diff --git a/parts/k8s/cloud-init/masternodecustomdata.yml b/parts/k8s/cloud-init/masternodecustomdata.yml
index af7086f375..c663d1d490 100644
--- a/parts/k8s/cloud-init/masternodecustomdata.yml
+++ b/parts/k8s/cloud-init/masternodecustomdata.yml
@@ -351,7 +351,9 @@ MASTER_CONTAINER_ADDONS_PLACEHOLDER
   owner: root
   content: |
     KUBELET_CONFIG={{GetKubeletConfigKeyVals .MasterProfile.KubernetesConfig}}
+{{- if not (IsKubernetesVersionGe "1.17.0")}}
     KUBELET_IMAGE={{GetHyperkubeImageReference}}
+{{end}}
 {{if IsKubernetesVersionGe "1.16.0"}}
     KUBELET_NODE_LABELS={{GetMasterKubernetesLabels "',variables('labelResourceGroup'),'"}}
 {{else}}
diff --git a/parts/k8s/cloud-init/nodecustomdata.yml b/parts/k8s/cloud-init/nodecustomdata.yml
index ad08d74288..0ca58d6ad2 100644
--- a/parts/k8s/cloud-init/nodecustomdata.yml
+++ b/parts/k8s/cloud-init/nodecustomdata.yml
@@ -306,8 +306,10 @@ write_files:
   owner: root
   content: |
     KUBELET_CONFIG={{GetKubeletConfigKeyVals .KubernetesConfig }}
-    KUBELET_IMAGE={{GetHyperkubeImageReference}}
     KUBELET_REGISTER_SCHEDULABLE=true
+{{- if not (IsKubernetesVersionGe "1.17.0")}}
+    KUBELET_IMAGE={{GetHyperkubeImageReference}}
+{{end}}
 {{if IsKubernetesVersionGe "1.16.0"}}
     KUBELET_NODE_LABELS={{GetAgentKubernetesLabels . "',variables('labelResourceGroup'),'"}}
 {{else}}
diff --git a/pkg/engine/templates_generated.go b/pkg/engine/templates_generated.go
index 2865b0397f..56224ccfd9 100644
--- a/pkg/engine/templates_generated.go
+++ b/pkg/engine/templates_generated.go
@@ -39512,7 +39512,9 @@ MASTER_CONTAINER_ADDONS_PLACEHOLDER
   owner: root
   content: |
     KUBELET_CONFIG={{GetKubeletConfigKeyVals .MasterProfile.KubernetesConfig}}
+{{- if not (IsKubernetesVersionGe "1.17.0")}}
     KUBELET_IMAGE={{GetHyperkubeImageReference}}
+{{end}}
 {{if IsKubernetesVersionGe "1.16.0"}}
     KUBELET_NODE_LABELS={{GetMasterKubernetesLabels "',variables('labelResourceGroup'),'"}}
 {{else}}
@@ -40052,8 +40054,10 @@ write_files:
   owner: root
   content: |
     KUBELET_CONFIG={{GetKubeletConfigKeyVals .KubernetesConfig }}
-    KUBELET_IMAGE={{GetHyperkubeImageReference}}
     KUBELET_REGISTER_SCHEDULABLE=true
+{{- if not (IsKubernetesVersionGe "1.17.0")}}
+    KUBELET_IMAGE={{GetHyperkubeImageReference}}
+{{end}}
 {{if IsKubernetesVersionGe "1.16.0"}}
     KUBELET_NODE_LABELS={{GetAgentKubernetesLabels . "',variables('labelResourceGroup'),'"}}
 {{else}}