diff --git a/content/en/docs/setup/independent/install-kubeadm.md b/content/en/docs/setup/independent/install-kubeadm.md
index 2ae05442ecc6b..a940111b516cb 100644
--- a/content/en/docs/setup/independent/install-kubeadm.md
+++ b/content/en/docs/setup/independent/install-kubeadm.md
@@ -150,6 +150,12 @@ kubelet and the control plane is supported, but the kubelet version may never ex
 server version. For example, kubelets running 1.7.0 should be fully compatible with a 1.8.0 API server,
 but not vice versa.
 
+{{< warning >}}
+These instructions exclude all Kubernetes packages from any system upgrades.
+This is because kubeadm and Kubernetes require
+[special attention to upgrade](/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/kubeadm/kubeadm-upgrade-1-11/).
+{{</ warning >}}
+
 For more information on version skews, please read our 
 [version skew policy](/docs/setup/independent/create-cluster-kubeadm/#version-skew-policy).
 
@@ -163,6 +169,7 @@ deb http://apt.kubernetes.io/ kubernetes-xenial main
 EOF
 apt-get update
 apt-get install -y kubelet kubeadm kubectl
+apt-mark hold kubelet kubeadm kubectl
 ```
 {{% /tab %}}
 {{% tab name="CentOS, RHEL or Fedora" %}}
@@ -175,6 +182,7 @@ enabled=1
 gpgcheck=1
 repo_gpgcheck=1
 gpgkey=https://packages.cloud.google.com/yum/doc/yum-key.gpg https://packages.cloud.google.com/yum/doc/rpm-package-key.gpg
+exclude=kube*
 EOF
 setenforce 0
 yum install -y kubelet kubeadm kubectl
diff --git a/content/en/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/kubeadm/kubeadm-upgrade-1-11.md b/content/en/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/kubeadm/kubeadm-upgrade-1-11.md
index d9746c902d914..821d0631c6083 100644
--- a/content/en/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/kubeadm/kubeadm-upgrade-1-11.md
+++ b/content/en/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/kubeadm/kubeadm-upgrade-1-11.md
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ To keep `kube-dns`, pass `--feature-flags=CoreDNS=false` to `kubeadm upgrade app
     apt-get upgrade -y kubelet kubeadm
     {{% /tab %}}
     {{% tab name="CentOS, RHEL or Fedora" %}}
-    yum upgrade -y kubelet kubeadm
+    yum upgrade -y kubelet kubeadm --disableexcludes=kubernetes
     {{% /tab %}}
     {{< /tabs >}}