diff --git a/pkg/daemon/daemon.go b/pkg/daemon/daemon.go
index 4666bc196d..4be30657d9 100644
--- a/pkg/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/pkg/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -319,9 +319,15 @@ func (dn *Daemon) bootstrapNode() error {
 		return err
 	}
 	dn.node = node
+	if _, err := os.Stat("/etc/defaults/rhcos/reboot-needed"); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Remove("/etc/defaults/rhcos/reboot-needed"); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
 	if err := dn.CheckStateOnBoot(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+
 	// finished syncing node for the first time
 	dn.booting = false
 	return nil
@@ -330,6 +336,8 @@ func (dn *Daemon) bootstrapNode() error {
 func (dn *Daemon) handleErr(err error, key interface{}) {
 	if err == nil {
 		dn.queue.Forget(key)
+		// This is a workaround to have the controller keep calling the syncHandler for the MCD reboot signaling
+		dn.queue.AddAfter(key, 5*time.Minute)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -400,6 +408,18 @@ func (dn *Daemon) syncNode(key string) error {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
+		// FIXME: this is a temporary workaround, remove once an MCD signaling system is in place
+		if _, err := os.Stat("/etc/defaults/rhcos/reboot-needed"); err == nil {
+			dn.catchIgnoreSIGTERM()
+			if err := dn.drainNode(); err != nil {
+				dn.cancelSIGTERM()
+				return err
+			}
+			if err := dn.reboot("rebooting due to another component signaling"); err != nil {
+				dn.catchIgnoreSIGTERM()
+				return err
+			}
+		}
 		glog.V(2).Infof("Node %s is already synced", node.Name)
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/daemon/update.go b/pkg/daemon/update.go
index 26d815fa20..144713df9d 100644
--- a/pkg/daemon/update.go
+++ b/pkg/daemon/update.go
@@ -94,6 +94,45 @@ func getNodeRef(node *corev1.Node) *corev1.ObjectReference {
 	}
 }
 
+func (dn *Daemon) drainNode() error {
+	// Skip draining of the node when we're not cluster driven
+	if dn.onceFrom != "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	glog.Info("Update prepared; draining the node")
+	dn.recorder.Eventf(getNodeRef(dn.node), corev1.EventTypeNormal, "Drain", "Draining node to update config.")
+
+	backoff := wait.Backoff{
+		Steps:    5,
+		Duration: 10 * time.Second,
+		Factor:   2,
+	}
+	var lastErr error
+	if err := wait.ExponentialBackoff(backoff, func() (bool, error) {
+		err := drain.Drain(dn.kubeClient, []*corev1.Node{dn.node}, &drain.DrainOptions{
+			DeleteLocalData:    true,
+			Force:              true,
+			GracePeriodSeconds: 600,
+			IgnoreDaemonsets:   true,
+		})
+		if err == nil {
+			return true, nil
+		}
+		lastErr = err
+		glog.Infof("Draining failed with: %v, retrying", err)
+		return false, nil
+
+	}); err != nil {
+		if err == wait.ErrWaitTimeout {
+			return errors.Wrapf(lastErr, "failed to drain node (%d tries): %v", backoff.Steps, err)
+		}
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to drain node")
+	}
+	glog.Info("Node successfully drained")
+	return nil
+}
+
 // updateOSAndReboot is the last step in an update(), and it can also
 // be called as a special case for the "bootstrap pivot".
 func (dn *Daemon) updateOSAndReboot(newConfig *mcfgv1.MachineConfig) error {
@@ -101,39 +140,8 @@ func (dn *Daemon) updateOSAndReboot(newConfig *mcfgv1.MachineConfig) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// Skip draining of the node when we're not cluster driven
-	if dn.onceFrom == "" {
-		glog.Info("Update prepared; draining the node")
-
-		dn.recorder.Eventf(getNodeRef(dn.node), corev1.EventTypeNormal, "Drain", "Draining node to update config.")
-
-		backoff := wait.Backoff{
-			Steps:    5,
-			Duration: 10 * time.Second,
-			Factor:   2,
-		}
-		var lastErr error
-		if err := wait.ExponentialBackoff(backoff, func() (bool, error) {
-			err := drain.Drain(dn.kubeClient, []*corev1.Node{dn.node}, &drain.DrainOptions{
-				DeleteLocalData:    true,
-				Force:              true,
-				GracePeriodSeconds: 600,
-				IgnoreDaemonsets:   true,
-			})
-			if err == nil {
-				return true, nil
-			}
-			lastErr = err
-			glog.Infof("Draining failed with: %v, retrying", err)
-			return false, nil
-
-		}); err != nil {
-			if err == wait.ErrWaitTimeout {
-				return errors.Wrapf(lastErr, "failed to drain node (%d tries): %v", backoff.Steps, err)
-			}
-			return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to drain node")
-		}
-		glog.Info("Node successfully drained")
+	if err := dn.drainNode(); err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	if err := dn.writePendingState(newConfig); err != nil {