diff --git a/leader/leader.go b/leader/leader.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..75206f5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/leader/leader.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+package leader
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
+	v1core "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/typed/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/leaderelection"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/leaderelection/resourcelock"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/record"
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api"
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/client/leaderelectionconfig"
+)
+
+type Callback func(cb context.Context)
+
+func RunOrDie(ctx context.Context, name string, client kubernetes.Interface, cb Callback) {
+	err := run(ctx, name, client, cb)
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatalf("Failed to start leader election for %s", name)
+	}
+	panic("Failed to start leader election for " + name)
+}
+
+func run(ctx context.Context, name string, client kubernetes.Interface, cb Callback) error {
+	id, err := os.Hostname()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	le := leaderelectionconfig.DefaultLeaderElectionConfiguration()
+	le.LeaderElect = true
+	le.ResourceLock = resourcelock.ConfigMapsResourceLock
+
+	recorder := createRecorder(name, client)
+
+	rl, err := resourcelock.New(le.ResourceLock,
+		"kube-system",
+		name,
+		client.CoreV1(),
+		resourcelock.ResourceLockConfig{
+			Identity:      id,
+			EventRecorder: recorder,
+		})
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatalf("error creating leader lock for %s: %v", name, err)
+	}
+
+	leaderelection.RunOrDie(leaderelection.LeaderElectionConfig{
+		Lock:          rl,
+		LeaseDuration: le.LeaseDuration.Duration,
+		RenewDeadline: le.RenewDeadline.Duration,
+		RetryPeriod:   le.RetryPeriod.Duration,
+		Callbacks: leaderelection.LeaderCallbacks{
+			OnStartedLeading: func(stop <-chan struct{}) {
+				subCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+				go cb(subCtx)
+				<-stop
+				cancel()
+			},
+			OnStoppedLeading: func() {
+				logrus.Fatalf("leaderelection lost for %s", name)
+			},
+		},
+	})
+	panic("unreachable")
+}
+
+func createRecorder(name string, kubeClient kubernetes.Interface) record.EventRecorder {
+	eventBroadcaster := record.NewBroadcaster()
+	eventBroadcaster.StartLogging(logrus.Infof)
+	eventBroadcaster.StartRecordingToSink(&v1core.EventSinkImpl{Interface: v1core.New(kubeClient.CoreV1().RESTClient()).Events("")})
+	return eventBroadcaster.NewRecorder(api.Scheme, v1.EventSource{Component: name})
+}