diff --git a/cmd/kube-apiserver/apiserver.go b/cmd/kube-apiserver/apiserver.go
index ece895b736d..131846e3c7d 100644
--- a/cmd/kube-apiserver/apiserver.go
+++ b/cmd/kube-apiserver/apiserver.go
@@ -58,8 +58,11 @@ var (
 		"The port from which to serve read-only resources. If 0, don't serve on a "+
 		"read-only address. It is assumed that firewall rules are set up such that "+
 		"this port is not reachable from outside of the cluster.")
-	securePort              = flag.Int("secure_port", 0, "The port from which to serve HTTPS with authentication and authorization. If 0, don't serve HTTPS ")
-	tlsCertFile             = flag.String("tls_cert_file", "", "File containing x509 Certificate for HTTPS.  (CA cert, if any, concatenated after server cert).")
+	securePort  = flag.Int("secure_port", 8443, "The port from which to serve HTTPS with authentication and authorization. If 0, don't serve HTTPS ")
+	tlsCertFile = flag.String("tls_cert_file", "", ""+
+		"File containing x509 Certificate for HTTPS.  (CA cert, if any, concatenated after server cert). "+
+		"If HTTPS serving is enabled, and --tls_cert_file and --tls_private_key_file are not provided, "+
+		"a self-signed certificate and key are generated for the public address and saved to /var/run/kubernetes.")
 	tlsPrivateKeyFile       = flag.String("tls_private_key_file", "", "File containing x509 private key matching --tls_cert_file.")
 	apiPrefix               = flag.String("api_prefix", "/api", "The prefix for API requests on the server. Default '/api'.")
 	storageVersion          = flag.String("storage_version", "", "The version to store resources with. Defaults to server preferred")
@@ -236,6 +239,15 @@ func main() {
 		go func() {
 			defer util.HandleCrash()
 			for {
+				if *tlsCertFile == "" && *tlsPrivateKeyFile == "" {
+					*tlsCertFile = "/var/run/kubernetes/apiserver.crt"
+					*tlsPrivateKeyFile = "/var/run/kubernetes/apiserver.key"
+					if err := util.GenerateSelfSignedCert(config.PublicAddress, *tlsCertFile, *tlsPrivateKeyFile); err != nil {
+						glog.Errorf("Unable to generate self signed cert: %v", err)
+					} else {
+						glog.Infof("Using self-signed cert (%s, %s)", *tlsCertFile, *tlsPrivateKeyFile)
+					}
+				}
 				if err := secureServer.ListenAndServeTLS(*tlsCertFile, *tlsPrivateKeyFile); err != nil {
 					glog.Errorf("Unable to listen for secure (%v); will try again.", err)
 				}
diff --git a/pkg/util/crypto.go b/pkg/util/crypto.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..87a485a9917
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/util/crypto.go
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2014 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package util
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"crypto/rsa"
+	"crypto/x509"
+	"crypto/x509/pkix"
+	"encoding/pem"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"math/big"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// GenerateSelfSignedCert creates a self-signed certificate and key for the given host.
+// Host may be an IP or a DNS name
+// The certificate will be created with file mode 0644. The key will be created with file mode 0600.
+// If the certificate or key files already exist, they will be overwritten.
+// Any parent directories of the certPath or keyPath will be created as needed with file mode 0755.
+func GenerateSelfSignedCert(host, certPath, keyPath string) error {
+	priv, err := rsa.GenerateKey(rand.Reader, 2048)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	template := x509.Certificate{
+		SerialNumber: big.NewInt(1),
+		Subject: pkix.Name{
+			CommonName: fmt.Sprintf("%s@%d", host, time.Now().Unix()),
+		},
+		NotBefore: time.Now(),
+		NotAfter:  time.Now().Add(time.Hour * 24 * 365),
+
+		KeyUsage:              x509.KeyUsageKeyEncipherment | x509.KeyUsageDigitalSignature,
+		ExtKeyUsage:           []x509.ExtKeyUsage{x509.ExtKeyUsageServerAuth},
+		BasicConstraintsValid: true,
+	}
+
+	if ip := net.ParseIP(host); ip != nil {
+		template.IPAddresses = append(template.IPAddresses, ip)
+	} else {
+		template.DNSNames = append(template.DNSNames, host)
+	}
+
+	derBytes, err := x509.CreateCertificate(rand.Reader, &template, &template, &priv.PublicKey, priv)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Generate cert
+	certBuffer := bytes.Buffer{}
+	if err := pem.Encode(&certBuffer, &pem.Block{Type: "CERTIFICATE", Bytes: derBytes}); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Generate key
+	keyBuffer := bytes.Buffer{}
+	if err := pem.Encode(&keyBuffer, &pem.Block{Type: "RSA PRIVATE KEY", Bytes: x509.MarshalPKCS1PrivateKey(priv)}); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Write cert
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(certPath), os.FileMode(0755)); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(certPath, certBuffer.Bytes(), os.FileMode(0644)); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Write key
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(keyPath), os.FileMode(0755)); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(keyPath, keyBuffer.Bytes(), os.FileMode(0600)); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}