diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 6a456f9df..7a424d01d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -371,9 +371,9 @@ before_script:
   CLUSTER_MODE: separate
   STARTUP_SCRIPT: ""
 
-.ubuntu_flannel_rbac_variables: &ubuntu_flannel_rbac_variables
+.ubuntu_flannel_norbac_variables: &ubuntu_flannel_norbac_variables
 # stage: deploy-gce-special
-  AUTHORIZATION_MODES: "{ 'authorization_modes':  [ 'RBAC' ] }"
+  AUTHORIZATION_MODES: "{ 'authorization_modes':  [] }"
   KUBE_NETWORK_PLUGIN: flannel
   CLOUD_IMAGE: ubuntu-1604-xenial
   CLOUD_REGION: europe-west1-b
@@ -605,13 +605,13 @@ ubuntu-vault-sep:
   except: ['triggers']
   only: ['master', /^pr-.*$/]
 
-ubuntu-flannel-rbac-sep:
+ubuntu-flannel-norbac-sep:
   stage: deploy-gce-special
   <<: *job
   <<: *gce
   variables:
     <<: *gce_variables
-    <<: *ubuntu_flannel_rbac_variables
+    <<: *ubuntu_flannel_norbac_variables
   when: manual
   except: ['triggers']
   only: ['master', /^pr-.*$/]
diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/k8s-cluster.yml b/inventory/group_vars/k8s-cluster.yml
index b70cd6766..6146a9840 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/k8s-cluster.yml
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/k8s-cluster.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ kube_api_anonymous_auth: false
 ## Change this to use another Kubernetes version, e.g. a current beta release
 kube_version: v1.7.3
 
+# Disable RBAC by setting this to an empty list. Other choices: AlwaysAllow, AlwaysDeny
+authorization_modes: ['RBAC']
+
 # Where the binaries will be downloaded.
 # Note: ensure that you've enough disk space (about 1G)
 local_release_dir: "/tmp/releases"
diff --git a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main.yaml
index 5405e2577..386205fcb 100644
--- a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ openstack_lbaas_monitor_max_retries: false
 ## List of authorization modes that must be configured for
 ## the k8s cluster. Only 'AlwaysAllow','AlwaysDeny', and
 ## 'RBAC' modes are tested.
-authorization_modes: []
+authorization_modes: ['RBAC']
 rbac_enabled: "{{ 'RBAC' in authorization_modes }}"
 
 ## List of key=value pairs that describe feature gates for