diff --git a/cluster.yml b/cluster.yml
index fb7dec4cb..b4a48985f 100644
--- a/cluster.yml
+++ b/cluster.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
   roles:
     - { role: kubespray-defaults}
     - { role: kubernetes/preinstall, tags: preinstall }
-    - { role: docker, tags: docker }
+    - { role: docker, tags: docker, when: manage_docker|default(true) }
     - role: rkt
       tags: rkt
       when: "'rkt' in [etcd_deployment_type, kubelet_deployment_type, vault_deployment_type]"
diff --git a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main.yaml
index 82df06f21..f297c007e 100644
--- a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -129,6 +129,10 @@ kube_apiserver_insecure_port: 8080
 # Aggregator
 kube_api_aggregator_routing: false
 
+# Docker options
+# Optionally do not run docker role
+manage_docker: true
+
 # Path used to store Docker data
 docker_daemon_graph: "/var/lib/docker"
 
diff --git a/scale.yml b/scale.yml
index bcf6c69b0..3f8613011 100644
--- a/scale.yml
+++ b/scale.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
   roles:
     - { role: kubespray-defaults}
     - { role: kubernetes/preinstall, tags: preinstall }
-    - { role: docker, tags: docker }
+    - { role: docker, tags: docker, when: manage_docker|default(true) }
     - role: rkt
       tags: rkt
       when: "'rkt' in [etcd_deployment_type, kubelet_deployment_type, vault_deployment_type]"
diff --git a/upgrade-cluster.yml b/upgrade-cluster.yml
index 7acec3083..9e858acd3 100644
--- a/upgrade-cluster.yml
+++ b/upgrade-cluster.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
   roles:
     - { role: kubespray-defaults}
     - { role: kubernetes/preinstall, tags: preinstall }
-    - { role: docker, tags: docker }
+    - { role: docker, tags: docker, when: manage_docker|default(true) }
     - role: rkt
       tags: rkt
       when: "'rkt' in [etcd_deployment_type, kubelet_deployment_type, vault_deployment_type]"