712e 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/server/server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/server/server_test.go
@@ -159,8 +159,6 @@ func (fk *fakeKubelet) StreamingConnectionIdleTimeout() time.Duration {
 	return fk.streamingConnectionIdleTimeoutFunc()
 }
 
-func (fk *fakeKubelet) PLEGHealthCheck() (bool, error) { return fk.plegHealth, nil }
-
 // Unused functions
 func (_ *fakeKubelet) GetContainerInfoV2(_ string, _ cadvisorapiv2.RequestOptions) (map[string]cadvisorapiv2.ContainerInfo, error) {
 	return nil, nil
@@ -869,18 +867,6 @@ func TestSyncLoopCheck(t *testing.T) {
 	assertHealthFails(t, fw.testHTTPServer.URL+"/healthz", http.StatusInternalServerError)
 }
 
-func TestPLEGHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
-	fw := newServerTest()
-	defer fw.testHTTPServer.Close()
-	fw.fakeKubelet.hostnameFunc = func() string {
-		return "127.0.0.1"
-	}
-
-	// Test with failed pleg health check.
-	fw.fakeKubelet.plegHealth = false
-	assertHealthFails(t, fw.testHTTPServer.URL+"/healthz", http.StatusInternalServerError)
-}
-
 // returns http response status code from the HTTP GET
 func assertHealthIsOk(t *testing.T, httpURL string) {
 	resp, err := http.Get(httpURL)