diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
index 95cc6a576cc..b393e848c60 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-default.sh
@@ -349,6 +349,9 @@ STORAGE_BACKEND=${STORAGE_BACKEND:-}
 # Networking plugin specific settings.
 NETWORK_PROVIDER="${NETWORK_PROVIDER:-kubenet}" # none, kubenet
 
+# Optional: Enable netd.
+ENABLE_NETD="${KUBE_ENABLE_NETD:-false}"
+
 # Network Policy plugin specific settings.
 NETWORK_POLICY_PROVIDER="${NETWORK_POLICY_PROVIDER:-none}" # calico
 
diff --git a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
index bbc1c6e8dc0..9d533533906 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/config-test.sh
@@ -359,6 +359,9 @@ STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE=${STORAGE_MEDIA_TYPE:-}
 
 NETWORK_PROVIDER="${NETWORK_PROVIDER:-kubenet}" # none, kubenet
 
+# Optional: Enable netd.
+ENABLE_NETD="${KUBE_ENABLE_NETD:-false}"
+
 # Network Policy plugin specific settings.
 NETWORK_POLICY_PROVIDER="${NETWORK_POLICY_PROVIDER:-none}" # calico
 
diff --git a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
index 515bb2d22ee..3ab47122802 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/gci/configure-helper.sh
@@ -2235,6 +2235,19 @@ EOF
   fi
 }
 
+# Sets up the manifests of netd for k8s addons.
+function setup-netd-manifest {
+  local -r netd_file="${dst_dir}/netd/netd.yaml"
+  mkdir -p "${dst_dir}/netd"
+  touch "${netd_file}"
+  if [ -n "${CUSTOM_NETD_YAML:-}" ]; then
+    # Replace with custom GKE netd deployment.
+    cat > "${netd_file}" <<EOF
+$(echo "$CUSTOM_NETD_YAML")
+EOF
+  fi
+}
+
 # Prepares the manifests of k8s addons, and starts the addon manager.
 # Vars assumed:
 #   CLUSTER_NAME
@@ -2348,6 +2361,9 @@ EOF
       setup-kube-dns-manifest
     fi
   fi
+  if [[ "${ENABLE_NETD:-}" == "true" ]]; then
+    setup-netd-manifest
+  fi
   if [[ "${ENABLE_NODE_LOGGING:-}" == "true" ]] && \
      [[ "${LOGGING_DESTINATION:-}" == "elasticsearch" ]] && \
      [[ "${ENABLE_CLUSTER_LOGGING:-}" == "true" ]]; then
diff --git a/cluster/gce/util.sh b/cluster/gce/util.sh
index 951fff07705..ec125dfa383 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/util.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/util.sh
@@ -898,6 +898,7 @@ REGION: $(yaml-quote ${REGION})
 VOLUME_PLUGIN_DIR: $(yaml-quote ${VOLUME_PLUGIN_DIR})
 KUBELET_ARGS: $(yaml-quote ${KUBELET_ARGS})
 REQUIRE_METADATA_KUBELET_CONFIG_FILE: $(yaml-quote true)
+ENABLE_NETD: $(yaml-quote ${ENABLE_NETD:-false})
 EOF
   if [[ "${master}" == "true" && "${MASTER_OS_DISTRIBUTION}" == "gci" ]] || \
      [[ "${master}" == "false" && "${NODE_OS_DISTRIBUTION}" == "gci" ]]  || \