diff --git a/pkg/registry/pod/etcd/etcd_test.go b/pkg/registry/pod/etcd/etcd_test.go
index fe977a48ed7..155e60d4346 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/pod/etcd/etcd_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/pod/etcd/etcd_test.go
@@ -142,8 +142,10 @@ func TestDelete(t *testing.T) {
 	key = etcdtest.AddPrefix(key)
 	test := resttest.New(t, storage, fakeClient.SetError)
 
+	expectedNode := "some-node"
 	createFn := func() runtime.Object {
 		pod := validChangedPod()
+		pod.Spec.NodeName = expectedNode
 		fakeClient.Data[key] = tools.EtcdResponseWithError{
 			R: &etcd.Response{
 				Node: &etcd.Node{
@@ -158,8 +160,17 @@ func TestDelete(t *testing.T) {
 		if fakeClient.Data[key].R.Node == nil {
 			return false
 		}
-		return fakeClient.Data[key].R.Node.TTL == 30
+		obj, err := testapi.Codec().Decode([]byte(fakeClient.Data[key].R.Node.Value))
+		if err != nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		pod := obj.(*api.Pod)
+		t.Logf("found object %#v", pod.ObjectMeta)
+		return pod.DeletionTimestamp != nil && pod.DeletionGracePeriodSeconds != nil && *pod.DeletionGracePeriodSeconds != 0
 	}
+	test.TestDeleteGraceful(createFn, 30, gracefulSetFn)
+
+	expectedNode = ""
 	test.TestDelete(createFn, gracefulSetFn)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/registry/pod/strategy.go b/pkg/registry/pod/strategy.go
index ef10127e658..622c689bdba 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/pod/strategy.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/pod/strategy.go
@@ -81,15 +81,49 @@ func (podStrategy) ValidateUpdate(ctx api.Context, obj, old runtime.Object) fiel
 	return append(errorList, validation.ValidatePodUpdate(obj.(*api.Pod), old.(*api.Pod))...)
 }
 
+// AllowUnconditionalUpdate allows pods to be overwritten
 func (podStrategy) AllowUnconditionalUpdate() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// CheckGracefulDelete allows a pod to be gracefully deleted.
+// CheckGracefulDelete allows a pod to be gracefully deleted. It updates the DeleteOptions to
+// reflect the desired grace value.
 func (podStrategy) CheckGracefulDelete(obj runtime.Object, options *api.DeleteOptions) bool {
+	if options == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	pod := obj.(*api.Pod)
+	period := int64(0)
+	// user has specified a value
+	if options.GracePeriodSeconds != nil {
+		period = *options.GracePeriodSeconds
+	} else {
+		// use the default value if set, or deletes the pod immediately (0)
+		if pod.Spec.TerminationGracePeriodSeconds != nil {
+			period = *pod.Spec.TerminationGracePeriodSeconds
+		}
+	}
+	// if the pod is not scheduled, delete immediately
+	if len(pod.Spec.NodeName) == 0 {
+		period = 0
+	}
+	// ensure the options and the pod are in sync
+	options.GracePeriodSeconds = &period
+	return true
+}
+
+type podStrategyWithoutGraceful struct {
+	podStrategy
+}
+
+// CheckGracefulDelete prohibits graceful deletion.
+func (podStrategyWithoutGraceful) CheckGracefulDelete(obj runtime.Object, options *api.DeleteOptions) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// StrategyWithoutGraceful implements the legacy instant delele behavior.
+var StrategyWithoutGraceful = podStrategyWithoutGraceful{Strategy}
+
 type podStatusStrategy struct {
 	podStrategy
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/pods.go b/test/e2e/pods.go
index de881d1e567..4b9623d9f7b 100644
--- a/test/e2e/pods.go
+++ b/test/e2e/pods.go
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Pods", func() {
 			Fail("Timeout while waiting for pod creation")
 		}
 
-		By("deleting the pod")
+		By("deleting the pod gracefully")
 		if err := podClient.Delete(pod.Name, nil); err != nil {
 			Failf("Failed to delete pod: %v", err)
 		}
@@ -263,11 +263,13 @@ var _ = Describe("Pods", func() {
 		By("verifying pod deletion was observed")
 		deleted := false
 		timeout := false
+		var lastPod *api.Pod
 		timer := time.After(podStartTimeout)
 		for !deleted && !timeout {
 			select {
 			case event, _ := <-w.ResultChan():
 				if event.Type == watch.Deleted {
+					lastPod = event.Object.(*api.Pod)
 					deleted = true
 				}
 			case <-timer:
@@ -278,6 +280,9 @@ var _ = Describe("Pods", func() {
 			Fail("Failed to observe pod deletion")
 		}
 
+		Expect(lastPod.DeletionTimestamp).ToNot(BeNil())
+		Expect(lastPod.Spec.TerminationGracePeriodSeconds).ToNot(BeZero())
+
 		pods, err = podClient.List(labels.SelectorFromSet(labels.Set(map[string]string{"time": value})), fields.Everything())
 		if err != nil {
 			Fail(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to list pods to verify deletion: %v", err))
diff --git a/test/e2e/util.go b/test/e2e/util.go
index 1f6e96f0677..c514f4a3050 100644
--- a/test/e2e/util.go
+++ b/test/e2e/util.go
@@ -259,8 +259,9 @@ func podReady(pod *api.Pod) bool {
 // logPodStates logs basic info of provided pods for debugging.
 func logPodStates(pods []api.Pod) {
 	// Find maximum widths for pod, node, and phase strings for column printing.
-	maxPodW, maxNodeW, maxPhaseW := len("POD"), len("NODE"), len("PHASE")
-	for _, pod := range pods {
+	maxPodW, maxNodeW, maxPhaseW, maxGraceW := len("POD"), len("NODE"), len("PHASE"), len("GRACE")
+	for i := range pods {
+		pod := &pods[i]
 		if len(pod.ObjectMeta.Name) > maxPodW {
 			maxPodW = len(pod.ObjectMeta.Name)
 		}
@@ -275,13 +276,18 @@ func logPodStates(pods []api.Pod) {
 	maxPodW++
 	maxNodeW++
 	maxPhaseW++
+	maxGraceW++
 
 	// Log pod info. * does space padding, - makes them left-aligned.
-	Logf("%-[1]*[2]s %-[3]*[4]s %-[5]*[6]s %[7]s",
-		maxPodW, "POD", maxNodeW, "NODE", maxPhaseW, "PHASE", "CONDITIONS")
+	Logf("%-[1]*[2]s %-[3]*[4]s %-[5]*[6]s %-[7]*[8]s %[9]s",
+		maxPodW, "POD", maxNodeW, "NODE", maxPhaseW, "PHASE", maxGraceW, "GRACE", "CONDITIONS")
 	for _, pod := range pods {
-		Logf("%-[1]*[2]s %-[3]*[4]s %-[5]*[6]s %[7]s",
-			maxPodW, pod.ObjectMeta.Name, maxNodeW, pod.Spec.NodeName, maxPhaseW, pod.Status.Phase, pod.Status.Conditions)
+		grace := ""
+		if pod.DeletionGracePeriodSeconds != nil {
+			grace = fmt.Sprintf("%ds", *pod.DeletionGracePeriodSeconds)
+		}
+		Logf("%-[1]*[2]s %-[3]*[4]s %-[5]*[6]s %[7]s %[8]s",
+			maxPodW, pod.ObjectMeta.Name, maxNodeW, pod.Spec.NodeName, maxPhaseW, pod.Status.Phase, grace, pod.Status.Conditions)
 	}
 	Logf("") // Final empty line helps for readability.
 }
@@ -1350,9 +1356,7 @@ func dumpAllPodInfo(c *client.Client) {
 	if err != nil {
 		Logf("unable to fetch pod debug info: %v", err)
 	}
-	for _, pod := range pods.Items {
-		Logf("Pod %s %s node=%s, deletionTimestamp=%s", pod.Namespace, pod.Name, pod.Spec.NodeName, pod.DeletionTimestamp)
-	}
+	logPodStates(pods.Items)
 }
 
 func dumpNodeDebugInfo(c *client.Client, nodeNames []string) {