diff --git a/build/dependencies.yaml b/build/dependencies.yaml
index 023f4f48776..9301cdbd38b 100644
--- a/build/dependencies.yaml
+++ b/build/dependencies.yaml
@@ -127,8 +127,6 @@ dependencies:
     version: v1.16.4-2
     refPaths:
     - path: build/build-image/cross/VERSION
-    - path: test/images/sample-apiserver/Makefile
-      match: k8s\.gcr\.io\/build-image\/kube-cross:v((([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)(?:-([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(?:\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?)(?:\+([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(?:\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?)
 
   # Base images
   - name: "k8s.gcr.io/debian-base: dependents"
diff --git a/test/images/sample-apiserver/Makefile b/test/images/sample-apiserver/Makefile
index d6b914c3175..54c93492f1b 100644
--- a/test/images/sample-apiserver/Makefile
+++ b/test/images/sample-apiserver/Makefile
@@ -18,13 +18,14 @@ TARGET ?= $(CURDIR)
 GOARM = 7
 GOLANG_VERSION ?= latest
 SRC_DIR = $(notdir $(shell pwd))
+KUBE_CROSS_VERSION ?= $(shell cat ../../../build/build-image/cross/VERSION)
 export
 
 # Build v1.17.0 to ensure the current release supports a prior version of the sample apiserver
 # Get without building to populate module cache
 # Then, get with OS/ARCH-specific env to build
 bin:
-	docker run --rm -i -v "${TARGET}:${TARGET}:Z" k8s.gcr.io/build-image/kube-cross:v1.16.4-2 \
+	docker run --rm -i -v "${TARGET}:${TARGET}:Z" k8s.gcr.io/build-image/kube-cross:${KUBE_CROSS_VERSION} \
 		/bin/bash -c "\
 			mkdir -p /go/src /go/bin && \
 			GO111MODULE=on go get -d k8s.io/sample-apiserver@v0.17.0 && \