diff --git a/pkg/model/components/etcdmanager/model.go b/pkg/model/components/etcdmanager/model.go
index 77e67559cc..af1d811e8f 100644
--- a/pkg/model/components/etcdmanager/model.go
+++ b/pkg/model/components/etcdmanager/model.go
@@ -445,6 +445,7 @@ func (b *EtcdManagerBuilder) buildPod(etcdCluster *kops.EtcdClusterSpec) (*v1.Po
 	}
 
 	kubemanifest.MarkPodAsCritical(pod)
+	kubemanifest.MarkPodAsClusterCritical(pod)
 
 	return pod, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/model/components/etcdmanager/tests/minimal/tasks.yaml b/pkg/model/components/etcdmanager/tests/minimal/tasks.yaml
index 6c4d074fe6..c5470b102e 100644
--- a/pkg/model/components/etcdmanager/tests/minimal/tasks.yaml
+++ b/pkg/model/components/etcdmanager/tests/minimal/tasks.yaml
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ Contents:
           name: varlogetcd
       hostNetwork: true
       hostPID: true
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       tolerations:
       - key: CriticalAddonsOnly
         operator: Exists
@@ -178,6 +179,7 @@ Contents:
           name: varlogetcd
       hostNetwork: true
       hostPID: true
+      priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       tolerations:
       - key: CriticalAddonsOnly
         operator: Exists
@@ -201,4 +203,4 @@ Contents:
     status: {}
 Lifecycle: null
 Location: manifests/etcd/main.yaml
-Name: manifests-etcdmanager-main
\ No newline at end of file
+Name: manifests-etcdmanager-main
diff --git a/protokube/pkg/protokube/etcd_manifest.go b/protokube/pkg/protokube/etcd_manifest.go
index 8c7142176c..f5920307e4 100644
--- a/protokube/pkg/protokube/etcd_manifest.go
+++ b/protokube/pkg/protokube/etcd_manifest.go
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ func BuildEtcdManifest(c *EtcdCluster) *v1.Pod {
 	}
 
 	kubemanifest.MarkPodAsCritical(pod)
+	kubemanifest.MarkPodAsClusterCritical(pod)
 
 	return pod
 }
diff --git a/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/etcd_env_vars.yaml b/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/etcd_env_vars.yaml
index c1dc4a284b..772a7c0da7 100644
--- a/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/etcd_env_vars.yaml
+++ b/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/etcd_env_vars.yaml
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ spec:
       name: hosts
       readOnly: true
   hostNetwork: true
+  priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
   tolerations:
   - key: CriticalAddonsOnly
     operator: Exists
diff --git a/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/non_tls.yaml b/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/non_tls.yaml
index dabb42b636..a74a413f77 100644
--- a/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/non_tls.yaml
+++ b/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/non_tls.yaml
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ spec:
       name: hosts
       readOnly: true
   hostNetwork: true
+  priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
   tolerations:
   - key: CriticalAddonsOnly
     operator: Exists
diff --git a/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/tls.yaml b/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/tls.yaml
index 5d022b5f68..14ef074e38 100644
--- a/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/tls.yaml
+++ b/protokube/tests/integration/build_etcd_manifest/main/tls.yaml
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ spec:
       name: srvkubernetes
       readOnly: true
   hostNetwork: true
+  priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
   tolerations:
   - key: CriticalAddonsOnly
     operator: Exists