diff --git a/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go b/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go
index 2b66fbea958..fd9c985a539 100644
--- a/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go
+++ b/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go
@@ -120,7 +120,8 @@ type Options struct {
 func AddFlags(options *Options, fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 	fs.StringVar(&options.ConfigFile, "config", options.ConfigFile, "The path to the configuration file.")
 	fs.StringVar(&options.WriteConfigTo, "write-config-to", options.WriteConfigTo, "If set, write the default configuration values to this file and exit.")
-	fs.MarkDeprecated("cleanup-iptables", "This flag is replaced by cleanup-proxyrules.")
+	fs.BoolVar(&options.CleanupAndExit, "cleanup-iptables", options.CleanupAndExit, "If true cleanup iptables and ipvs rules and exit.")
+	fs.MarkDeprecated("cleanup-iptables", "This flag is replaced by --cleanup.")
 	fs.BoolVar(&options.CleanupAndExit, "cleanup", options.CleanupAndExit, "If true cleanup iptables and ipvs rules and exit.")
 
 	// All flags below here are deprecated and will eventually be removed.