diff --git a/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go b/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go
index 6aa82731eb..999ce1e3b3 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go
@@ -245,9 +245,12 @@ func NewCmdCreateCluster(f *util.Factory, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 		// TODO complete VFS paths
 	}
 
-	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.KubernetesVersion, "kubernetes-version", options.KubernetesVersion, "Version of kubernetes to run (defaults to version in channel)")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.KubernetesVersion, "kubernetes-version", options.KubernetesVersion, "Version of Kubernetes to run (defaults to version in channel)")
 	cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("kubernetes-version", completeKubernetesVersion)
 
+	cmd.Flags().StringSliceVar(&options.KubernetesFeatureGates, "kubernetes-feature-gates", options.KubernetesFeatureGates, "List of Kubernetes feature gates to enable/disable")
+	cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("kubernetes-version", completeKubernetesFeatureGates)
+
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.ContainerRuntime, "container-runtime", options.ContainerRuntime, "Container runtime to use: containerd, docker")
 	cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("container-runtime", func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, toComplete string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
 		return []string{"containerd", "docker"}, cobra.ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp
@@ -432,7 +435,7 @@ func NewCmdCreateCluster(f *util.Factory, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("os-ext-net", completeOpenstackExternalNet)
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.OpenstackExternalSubnet, "os-ext-subnet", options.OpenstackExternalSubnet, "External floating subnet to use with the openstack router")
 	cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("os-ext-subnet", completeOpenstackExternalSubnet)
-	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.OpenstackLBSubnet, "os-lb-floating-subnet", options.OpenstackLBSubnet, "External subnet to use with the kubernetes api")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.OpenstackLBSubnet, "os-lb-floating-subnet", options.OpenstackLBSubnet, "External subnet to use with the Kubernetes API")
 	cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("os-lb-floating-subnet", completeOpenstackLBSubnet)
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&options.OpenstackStorageIgnoreAZ, "os-kubelet-ignore-az", options.OpenstackStorageIgnoreAZ, "Attach volumes across availability zones")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&options.OpenstackLBOctavia, "os-octavia", options.OpenstackLBOctavia, "Use octavia load balancer API")
@@ -908,6 +911,11 @@ func completeKubernetesVersion(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, toComplete str
 	return versions.List(), cobra.ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp
 }
 
+func completeKubernetesFeatureGates(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, toComplete string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
+	// TODO check if there's a way to get the full list of feature gates from k8s libs
+	return nil, cobra.ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp
+}
+
 func completeInstanceImage(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, toComplete string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
 	// TODO call into cloud provider(s) to get list of valid images
 	return nil, cobra.ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp
diff --git a/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/new_cluster.go b/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/new_cluster.go
index 11df97412d..986e52ec33 100644
--- a/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/new_cluster.go
+++ b/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/new_cluster.go
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ type NewClusterOptions struct {
 	DiscoveryStore string
 	// KubernetesVersion is the version of Kubernetes to deploy. It defaults to the version recommended by the channel.
 	KubernetesVersion string
+	// KubernetesFeatureGates is the list of Kubernetes feature gates to enable/disable.
+	KubernetesFeatureGates []string
 	// AdminAccess is the set of CIDR blocks permitted to connect to the Kubernetes API. It defaults to "0.0.0.0/0" and "::/0".
 	AdminAccess []string
 	// SSHAccess is the set of CIDR blocks permitted to connect to SSH on the nodes. It defaults to the value of AdminAccess.
@@ -236,6 +238,38 @@ func NewCluster(opt *NewClusterOptions, clientset simple.Clientset) (*NewCluster
 		AnonymousAuth: fi.PtrTo(false),
 	}
 
+	if len(opt.KubernetesFeatureGates) > 0 {
+		cluster.Spec.Kubelet.FeatureGates = make(map[string]string)
+		cluster.Spec.KubeAPIServer = &api.KubeAPIServerConfig{
+			FeatureGates: make(map[string]string),
+		}
+		cluster.Spec.KubeControllerManager = &api.KubeControllerManagerConfig{
+			FeatureGates: make(map[string]string),
+		}
+		cluster.Spec.KubeProxy = &api.KubeProxyConfig{
+			FeatureGates: make(map[string]string),
+		}
+		cluster.Spec.KubeScheduler = &api.KubeSchedulerConfig{
+			FeatureGates: make(map[string]string),
+		}
+
+		for _, featureGate := range opt.KubernetesFeatureGates {
+			enabled := true
+			if featureGate[0] == '+' {
+				featureGate = featureGate[1:]
+			}
+			if featureGate[0] == '-' {
+				enabled = false
+				featureGate = featureGate[1:]
+			}
+			cluster.Spec.Kubelet.FeatureGates[featureGate] = strconv.FormatBool(enabled)
+			cluster.Spec.KubeAPIServer.FeatureGates[featureGate] = strconv.FormatBool(enabled)
+			cluster.Spec.KubeControllerManager.FeatureGates[featureGate] = strconv.FormatBool(enabled)
+			cluster.Spec.KubeProxy.FeatureGates[featureGate] = strconv.FormatBool(enabled)
+			cluster.Spec.KubeScheduler.FeatureGates[featureGate] = strconv.FormatBool(enabled)
+		}
+	}
+
 	if len(opt.AdminAccess) == 0 {
 		opt.AdminAccess = []string{"0.0.0.0/0", "::/0"}
 	}