diff --git a/src/cmd/linuxkit/gcp.go b/src/cmd/linuxkit/gcp.go
index a315de50b..1697a312d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/linuxkit/gcp.go
+++ b/src/cmd/linuxkit/gcp.go
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ func (g GCPClient) DeleteImage(name string) error {
 }
 
 // CreateInstance creates and starts an instance on GCP
-func (g GCPClient) CreateInstance(name, image, zone, machineType string, disks Disks, nested, replace bool) error {
+func (g GCPClient) CreateInstance(name, image, zone, machineType string, disks Disks, data *string, nested, replace bool) error {
 	if replace {
 		if err := g.DeleteInstance(name, zone, true); err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -262,6 +262,10 @@ func (g GCPClient) CreateInstance(name, image, zone, machineType string, disks D
 					Key:   "ssh-keys",
 					Value: sshKey,
 				},
+				{
+					Key:   "userdata",
+					Value: data,
+				},
 			},
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_gcp.go b/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_gcp.go
index 1e7c2a820..0c1161512 100644
--- a/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_gcp.go
+++ b/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_gcp.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
@@ -28,13 +29,14 @@ func runGcp(args []string) {
 	flags := flag.NewFlagSet("gcp", flag.ExitOnError)
 	invoked := filepath.Base(os.Args[0])
 	flags.Usage = func() {
-		fmt.Printf("USAGE: %s run gcp [options] [name]\n\n", invoked)
-		fmt.Printf("'name' specifies either the name of an already uploaded\n")
+		fmt.Printf("USAGE: %s run gcp [options] [image]\n\n", invoked)
+		fmt.Printf("'image' specifies either the name of an already uploaded\n")
 		fmt.Printf("GCP image or the full path to a image file which will be\n")
 		fmt.Printf("uploaded before it is run.\n\n")
 		fmt.Printf("Options:\n\n")
 		flags.PrintDefaults()
 	}
+	name := flags.String("name", "", "Machine name")
 	zoneFlag := flags.String("zone", defaultZone, "GCP Zone")
 	machineFlag := flags.String("machine", defaultMachine, "GCP Machine Type")
 	keysFlag := flags.String("keys", "", "Path to Service Account JSON key file")
@@ -45,6 +47,13 @@ func runGcp(args []string) {
 	skipCleanup := flags.Bool("skip-cleanup", false, "Don't remove images or VMs")
 	nestedVirt := flags.Bool("nested-virt", false, "Enabled nested virtualization")
 
+	data := flags.String("data", "", "String of metadata to pass to VM; error to specify both -data and -data-file")
+	dataPath := flags.String("data-file", "", "Path to file containing metadata to pass to VM; error to specify both -data and -data-file")
+
+	if *data != "" && *dataPath != "" {
+		log.Fatal("Cannot specify both -data and -data-file")
+	}
+
 	if err := flags.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal("Unable to parse args")
 	}
@@ -55,7 +64,18 @@ func runGcp(args []string) {
 		flags.Usage()
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-	name := remArgs[0]
+	image := remArgs[0]
+	if *name == "" {
+		*name = image
+	}
+
+	if *dataPath != "" {
+		dataB, err := ioutil.ReadFile(*dataPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("Unable to read metadata file: %v", err)
+		}
+		*data = string(dataB)
+	}
 
 	zone := getStringValue(zoneVar, *zoneFlag, defaultZone)
 	machine := getStringValue(machineVar, *machineFlag, defaultMachine)
@@ -67,16 +87,16 @@ func runGcp(args []string) {
 		log.Fatalf("Unable to connect to GCP")
 	}
 
-	if err = client.CreateInstance(name, name, zone, machine, disks, *nestedVirt, true); err != nil {
+	if err = client.CreateInstance(*name, image, zone, machine, disks, data, *nestedVirt, true); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	if err = client.ConnectToInstanceSerialPort(name, zone); err != nil {
+	if err = client.ConnectToInstanceSerialPort(*name, zone); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	if !*skipCleanup {
-		if err = client.DeleteInstance(name, zone, true); err != nil {
+		if err = client.DeleteInstance(*name, zone, true); err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 	}