diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 186251328..2a0106162 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ before_script:
   PRIVATE_KEY: $GCE_PRIVATE_KEY
   GS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: $GS_KEY
   GS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: $GS_SECRET
+  CLOUD_MACHINE_TYPE: "g1-small"
   ANSIBLE_KEEP_REMOTE_FILES: "1"
   ANSIBLE_CONFIG: ./tests/ansible.cfg
   BOOTSTRAP_OS: none
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ before_script:
       -e gce_credentials_file=${HOME}/.ssh/gce.json
       -e gce_project_id=${GCE_PROJECT_ID}
       -e gce_service_account_email=${GCE_ACCOUNT}
+      -e cloud_machine_type=${CLOUD_MACHINE_TYPE}
       -e inventory_path=${PWD}/inventory/inventory.ini
       -e kube_network_plugin=${KUBE_NETWORK_PLUGIN}
       -e mode=${CLUSTER_MODE}
@@ -265,6 +267,7 @@ before_script:
   KUBE_NETWORK_PLUGIN: canal
   CLOUD_IMAGE: ubuntu-1604-xenial
   CLOUD_REGION: europe-west1-b
+  CLOUD_MACHINE_TYPE: "n1-standard-2"
   UPGRADE_TEST: "basic"
   CLUSTER_MODE: ha
   UPGRADE_TEST: "graceful"
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/master/tasks/post-upgrade.yml b/roles/kubernetes/master/tasks/post-upgrade.yml
index d157311de..e99912976 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/master/tasks/post-upgrade.yml
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/master/tasks/post-upgrade.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,23 @@
 ---
-- name: "Post-upgrade | restart kubelet on all masters"
+- name: "Post-upgrade | stop kubelet on all masters"
   service:
     name: kubelet
-    state: restarted
+    state: stopped
+  delegate_to: "{{item}}"
+  with_items: "{{groups['kube-master']}}"
+  when: needs_etcd_migration|bool
+
+- name: "Post-upgrade | Pause for kubelet stop"
+  pause:
+    seconds: 10
+  when: needs_etcd_migration|bool
+
+- name: "Post-upgrade | stop kubelet on all masters"
+  service:
+    name: kubelet
+    state: started
   delegate_to: "{{item}}"
   with_items: "{{groups['kube-master']}}"
-  register: kube_apiserver_manifest_replaced
   when: needs_etcd_migration|bool
 
 - name: "Post-upgrade | etcd3 upgrade | purge etcd2 k8s data"