diff --git a/build_library/release_util.sh b/build_library/release_util.sh
index fad1936cfd..8d96e04cff 100644
--- a/build_library/release_util.sh
+++ b/build_library/release_util.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # found in the LICENSE file.
 
 GSUTIL_OPTS=
-UPLOAD_ROOT="gs://storage.core-os.net/coreos"
+UPLOAD_ROOT="${COREOS_UPLOAD_ROOT:-gs://storage.core-os.net/coreos}"
 UPLOAD_PATH=
 UPLOAD_DEFAULT=${FLAGS_FALSE}
 if [[ ${COREOS_OFFICIAL:-0} -eq 1 ]]; then
diff --git a/build_library/vm_image_util.sh b/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
index db157004ec..568e5ab402 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 +111,10 @@ IMG_pxe_PARTITIONED_IMG=0
 IMG_pxe_CONF_FORMAT=pxe
 IMG_pxe_OEM_PACKAGE=oem-pxe
 
+## gce, image tarball
+IMG_gce_CONF_FORMAT=gce
+IMG_gce_OEM_PACKAGE=oem-gce
+
 ## rackspace
 # TODO: package doesn't exist yet
 IMG_rackspace_OEM_PACKAGE=oem-rackspace
@@ -695,6 +700,16 @@ 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}"