diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 03ce2f5e9..b61ba0a4b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ sudo containerd
 ```
 2. Start `cri-containerd` as root in a second terminal:
 ```bash
-sudo cri-containerd -v 2 --alsologtostderr
+sudo cri-containerd
 ```
 3. From the Kubernetes project directory startup a local cluster using `cri-containerd`:
 ```bash
diff --git a/cluster/gce/cloud-init/master.yaml b/cluster/gce/cloud-init/master.yaml
index 4429802d8..09505defd 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/cloud-init/master.yaml
+++ b/cluster/gce/cloud-init/master.yaml
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ write_files:
       # cri-containerd on master uses the cni binary and config in the
       # release tarball.
       ExecStart=/home/cri-containerd/usr/local/bin/cri-containerd \
-        --logtostderr --v=4 \
+        --log-level=debug \
         --network-bin-dir=/home/cri-containerd/opt/cni/bin \
         --network-conf-dir=/home/cri-containerd/etc/cni/net.d
 
diff --git a/cluster/gce/cloud-init/node.yaml b/cluster/gce/cloud-init/node.yaml
index 379f84e37..ac04e4f72 100644
--- a/cluster/gce/cloud-init/node.yaml
+++ b/cluster/gce/cloud-init/node.yaml
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ write_files:
       # Point to /home/kubernetes/bin where calico setup cni binary in kube-up.sh.
       # Point to /etc/cni/net.d where calico put cni config in kube-up.sh.
       ExecStart=/home/cri-containerd/usr/local/bin/cri-containerd \
-        --logtostderr --v=4 \
+        --log-level=debug \
         --network-bin-dir=/home/kubernetes/bin \
         --network-conf-dir=/etc/cni/net.d
 
diff --git a/contrib/systemd-units/cri-containerd.service b/contrib/systemd-units/cri-containerd.service
index 65e247e6d..b82e85e27 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd-units/cri-containerd.service
+++ b/contrib/systemd-units/cri-containerd.service
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ LimitNOFILE=1048576
 # in the kernel. We recommend using cgroups to do container-local accounting.
 LimitNPROC=infinity
 LimitCORE=infinity
-ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/cri-containerd --logtostderr
+ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/cri-containerd
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/hack/test-utils.sh b/hack/test-utils.sh
index dea502161..5b61fbb4c 100644
--- a/hack/test-utils.sh
+++ b/hack/test-utils.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ test_setup() {
 
   # Start cri-containerd
   if ${STANDALONE_CRI_CONTAINERD}; then
-    keepalive "sudo ${ROOT}/_output/cri-containerd --alsologtostderr --v 4 ${CRI_CONTAINERD_FLAGS}" \
+    keepalive "sudo ${ROOT}/_output/cri-containerd --log-level=debug ${CRI_CONTAINERD_FLAGS}" \
       ${RESTART_WAIT_PERIOD} &> ${report_dir}/cri-containerd.log &
     cri_containerd_pid=$!
   fi
diff --git a/test/e2e_node/init.yaml b/test/e2e_node/init.yaml
index b92bae74b..2dca189a6 100644
--- a/test/e2e_node/init.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e_node/init.yaml
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ write_files:
       LimitNPROC=infinity
       LimitCORE=infinity
       ExecStart=/home/cri-containerd/usr/local/bin/cri-containerd \
-        --logtostderr --v=4 \
+        --log-level=debug \
         --network-bin-dir=/home/cri-containerd/opt/cni/bin \
         --network-conf-dir=/home/cri-containerd/etc/cni/net.d