diff --git a/tests/integration/smoke_test.go b/tests/integration/smoke_test.go
index 1fda16fcd..a07e03769 100644
--- a/tests/integration/smoke_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/smoke_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package integration
 
 import (
+	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -132,11 +133,14 @@ func (suite *SmokeSuite) TestOperatorGetFlexvolumePath() {
 	rawLog, err := suite.k8sh.Clientset.Pods(sysNamespace).GetLogs(opPodName, &v1.PodLogOptions{}).Do().Raw()
 	require.Nil(suite.T(), err)
 
-	logStr := string(rawLog)
+	r := regexp.MustCompile(`discovered flexvolume dir path from source.*\n`)
+	logStmt := string(r.Find(rawLog))
+	logger.Infof("flexvolume discovery log statement: %s", logStmt)
 
 	// verify that the volume plugin dir was discovered by the operator pod and that it did not come from
 	// an env var or the default
-	assert.True(suite.T(), strings.Contains(logStr, "discovered flexvolume dir path from source"))
-	assert.False(suite.T(), strings.Contains(logStr, "discovered flexvolume dir path from source env var"))
-	assert.False(suite.T(), strings.Contains(logStr, "discovered flexvolume dir path from source default"))
+	require.NotEmpty(suite.T(), logStmt)
+	assert.True(suite.T(), strings.Contains(logStmt, "discovered flexvolume dir path from source"))
+	assert.False(suite.T(), strings.Contains(logStmt, "discovered flexvolume dir path from source env var"))
+	assert.False(suite.T(), strings.Contains(logStmt, "discovered flexvolume dir path from source default"))
 }
diff --git a/tests/scripts/kubeadm.sh b/tests/scripts/kubeadm.sh
index 116f49331..353147405 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/kubeadm.sh
+++ b/tests/scripts/kubeadm.sh
@@ -21,11 +21,17 @@ usage(){
 install_master(){
 
     # This is needed on K8S 1.6 to fix a regression. https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/47109
-    if [[ $KUBE_VERSION == v1.6* ]] ;
-    then
+    if [[ $KUBE_VERSION == v1.6* ]] ; then
         cat << EOF | sudo tee -a /etc/systemd/system/kubelet.service.d/11-disable_attachdetach_controller.conf
 [Service]
 Environment="KUBELET_SYSTEM_PODS_ARGS=--pod-manifest-path=/etc/kubernetes/manifests --allow-privileged=true --enable-controller-attach-detach=false"
+EOF
+        sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+    elif [[ $KUBE_VERSION == v1.8* ]] ; then
+        # for k8s 1.8, use a non default value for volume plugins
+        cat << EOF | sudo tee -a /etc/systemd/system/kubelet.service.d/11-volume_plugin_dir.conf
+[Service]
+Environment="KUBELET_SYSTEM_PODS_ARGS=--pod-manifest-path=/etc/kubernetes/manifests --allow-privileged=true --volume-plugin-dir=/var/lib/kubelet/volumeplugins"
 EOF
         sudo systemctl daemon-reload
     fi
@@ -60,6 +66,16 @@ EOF
 #install k8s node
 install_node(){
     echo "inside install node function"
+
+    # for k8s 1.8, use a non default value for volume plugins
+    if [[ $KUBE_VERSION == v1.8* ]] ; then
+        cat << EOF | sudo tee -a /etc/systemd/system/kubelet.service.d/11-volume_plugin_dir.conf
+[Service]
+Environment="KUBELET_SYSTEM_PODS_ARGS=--pod-manifest-path=/etc/kubernetes/manifests --allow-privileged=true --volume-plugin-dir=/var/lib/kubelet/volumeplugins"
+EOF
+        sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+    fi
+
     echo "kubeadm join ${1} ${2} ${3} ${4} ${5} --skip-preflight-checks"
     sudo kubeadm join ${1} ${2} ${3} ${4} ${5} --skip-preflight-checks || true
 }