diff --git a/build_library/vm_image_util.sh b/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
index db157004ec..2a0828a44f 100644
--- a/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
+++ b/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ VALID_IMG_TYPES=(
     vmware
     vmware_insecure
     xen
+    gce
 )
 
 # Set at runtime to one of the above types
@@ -110,6 +111,9 @@ IMG_pxe_PARTITIONED_IMG=0
 IMG_pxe_CONF_FORMAT=pxe
 IMG_pxe_OEM_PACKAGE=oem-pxe
 
+## gce, image tarball
+IMG_gce_CONF_FORMAT=gce
+
 ## rackspace
 # TODO: package doesn't exist yet
 IMG_rackspace_OEM_PACKAGE=oem-rackspace
@@ -695,6 +699,16 @@ EOF
     VM_GENERATED_FILES=( "${box}" "${VM_README}" )
 }
 
+_write_gce_conf() {
+    local src_name=$(basename "$VM_SRC_IMG")
+    local dst_dir=$(dirname "$VM_DST_IMG")
+    local tar_path="${dst_dir}/$(_src_to_dst_name "${src_name}" ".tar.gz")"
+
+    mv "${VM_DST_IMG}" "${VM_TMP_DIR}/disk.raw"
+    tar -czf "${tar_path}" -C "${VM_TMP_DIR}" "disk.raw"
+    VM_GENERATED_FILES=( "${tar_path}" )
+}
+
 vm_cleanup() {
     info "Cleaning up temporary files"
     sudo rm -rf "${VM_TMP_DIR}"