diff --git a/pkg/cmd/main.go b/pkg/cmd/main.go
index 9858efc7..56aa505c 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/main.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/main.go
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ var (
                  default interface will be used instead`)
 
 	httpPort = flags.Int("http-port", 8080, `The HTTP port to use for health checks`)
+
+	releaseVips = flags.Bool("release-vips", true, `add --release-vips to keepalived args`)
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -132,7 +134,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	glog.Info("starting LVS configuration")
-	ipvsc := controller.NewIPVSController(kubeClient, *watchNamespace, *useUnicast, *configMapName, *vrid, *proxyMode, *iface, *httpPort)
+	ipvsc := controller.NewIPVSController(kubeClient, *watchNamespace, *useUnicast, *configMapName, *vrid, *proxyMode, *iface, *httpPort, *releaseVips)
 
 	// If kube-proxy running in ipvs mode
 	// Reset of IPVS lead to connection loss with API server
diff --git a/pkg/controller/keepalived.go b/pkg/controller/keepalived.go
index 9e93e5bc..1d5b316e 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/keepalived.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/keepalived.go
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ type keepalived struct {
 	vrid           int
 	proxyMode      bool
 	notify         string
+	releaseVips    bool
 }
 
 // WriteCfg creates a new keepalived configuration file.
@@ -141,11 +142,12 @@ func (k *keepalived) Start() {
 		glog.V(2).Infof("chain %v already existed", iptablesChain)
 	}
 
-	k.cmd = exec.Command("keepalived",
-		"--dont-fork",
-		"--log-console",
-		"--release-vips",
-		"--log-detail")
+	args := []string{"--dont-fork", "--log-console", "--log-detail"}
+	if k.releaseVips {
+		args = append(args, "--release-vips")
+	}
+
+	k.cmd = exec.Command("keepalived", args...)
 
 	k.cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	k.cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
diff --git a/pkg/controller/main.go b/pkg/controller/main.go
index 4d49cc2f..2ab643f4 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/main.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/main.go
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ func (ipvsc *ipvsControllerController) Stop() error {
 }
 
 // NewIPVSController creates a new controller from the given config.
-func NewIPVSController(kubeClient *kubernetes.Clientset, namespace string, useUnicast bool, configMapName string, vrid int, proxyMode bool, iface string, httpPort int) *ipvsControllerController {
+func NewIPVSController(kubeClient *kubernetes.Clientset, namespace string, useUnicast bool, configMapName string, vrid int, proxyMode bool, iface string, httpPort int, releaseVips bool) *ipvsControllerController {
 	ipvsc := ipvsControllerController{
 		client:            kubeClient,
 		reloadRateLimiter: flowcontrol.NewTokenBucketRateLimiter(0.5, 1),
@@ -392,17 +392,18 @@ func NewIPVSController(kubeClient *kubernetes.Clientset, namespace string, useUn
 	iptInterface := utiliptables.New(execer, dbus, utiliptables.ProtocolIpv4)
 
 	ipvsc.keepalived = &keepalived{
-		iface:      iface,
-		ip:         nodeInfo.ip,
-		netmask:    nodeInfo.netmask,
-		nodes:      clusterNodes,
-		neighbors:  neighbors,
-		priority:   getNodePriority(nodeInfo.ip, clusterNodes),
-		useUnicast: useUnicast,
-		ipt:        iptInterface,
-		vrid:       vrid,
-		proxyMode:  proxyMode,
+		iface:       iface,
+		ip:          nodeInfo.ip,
+		netmask:     nodeInfo.netmask,
+		nodes:       clusterNodes,
+		neighbors:   neighbors,
+		priority:    getNodePriority(nodeInfo.ip, clusterNodes),
+		useUnicast:  useUnicast,
+		ipt:         iptInterface,
+		vrid:        vrid,
+		proxyMode:   proxyMode,
 		notify:     notify,
+		releaseVips: releaseVips,
 	}
 
 	ipvsc.syncQueue = task.NewTaskQueue(ipvsc.sync)