diff --git a/build/common.sh b/build/common.sh
index 817cbfc9f4b..00fc18398f7 100644
--- a/build/common.sh
+++ b/build/common.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ set -o pipefail
 DOCKER_OPTS=${DOCKER_OPTS:-""}
 DOCKER_NATIVE=${DOCKER_NATIVE:-""}
 DOCKER=(docker ${DOCKER_OPTS})
+DOCKER_HOST=${DOCKER_HOST:-""}
 
 KUBE_ROOT=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")/..
 cd "${KUBE_ROOT}"
@@ -131,6 +132,10 @@ function kube::build::verify_prereqs() {
           # Reach over and set the clock. After sleep/resume the clock will skew.
           echo "+++ Setting boot2docker clock"
           boot2docker ssh sudo date -u -D "%Y%m%d%H%M.%S" --set "$(date -u +%Y%m%d%H%M.%S)" >/dev/null
+          if [[ -z "$DOCKER_HOST" ]]; then
+            echo "+++ Setting boot2docker env variables"
+            $(boot2docker shellinit)
+          fi
         fi
       fi
     fi
@@ -150,6 +155,20 @@ function kube::build::verify_prereqs() {
       } >&2
       exit 1
     fi
+  else
+
+    # On OS X, set boot2docker env vars for the 'clean' target if boot2docker is running
+    if kube::build::is_osx && kube::build::has_docker ; then
+      if [[ ! -z "$(which boot2docker)" ]]; then
+        if [[ $(boot2docker status) == "running" ]]; then
+          if [[ -z "$DOCKER_HOST" ]]; then
+            echo "+++ Setting boot2docker env variables"
+            $(boot2docker shellinit)
+          fi
+        fi
+      fi
+    fi
+
   fi
 
   KUBE_ROOT_HASH=$(kube::build::short_hash "$KUBE_ROOT")