diff --git a/pkg/api/serialization_proto_test.go b/pkg/api/serialization_proto_test.go
index 36fce27a1c0..7ce5b80cd9a 100644
--- a/pkg/api/serialization_proto_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/serialization_proto_test.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func TestUniversalDeserializer(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatal(mediaType)
 		}
 		buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
-		if err := e.EncodeToStream(expected, buf); err != nil {
+		if err := e.Encode(expected, buf); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("%s: %v", mediaType, err)
 		}
 		obj, _, err := d.Decode(buf.Bytes(), &unversioned.GroupVersionKind{Kind: "Pod", Version: "v1"}, nil)
diff --git a/pkg/api/serialization_test.go b/pkg/api/serialization_test.go
index 27a2e352641..4dbd1430c4d 100644
--- a/pkg/api/serialization_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/serialization_test.go
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ func TestObjectWatchFraming(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// write a single object through the framer and back out
 		obj := &bytes.Buffer{}
-		if err := s.EncodeToStream(v1secret, obj); err != nil {
+		if err := s.Encode(v1secret, obj); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
 		out := &bytes.Buffer{}
@@ -330,13 +330,13 @@ func TestObjectWatchFraming(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// write a watch event through and back out
 		obj = &bytes.Buffer{}
-		if err := embedded.EncodeToStream(v1secret, obj); err != nil {
+		if err := embedded.Encode(v1secret, obj); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
 		event := &versioned.Event{Type: string(watch.Added)}
 		event.Object.Raw = obj.Bytes()
 		obj = &bytes.Buffer{}
-		if err := s.EncodeToStream(event, obj); err != nil {
+		if err := s.Encode(event, obj); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
 		out = &bytes.Buffer{}
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go
index 2d47f96957d..9a72bad6b04 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go
@@ -255,9 +255,9 @@ type stripVersionEncoder struct {
 	serializer runtime.Serializer
 }
 
-func (c stripVersionEncoder) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+func (c stripVersionEncoder) Encode(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer) error {
 	buf := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{})
-	err := c.encoder.EncodeToStream(obj, buf, overrides...)
+	err := c.encoder.Encode(obj, buf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ func (c stripVersionEncoder) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, ove
 	gvk.Group = ""
 	gvk.Version = ""
 	roundTrippedObj.GetObjectKind().SetGroupVersionKind(*gvk)
-	return c.serializer.EncodeToStream(roundTrippedObj, w)
+	return c.serializer.Encode(roundTrippedObj, w)
 }
 
 // StripVersionNegotiatedSerializer will return stripVersionEncoder when
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ func writeNegotiated(s runtime.NegotiatedSerializer, gv unversioned.GroupVersion
 	w.WriteHeader(statusCode)
 
 	encoder := s.EncoderForVersion(serializer, gv)
-	if err := encoder.EncodeToStream(object, w); err != nil {
+	if err := encoder.Encode(object, w); err != nil {
 		errorJSONFatal(err, encoder, w)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go
index ca5f46a769d..649cdd7eefd 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go
@@ -2372,7 +2372,7 @@ func TestCreateChecksDecode(t *testing.T) {
 	client := http.Client{}
 
 	simple := &api.Pod{}
-	data, err := runtime.Encode(codec, simple, testGroupVersion)
+	data, err := runtime.Encode(testCodec, simple)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -2598,7 +2598,7 @@ func TestUpdateChecksDecode(t *testing.T) {
 	client := http.Client{}
 
 	simple := &api.Pod{}
-	data, err := runtime.Encode(codec, simple, testGroupVersion)
+	data, err := runtime.Encode(testCodec, simple)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -3293,3 +3293,46 @@ func readBodyOrDie(r io.Reader) []byte {
 	}
 	return body
 }
+
+// BenchmarkUpdateProtobuf measures the cost of processing an update on the server in proto
+func BenchmarkUpdateProtobuf(b *testing.B) {
+	items := benchmarkItems()
+
+	simpleStorage := &SimpleRESTStorage{}
+	handler := handle(map[string]rest.Storage{"simples": simpleStorage})
+	server := httptest.NewServer(handler)
+	defer server.Close()
+	client := http.Client{}
+
+	dest, _ := url.Parse(server.URL)
+	dest.Path = "/" + prefix + "/" + newGroupVersion.Group + "/" + newGroupVersion.Version + "/namespaces/foo/simples/bar"
+	dest.RawQuery = ""
+
+	info, _ := api.Codecs.SerializerForMediaType("application/vnd.kubernetes.protobuf", nil)
+	e := api.Codecs.EncoderForVersion(info.Serializer, newGroupVersion)
+	data, err := runtime.Encode(e, &items[0])
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		request, err := http.NewRequest("PUT", dest.String(), bytes.NewReader(data))
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+		}
+		request.Header.Set("Accept", "application/vnd.kubernetes.protobuf")
+		request.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/vnd.kubernetes.protobuf")
+		response, err := client.Do(request)
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+		}
+		if response.StatusCode != http.StatusBadRequest {
+			body, _ := ioutil.ReadAll(response.Body)
+			b.Fatalf("Unexpected response %#v\n%s", response, body)
+		}
+		_, _ = ioutil.ReadAll(response.Body)
+		response.Body.Close()
+	}
+	b.StopTimer()
+}
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/watch.go b/pkg/apiserver/watch.go
index 81bc6acfdf9..220074edf29 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/watch.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/watch.go
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func (s *WatchServer) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 
 			obj := event.Object
 			s.fixup(obj)
-			if err := s.embeddedEncoder.EncodeToStream(obj, buf); err != nil {
+			if err := s.embeddedEncoder.Encode(obj, buf); err != nil {
 				// unexpected error
 				utilruntime.HandleError(fmt.Errorf("unable to encode watch object: %v", err))
 				return
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ func (s *WatchServer) HandleWS(ws *websocket.Conn) {
 			}
 			obj := event.Object
 			s.fixup(obj)
-			if err := s.embeddedEncoder.EncodeToStream(obj, buf); err != nil {
+			if err := s.embeddedEncoder.Encode(obj, buf); err != nil {
 				// unexpected error
 				utilruntime.HandleError(fmt.Errorf("unable to encode watch object: %v", err))
 				return
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ func (s *WatchServer) HandleWS(ws *websocket.Conn) {
 
 			// the internal event will be versioned by the encoder
 			*internalEvent = versioned.InternalEvent(event)
-			if err := s.encoder.EncodeToStream(internalEvent, streamBuf); err != nil {
+			if err := s.encoder.Encode(internalEvent, streamBuf); err != nil {
 				// encoding error
 				utilruntime.HandleError(fmt.Errorf("unable to encode event: %v", err))
 				s.watching.Stop()
diff --git a/pkg/client/typed/dynamic/client.go b/pkg/client/typed/dynamic/client.go
index 3d0d7b6b663..5d690877f07 100644
--- a/pkg/client/typed/dynamic/client.go
+++ b/pkg/client/typed/dynamic/client.go
@@ -253,8 +253,8 @@ func (dynamicCodec) Decode(data []byte, gvk *unversioned.GroupVersionKind, obj r
 	return obj, gvk, nil
 }
 
-func (dynamicCodec) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
-	return runtime.UnstructuredJSONScheme.EncodeToStream(obj, w, overrides...)
+func (dynamicCodec) Encode(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer) error {
+	return runtime.UnstructuredJSONScheme.Encode(obj, w)
 }
 
 // paramaterCodec is a codec converts an API object to query
diff --git a/pkg/client/typed/dynamic/client_test.go b/pkg/client/typed/dynamic/client_test.go
index 2e456f55013..828ac8fced8 100644
--- a/pkg/client/typed/dynamic/client_test.go
+++ b/pkg/client/typed/dynamic/client_test.go
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ func TestDelete(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", runtime.ContentTypeJSON)
-			runtime.UnstructuredJSONScheme.EncodeToStream(statusOK, w)
+			runtime.UnstructuredJSONScheme.Encode(statusOK, w)
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("unexpected error when creating client: %v", err)
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ func TestDeleteCollection(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", runtime.ContentTypeJSON)
-			runtime.UnstructuredJSONScheme.EncodeToStream(statusOK, w)
+			runtime.UnstructuredJSONScheme.Encode(statusOK, w)
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("unexpected error when creating client: %v", err)
diff --git a/pkg/registry/thirdpartyresourcedata/codec.go b/pkg/registry/thirdpartyresourcedata/codec.go
index bdde2edb5d0..9db79bdf528 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/thirdpartyresourcedata/codec.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/thirdpartyresourcedata/codec.go
@@ -483,10 +483,10 @@ func encodeToJSON(obj *extensions.ThirdPartyResourceData, stream io.Writer) erro
 	return encoder.Encode(objMap)
 }
 
-func (t *thirdPartyResourceDataEncoder) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, stream io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) (err error) {
+func (t *thirdPartyResourceDataEncoder) Encode(obj runtime.Object, stream io.Writer) (err error) {
 	switch obj := obj.(type) {
 	case *versioned.InternalEvent:
-		return t.delegate.EncodeToStream(obj, stream, overrides...)
+		return t.delegate.Encode(obj, stream)
 	case *extensions.ThirdPartyResourceData:
 		return encodeToJSON(obj, stream)
 	case *extensions.ThirdPartyResourceDataList:
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ func (t *thirdPartyResourceDataEncoder) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, strea
 		fmt.Fprintf(stream, template, t.gvk.Kind+"List", gv.String(), strings.Join(dataStrings, ","))
 		return nil
 	case *unversioned.Status, *unversioned.APIResourceList:
-		return t.delegate.EncodeToStream(obj, stream, overrides...)
+		return t.delegate.Encode(obj, stream)
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("unexpected object to encode: %#v", obj)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/codec.go b/pkg/runtime/codec.go
index e86c0861c73..9cd7e153682 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/codec.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/codec.go
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ func NewCodec(e Encoder, d Decoder) Codec {
 }
 
 // Encode is a convenience wrapper for encoding to a []byte from an Encoder
-func Encode(e Encoder, obj Object, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) ([]byte, error) {
+func Encode(e Encoder, obj Object) ([]byte, error) {
 	// TODO: reuse buffer
 	buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
-	if err := e.EncodeToStream(obj, buf, overrides...); err != nil {
+	if err := e.Encode(obj, buf); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	return buf.Bytes(), nil
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ type NoopEncoder struct {
 
 var _ Serializer = NoopEncoder{}
 
-func (n NoopEncoder) EncodeToStream(obj Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+func (n NoopEncoder) Encode(obj Object, w io.Writer) error {
 	return fmt.Errorf("encoding is not allowed for this codec: %v", reflect.TypeOf(n.Decoder))
 }
 
@@ -181,9 +181,9 @@ func NewBase64Serializer(s Serializer) Serializer {
 	return &base64Serializer{s}
 }
 
-func (s base64Serializer) EncodeToStream(obj Object, stream io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+func (s base64Serializer) Encode(obj Object, stream io.Writer) error {
 	e := base64.NewEncoder(base64.StdEncoding, stream)
-	err := s.Serializer.EncodeToStream(obj, e, overrides...)
+	err := s.Serializer.Encode(obj, e)
 	e.Close()
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/helper.go b/pkg/runtime/helper.go
index 3181ddf7e7e..b131fdcd90f 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/helper.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/helper.go
@@ -113,10 +113,10 @@ func FieldPtr(v reflect.Value, fieldName string, dest interface{}) error {
 
 // EncodeList ensures that each object in an array is converted to a Unknown{} in serialized form.
 // TODO: accept a content type.
-func EncodeList(e Encoder, objects []Object, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+func EncodeList(e Encoder, objects []Object) error {
 	var errs []error
 	for i := range objects {
-		data, err := Encode(e, objects[i], overrides...)
+		data, err := Encode(e, objects[i])
 		if err != nil {
 			errs = append(errs, err)
 			continue
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/interfaces.go b/pkg/runtime/interfaces.go
index 0fbc930319c..7239ac44ce7 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/interfaces.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/interfaces.go
@@ -31,10 +31,9 @@ const (
 )
 
 type Encoder interface {
-	// EncodeToStream writes an object to a stream. Override versions may be provided for each group
-	// that enforce a certain versioning. Implementations may return errors if the versions are incompatible,
-	// or if no conversion is defined.
-	EncodeToStream(obj Object, stream io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error
+	// Encode writes an object to a stream. Implementations may return errors if the versions are
+	// incompatible, or if no conversion is defined.
+	Encode(obj Object, w io.Writer) error
 }
 
 type Decoder interface {
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/serializer/codec_factory.go b/pkg/runtime/serializer/codec_factory.go
index ccd146770ad..4432e489603 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/serializer/codec_factory.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/serializer/codec_factory.go
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ type DirectCodec struct {
 }
 
 // EncodeToStream does not do conversion. It sets the gvk during serialization. overrides are ignored.
-func (c DirectCodec) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, stream io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+func (c DirectCodec) Encode(obj runtime.Object, stream io.Writer) error {
 	gvks, _, err := c.ObjectTyper.ObjectKinds(obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ func (c DirectCodec) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, stream io.Writer, overri
 	kind := obj.GetObjectKind()
 	oldGVK := kind.GroupVersionKind()
 	kind.SetGroupVersionKind(gvks[0])
-	err = c.Serializer.EncodeToStream(obj, stream, overrides...)
+	err = c.Serializer.Encode(obj, stream)
 	kind.SetGroupVersionKind(oldGVK)
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/serializer/codec_test.go b/pkg/runtime/serializer/codec_test.go
index 861efffd7c2..384aabc266e 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/serializer/codec_test.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/serializer/codec_test.go
@@ -250,31 +250,28 @@ func TestTypes(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestVersionedEncoding(t *testing.T) {
-	s, codec := GetTestScheme()
-	out, err := runtime.Encode(codec, &TestType1{}, unversioned.GroupVersion{Version: "v2"})
+	s, _ := GetTestScheme()
+	cf := newCodecFactory(s, newSerializersForScheme(s, testMetaFactory{}))
+	encoder, _ := cf.SerializerForFileExtension("json")
+
+	codec := cf.CodecForVersions(encoder, nil, []unversioned.GroupVersion{{Version: "v2"}}, nil)
+	out, err := runtime.Encode(codec, &TestType1{})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	if string(out) != `{"myVersionKey":"v2","myKindKey":"TestType1"}`+"\n" {
 		t.Fatal(string(out))
 	}
-	_, err = runtime.Encode(codec, &TestType1{}, unversioned.GroupVersion{Version: "v3"})
+
+	codec = cf.CodecForVersions(encoder, nil, []unversioned.GroupVersion{{Version: "v3"}}, nil)
+	_, err = runtime.Encode(codec, &TestType1{})
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	cf := newCodecFactory(s, newSerializersForScheme(s, testMetaFactory{}))
-	encoder, _ := cf.SerializerForFileExtension("json")
-
-	// codec that is unversioned uses the target version
-	unversionedCodec := cf.CodecForVersions(encoder, nil, nil, nil)
-	_, err = runtime.Encode(unversionedCodec, &TestType1{}, unversioned.GroupVersion{Version: "v3"})
-	if err == nil || !runtime.IsNotRegisteredError(err) {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-
 	// unversioned encode with no versions is written directly to wire
-	out, err = runtime.Encode(unversionedCodec, &TestType1{})
+	codec = cf.CodecForVersions(encoder, nil, nil, nil)
+	out, err = runtime.Encode(codec, &TestType1{})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -426,7 +423,7 @@ func TestDirectCodec(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	directEncoder := df.EncoderForVersion(serializer, ignoredGV)
 	directDecoder := df.DecoderToVersion(serializer, ignoredGV)
-	out, err := runtime.Encode(directEncoder, &ExternalTestType1{}, ignoredGV)
+	out, err := runtime.Encode(directEncoder, &ExternalTestType1{})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/serializer/json/json.go b/pkg/runtime/serializer/json/json.go
index c4a2987a9c7..c226448f379 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/serializer/json/json.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/serializer/json/json.go
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ func (s *Serializer) Decode(originalData []byte, gvk *unversioned.GroupVersionKi
 	return obj, actual, nil
 }
 
-// EncodeToStream serializes the provided object to the given writer. Overrides is ignored.
-func (s *Serializer) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+// Encode serializes the provided object to the given writer.
+func (s *Serializer) Encode(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer) error {
 	if s.yaml {
 		json, err := json.Marshal(obj)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/serializer/protobuf/protobuf.go b/pkg/runtime/serializer/protobuf/protobuf.go
index a4e4f2cdd77..a202a18d665 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/serializer/protobuf/protobuf.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/serializer/protobuf/protobuf.go
@@ -165,8 +165,8 @@ func (s *Serializer) Decode(originalData []byte, gvk *unversioned.GroupVersionKi
 	return unmarshalToObject(s.typer, s.creater, &actual, into, unk.Raw)
 }
 
-// EncodeToStream serializes the provided object to the given writer. Overrides is ignored.
-func (s *Serializer) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+// Encode serializes the provided object to the given writer.
+func (s *Serializer) Encode(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer) error {
 	var unk runtime.Unknown
 	kind := obj.GetObjectKind().GroupVersionKind()
 	unk = runtime.Unknown{
@@ -388,8 +388,8 @@ func unmarshalToObject(typer runtime.ObjectTyper, creater runtime.ObjectCreater,
 	return obj, actual, nil
 }
 
-// EncodeToStream serializes the provided object to the given writer. Overrides is ignored.
-func (s *RawSerializer) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+// Encode serializes the provided object to the given writer. Overrides is ignored.
+func (s *RawSerializer) Encode(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer) error {
 	switch t := obj.(type) {
 	case bufferedMarshaller:
 		// this path performs a single allocation during write but requires the caller to implement
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/serializer/streaming/streaming.go b/pkg/runtime/serializer/streaming/streaming.go
index 6c5ff056326..c34f9a570db 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/serializer/streaming/streaming.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/serializer/streaming/streaming.go
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ import (
 // Encoder is a runtime.Encoder on a stream.
 type Encoder interface {
 	// Encode will write the provided object to the stream or return an error. It obeys the same
-	// contract as runtime.Encoder.
-	Encode(obj runtime.Object, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error
+	// contract as runtime.VersionedEncoder.
+	Encode(obj runtime.Object) error
 }
 
 // Decoder is a runtime.Decoder from a stream.
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ func NewEncoder(w io.Writer, e runtime.Encoder) Encoder {
 }
 
 // Encode writes the provided object to the nested writer.
-func (e *encoder) Encode(obj runtime.Object, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
-	if err := e.encoder.EncodeToStream(obj, e.buf, overrides...); err != nil {
+func (e *encoder) Encode(obj runtime.Object) error {
+	if err := e.encoder.Encode(obj, e.buf); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	_, err := e.writer.Write(e.buf.Bytes())
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/serializer/versioning/versioning.go b/pkg/runtime/serializer/versioning/versioning.go
index d7c5cbe9db7..f69d126c8c2 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/serializer/versioning/versioning.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/serializer/versioning/versioning.go
@@ -222,11 +222,11 @@ func (c *codec) Decode(data []byte, defaultGVK *unversioned.GroupVersionKind, in
 	return out, gvk, nil
 }
 
-// EncodeToStream ensures the provided object is output in the right scheme. If overrides are specified, when
-// encoding the object the first override that matches the object's group is used. Other overrides are ignored.
-func (c *codec) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+// Encode ensures the provided object is output in the appropriate group and version, invoking
+// conversion if necessary. Unversioned objects (according to the ObjectTyper) are output as is.
+func (c *codec) Encode(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer) error {
 	if _, ok := obj.(*runtime.Unknown); ok {
-		return c.encoder.EncodeToStream(obj, w, overrides...)
+		return c.encoder.Encode(obj, w)
 	}
 	gvks, isUnversioned, err := c.typer.ObjectKinds(obj)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -234,38 +234,21 @@ func (c *codec) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unv
 	}
 	gvk := gvks[0]
 
-	if (c.encodeVersion == nil && len(overrides) == 0) || isUnversioned {
+	if c.encodeVersion == nil || isUnversioned {
 		objectKind := obj.GetObjectKind()
 		old := objectKind.GroupVersionKind()
 		objectKind.SetGroupVersionKind(gvk)
-		err = c.encoder.EncodeToStream(obj, w, overrides...)
+		err = c.encoder.Encode(obj, w)
 		objectKind.SetGroupVersionKind(old)
 		return err
 	}
 
 	targetGV, ok := c.encodeVersion[gvk.Group]
-	// use override if provided
-	for i, override := range overrides {
-		if override.Group == gvk.Group {
-			ok = true
-			targetGV = override
-			// swap the position of the override
-			overrides[0], overrides[i] = targetGV, overrides[0]
-			break
-		}
-	}
 
 	// attempt a conversion to the sole encode version
 	if !ok && c.preferredEncodeVersion != nil {
 		ok = true
 		targetGV = c.preferredEncodeVersion[0]
-		if len(overrides) > 0 {
-			// ensure the target override is first
-			overrides = promoteOrPrependGroupVersion(targetGV, overrides)
-		} else {
-			// avoids allocating a new array for each call to EncodeToVersion
-			overrides = c.preferredEncodeVersion
-		}
 	}
 
 	// if no fallback is available, error
@@ -285,21 +268,8 @@ func (c *codec) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unv
 		obj = out
 	}
 	// Conversion is responsible for setting the proper group, version, and kind onto the outgoing object
-	err = c.encoder.EncodeToStream(obj, w, overrides...)
+	err = c.encoder.Encode(obj, w)
 	// restore the old GVK, in case conversion returned the same object
 	objectKind.SetGroupVersionKind(old)
 	return err
 }
-
-// promoteOrPrependGroupVersion finds the group version in the provided group versions that has the same group as target.
-// If the group is found the returned array will have that group version in the first position - if the group is not found
-// the returned array will have target in the first position.
-func promoteOrPrependGroupVersion(target unversioned.GroupVersion, gvs []unversioned.GroupVersion) []unversioned.GroupVersion {
-	for i, gv := range gvs {
-		if gv.Group == target.Group {
-			gvs[0], gvs[i] = gvs[i], gvs[0]
-			return gvs
-		}
-	}
-	return append([]unversioned.GroupVersion{target}, gvs...)
-}
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/serializer/versioning/versioning_test.go b/pkg/runtime/serializer/versioning/versioning_test.go
index 5ca6c2a9afc..4d0f71e9175 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/serializer/versioning/versioning_test.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/serializer/versioning/versioning_test.go
@@ -261,9 +261,8 @@ func (c *checkConvertor) ConvertFieldLabel(version, kind, label, value string) (
 }
 
 type mockSerializer struct {
-	err      error
-	obj      runtime.Object
-	versions []unversioned.GroupVersion
+	err error
+	obj runtime.Object
 
 	defaults, actual *unversioned.GroupVersionKind
 	into             runtime.Object
@@ -275,9 +274,8 @@ func (s *mockSerializer) Decode(data []byte, defaults *unversioned.GroupVersionK
 	return s.obj, s.actual, s.err
 }
 
-func (s *mockSerializer) EncodeToStream(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer, versions ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+func (s *mockSerializer) Encode(obj runtime.Object, w io.Writer) error {
 	s.obj = obj
-	s.versions = versions
 	return s.err
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/unstructured.go b/pkg/runtime/unstructured.go
index 4f87b9aa29a..4a15142c124 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/unstructured.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/unstructured.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func (s unstructuredJSONScheme) Decode(data []byte, _ *unversioned.GroupVersionK
 	return obj, &gvk, nil
 }
 
-func (unstructuredJSONScheme) EncodeToStream(obj Object, w io.Writer, overrides ...unversioned.GroupVersion) error {
+func (unstructuredJSONScheme) Encode(obj Object, w io.Writer) error {
 	switch t := obj.(type) {
 	case *Unstructured:
 		return json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(t.Object)