diff --git a/docs/vars.md b/docs/vars.md
index 84340dfab..31aa5f85e 100644
--- a/docs/vars.md
+++ b/docs/vars.md
@@ -126,6 +126,13 @@ node_labels:
   label1_name: label1_value
   label2_name: label2_value
 ```
+* *node_taints* - Taints applied to nodes via kubelet --register-with-taints parameter.
+  For example, taints can be set in the inventory as variables or more widely in group_vars.
+  *node_taints* has to be defined as a list of strings in format `key=value:effect`, e.g.:
+```
+node_taints:
+  - "node.example.com/external=true:NoSchedule"
+```
 * *podsecuritypolicy_enabled* - When set to `true`, enables the PodSecurityPolicy admission controller and defines two policies `privileged` (applying to all resources in `kube-system` namespace and kubelet) and `restricted` (applying all other namespaces).
   Addons deployed in kube-system namespaces are handled.
 * *kubernetes_audit* - When set to `true`, enables Auditing.
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.kubeadm.env.j2 b/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.kubeadm.env.j2
index e8e5e7ed5..963a87b43 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.kubeadm.env.j2
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.kubeadm.env.j2
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ KUBELET_HOSTNAME="--hostname-override={{ kube_override_hostname }}"
 {% endif %}
 {% set all_node_labels = role_node_labels + inventory_node_labels %}
 
-KUBELET_ARGS="{{ kubelet_args_base }} {{ kubelet_args_dns }} {{ kube_reserved }} --node-labels={{ all_node_labels | join(',') }} {% if kube_feature_gates %} --feature-gates={{ kube_feature_gates|join(',') }} {% endif %} {% if kubelet_custom_flags is string %} {{kubelet_custom_flags}} {% else %}{% for flag in kubelet_custom_flags %} {{flag}} {% endfor %}{% endif %}{% if inventory_hostname in groups['kube-node'] %}{% if kubelet_node_custom_flags is string %} {{kubelet_node_custom_flags}} {% else %}{% for flag in kubelet_node_custom_flags %} {{flag}} {% endfor %}{% endif %}{% endif %}"
+KUBELET_ARGS="{{ kubelet_args_base }} {{ kubelet_args_dns }} {{ kube_reserved }} {% if node_taints|default([]) %}--register-with-taints={{ node_taints | join(',') }} {% endif %}--node-labels={{ all_node_labels | join(',') }} {% if kube_feature_gates %} --feature-gates={{ kube_feature_gates|join(',') }} {% endif %} {% if kubelet_custom_flags is string %} {{kubelet_custom_flags}} {% else %}{% for flag in kubelet_custom_flags %} {{flag}} {% endfor %}{% endif %}{% if inventory_hostname in groups['kube-node'] %}{% if kubelet_node_custom_flags is string %} {{kubelet_node_custom_flags}} {% else %}{% for flag in kubelet_node_custom_flags %} {{flag}} {% endfor %}{% endif %}{% endif %}"
 {% if kube_network_plugin is defined and kube_network_plugin in ["calico", "canal", "flannel", "weave", "contiv", "cilium", "kube-router"] %}
 KUBELET_NETWORK_PLUGIN="--network-plugin=cni --cni-conf-dir=/etc/cni/net.d --cni-bin-dir=/opt/cni/bin"
 {% elif kube_network_plugin is defined and kube_network_plugin == "cloud" %}
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.standard.env.j2 b/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.standard.env.j2
index 03cf28bc0..fa6d6c3f3 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.standard.env.j2
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.standard.env.j2
@@ -74,16 +74,18 @@ KUBELET_HOSTNAME="--hostname-override={{ kube_override_hostname }}"
 {% set kubelet_args_kubeconfig %}--kubeconfig={{ kube_config_dir}}/node-kubeconfig.yaml{% endset %}
 {% endif %}
 
+{% set role_node_taints = [] %}
 {% if standalone_kubelet|bool %}
 {# We are on a master-only host. Make the master unschedulable in this case. #}
 {% if kube_version is version('v1.6', '>=') %}
 {# Set taints on the master so that it's unschedulable by default. Use node-role.kubernetes.io/master taint like kubeadm. #}
-{% set kubelet_args_kubeconfig %}{{ kubelet_args_kubeconfig }} --register-with-taints=node-role.kubernetes.io/master=:NoSchedule{% endset %}
+{% set dummy = role_node_taints.append('node-role.kubernetes.io/master=:NoSchedule') %}
 {% else %}
 {# --register-with-taints was added in 1.6 so just register unschedulable if Kubernetes < 1.6 #}
 {% set kubelet_args_kubeconfig %}{{ kubelet_args_kubeconfig }} --register-schedulable=false{% endset %}
 {% endif %}
 {% endif %}
+{% set all_node_taints = node_taints|default([]) + role_node_taints %}
 
 {# Node reserved CPU/memory #}
 {% if is_kube_master|bool %}
@@ -122,7 +124,7 @@ KUBELET_HOSTNAME="--hostname-override={{ kube_override_hostname }}"
 {%   endif %}
 {% endif %}
 
-KUBELET_ARGS="{{ kubelet_args_base }} {{ kubelet_args_dns }} {{ kubelet_args_kubeconfig }} {{ kube_reserved }} --node-labels={{ all_node_labels | join(',') }} {% if kube_feature_gates %} --feature-gates={{ kube_feature_gates|join(',') }} {% endif %} {% if kubelet_custom_flags is string %} {{kubelet_custom_flags}} {% else %}{% for flag in kubelet_custom_flags %} {{flag}} {% endfor %}{% endif %}{% if inventory_hostname in groups['kube-node'] %}{% if kubelet_node_custom_flags is string %} {{kubelet_node_custom_flags}} {% else %}{% for flag in kubelet_node_custom_flags %} {{flag}} {% endfor %}{% endif %}{% endif %}"
+KUBELET_ARGS="{{ kubelet_args_base }} {{ kubelet_args_dns }} {{ kubelet_args_kubeconfig }} {{ kube_reserved }} {% if all_node_taints %}--register-with-taints={{ all_node_taints | join(',') }} {% endif %}--node-labels={{ all_node_labels | join(',') }} {% if kube_feature_gates %} --feature-gates={{ kube_feature_gates|join(',') }} {% endif %} {% if kubelet_custom_flags is string %} {{kubelet_custom_flags}} {% else %}{% for flag in kubelet_custom_flags %} {{flag}} {% endfor %}{% endif %}{% if inventory_hostname in groups['kube-node'] %}{% if kubelet_node_custom_flags is string %} {{kubelet_node_custom_flags}} {% else %}{% for flag in kubelet_node_custom_flags %} {{flag}} {% endfor %}{% endif %}{% endif %}"
 
 {% if kube_network_plugin is defined and kube_network_plugin in ["calico", "canal", "flannel", "weave", "contiv", "cilium", "kube-router"] %}
 KUBELET_NETWORK_PLUGIN="--network-plugin=cni --cni-conf-dir=/etc/cni/net.d --cni-bin-dir=/opt/cni/bin"