diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/nodes_util.go b/test/e2e/framework/nodes_util.go
index b96d683cd12..44e04647026 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/nodes_util.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/nodes_util.go
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ func EtcdUpgrade(target_storage, target_version string) error {
 	}
 }
 
-func IngressUpgrade() error {
+func IngressUpgrade(isUpgrade bool) error {
 	switch TestContext.Provider {
 	case "gce":
-		return ingressUpgradeGCE()
+		return ingressUpgradeGCE(isUpgrade)
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("IngressUpgrade() is not implemented for provider %s", TestContext.Provider)
 	}
@@ -73,10 +73,19 @@ func etcdUpgradeGCE(target_storage, target_version string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func ingressUpgradeGCE() error {
+func ingressUpgradeGCE(isUpgrade bool) error {
 	// Flip glbc image from latest release image to HEAD to simulate an upgrade.
+	// Flip from HEAD to latest release image to simulate a downgrade.
 	// Kubelet should restart glbc automatically.
-	sshResult, err := NodeExec(GetMasterHost(), "sudo sed -i -re 's/(image:)(.*)/\\1 gcr.io\\/e2e-ingress-gce\\/ingress-gce-e2e-glbc-amd64:latest/' /etc/kubernetes/manifests/glbc.manifest")
+	var command string
+	if isUpgrade {
+		// Upgrade
+		command = "sudo sed -i -re 's/(image:)(.*)/\\1 gcr.io\\/k8s-ingress-image-push\\/ingress-gce-e2e-glbc-amd64:latest/' /etc/kubernetes/manifests/glbc.manifest"
+	} else {
+		// Downgrade
+		command = "sudo sed -i -re 's/(image:)(.*)/\\1 gcr.io\\/google_containers\\/glbc:0.9.7/' /etc/kubernetes/manifests/glbc.manifest"
+	}
+	sshResult, err := NodeExec(GetMasterHost(), command)
 	// TODO(rramkumar): Ensure glbc pod is in "Running" state before proceeding.
 	LogSSHResult(sshResult)
 	return err
diff --git a/test/e2e/lifecycle/cluster_upgrade.go b/test/e2e/lifecycle/cluster_upgrade.go
index 243febacd11..d70a62d67a7 100644
--- a/test/e2e/lifecycle/cluster_upgrade.go
+++ b/test/e2e/lifecycle/cluster_upgrade.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ var kubeProxyDowngradeTests = []upgrades.Test{
 	&upgrades.IngressUpgradeTest{},
 }
 
-// Upgrade ingress with custom image.
+// Forcefully swap ingress image.
 var ingressUpgradeTests = []upgrades.Test{
 	&upgrades.IngressUpgradeTest{},
 }
@@ -224,7 +224,32 @@ var _ = SIGDescribe("ingress Upgrade [Feature:IngressUpgrade]", func() {
 			upgradeFunc := func() {
 				start := time.Now()
 				defer finalizeUpgradeTest(start, ingressTest)
-				framework.ExpectNoError(framework.IngressUpgrade())
+				framework.ExpectNoError(framework.IngressUpgrade(true))
+			}
+			runUpgradeSuite(f, ingressUpgradeTests, testFrameworks, testSuite, upgCtx, upgrades.IngressUpgrade, upgradeFunc)
+		})
+	})
+})
+
+var _ = SIGDescribe("ingress Downgrade [Feature:IngressDowngrade]", func() {
+	f := framework.NewDefaultFramework("ingress-downgrade")
+
+	// Create the frameworks here because we can only create them
+	// in a "Describe".
+	testFrameworks := createUpgradeFrameworks(ingressUpgradeTests)
+	Describe("ingress downgrade", func() {
+		It("should maintain a functioning ingress", func() {
+			upgCtx, err := getUpgradeContext(f.ClientSet.Discovery(), "")
+			framework.ExpectNoError(err)
+
+			testSuite := &junit.TestSuite{Name: "ingress downgrade"}
+			ingressTest := &junit.TestCase{Name: "[sig-networking] ingress-downgrade", Classname: "upgrade_tests"}
+			testSuite.TestCases = append(testSuite.TestCases, ingressTest)
+
+			upgradeFunc := func() {
+				start := time.Now()
+				defer finalizeUpgradeTest(start, ingressTest)
+				framework.ExpectNoError(framework.IngressUpgrade(false))
 			}
 			runUpgradeSuite(f, ingressUpgradeTests, testFrameworks, testSuite, upgCtx, upgrades.IngressUpgrade, upgradeFunc)
 		})