diff --git a/Godeps/Godeps.json b/Godeps/Godeps.json
index a3b88cd148848..ed198300f6d7e 100644
--- a/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
 	"ImportPath": "k8s.io/kubernetes",
 	"GoVersion": "go1.7",
-	"GodepVersion": "v74",
+	"GodepVersion": "v79",
 	"Packages": [
 		"github.com/ugorji/go/codec/codecgen",
 		"github.com/onsi/ginkgo/ginkgo",
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "bitbucket.org/ww/goautoneg",
 			"Comment": "null-5",
-			"Rev": "'75cd24fc2f2c2a2088577d12123ddee5f54e0675'"
+			"Rev": "75cd24fc2f2c2a2088577d12123ddee5f54e0675"
 		},
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "cloud.google.com/go/compute/metadata",
diff --git a/hack/godep-save.sh b/hack/godep-save.sh
index cc509be7e93e4..20b3baf0ffb6d 100755
--- a/hack/godep-save.sh
+++ b/hack/godep-save.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ KUBE_ROOT=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")/..
 source "${KUBE_ROOT}/hack/lib/init.sh"
 source "${KUBE_ROOT}/hack/lib/util.sh"
 
-kube::util::ensure_godep_version v74
+kube::util::ensure_godep_version v79
 
 # Some things we want in godeps aren't code dependencies, so ./...
 # won't pick them up.
diff --git a/hack/lib/golang.sh b/hack/lib/golang.sh
index 4632fcca59139..c1259a4896a51 100755
--- a/hack/lib/golang.sh
+++ b/hack/lib/golang.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ kube::golang::server_targets() {
 readonly KUBE_SERVER_TARGETS=($(kube::golang::server_targets))
 readonly KUBE_SERVER_BINARIES=("${KUBE_SERVER_TARGETS[@]##*/}")
 
-# The set of server targets that we are only building for Kubernetes nodes 
+# The set of server targets that we are only building for Kubernetes nodes
 # If you update this list, please also update build/release-tars/BUILD.
 kube::golang::node_targets() {
   local targets=(
@@ -313,33 +313,6 @@ kube::golang::create_gopath_tree() {
 EOF
 }
 
-# Ensure the godep tool exists and is a viable version.
-kube::golang::verify_godep_version() {
-  local -a godep_version_string
-  local godep_version
-  local godep_min_version="63"
-
-  if ! which godep &>/dev/null; then
-    kube::log::usage_from_stdin <<EOF
-Can't find 'godep' in PATH, please fix and retry.
-See https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/docs/devel/development.md#godep-and-dependency-management for installation instructions.
-EOF
-    return 2
-  fi
-
-  godep_version_string=($(godep version))
-  godep_version=${godep_version_string[1]/v/}
-  if ((godep_version<$godep_min_version)); then
-    kube::log::usage_from_stdin <<EOF
-Detected godep version: ${godep_version_string[*]}.
-Kubernetes requires godep v$godep_min_version or greater.
-Please update:
-go get -u github.com/tools/godep
-EOF
-    return 2
-  fi
-}
-
 # Ensure the go tool exists and is a viable version.
 kube::golang::verify_go_version() {
   if [[ -z "$(which go)" ]]; then
diff --git a/hack/lib/util.sh b/hack/lib/util.sh
index df72e0b82a0f3..6a0386a3415ed 100755
--- a/hack/lib/util.sh
+++ b/hack/lib/util.sh
@@ -469,7 +469,8 @@ kube::util::ensure_clean_working_dir() {
 
 # Ensure that the given godep version is installed and in the path
 kube::util::ensure_godep_version() {
-  if [[ "$(godep version)" == *"godep ${1}"* ]]; then
+  GODEP_VERSION=${1:-"v79"}
+  if [[ "$(godep version)" == *"godep ${GODEP_VERSION}"* ]]; then
     return
   fi
 
@@ -478,7 +479,7 @@ kube::util::ensure_godep_version() {
 
   GOPATH="${KUBE_TEMP}/go" go get -d -u github.com/tools/godep 2>/dev/null
   pushd "${KUBE_TEMP}/go/src/github.com/tools/godep" >/dev/null
-    git checkout "${1:-v74}"
+    git checkout "${GODEP_VERSION}"
     GOPATH="${KUBE_TEMP}/go" go install .
   popd >/dev/null
 
diff --git a/hack/update-all.sh b/hack/update-all.sh
index e14bf72f96498..7e4d1306553e4 100755
--- a/hack/update-all.sh
+++ b/hack/update-all.sh
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ if ! $ALL ; then
 	echo "Running in short-circuit mode; run with -a to force all scripts to run."
 fi
 
-kube::util::ensure_godep_version v74
+kube::util::ensure_godep_version v79
 
 if ! kube::util::godep_restored 2>&1 | sed 's/^/  /'; then
 	echo "Running godep restore"
@@ -95,4 +95,3 @@ for t in $BASH_TARGETS; do
 done
 
 echo -e "${color_green}Update scripts completed successfully${color_norm}"
-
diff --git a/hack/update-staging-client-go.sh b/hack/update-staging-client-go.sh
index a723c37b810a2..5ac6b80ac052e 100755
--- a/hack/update-staging-client-go.sh
+++ b/hack/update-staging-client-go.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ KUBE_ROOT=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")/..
 source "${KUBE_ROOT}/hack/lib/util.sh"
 
 kube::util::ensure_clean_working_dir
-kube::util::ensure_godep_version v74
+kube::util::ensure_godep_version v79
 
 cd ${KUBE_ROOT}
 
diff --git a/hack/update-staging-godeps.sh b/hack/update-staging-godeps.sh
index aad1c92803ee0..94f7a6b19010a 100755
--- a/hack/update-staging-godeps.sh
+++ b/hack/update-staging-godeps.sh
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ if ! kube::util::godep_restored 2>&1 | sed 's/^/  /'; then
 fi
 
 kube::util::ensure-temp-dir
-kube::util::ensure_godep_version v74
+kube::util::ensure_godep_version v79
 
 TMP_GOPATH="${KUBE_TEMP}/go"
 
diff --git a/hack/verify-godeps.sh b/hack/verify-godeps.sh
index 07cd72f151854..82a2a75a9bff9 100755
--- a/hack/verify-godeps.sh
+++ b/hack/verify-godeps.sh
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ preload-dep() {
 
 KUBE_ROOT=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")/..
 source "${KUBE_ROOT}/hack/lib/init.sh"
-kube::golang::verify_godep_version
 
 readonly branch=${1:-${KUBE_VERIFY_GIT_BRANCH:-master}}
 if ! [[ ${KUBE_FORCE_VERIFY_CHECKS:-} =~ ^[yY]$ ]] && \
@@ -86,23 +85,12 @@ _kubetmp="${_kubetmp}/kubernetes"
 export GOPATH="${_tmpdir}"
 
 pushd "${_kubetmp}" 2>&1 > /dev/null
-  # Build the godep tool
-  go get -u github.com/tools/godep 2>/dev/null
-  export GODEP="${GOPATH}/bin/godep"
-  pin-godep() {
-    pushd "${GOPATH}/src/github.com/tools/godep" > /dev/null
-      git checkout "$1"
-      "${GODEP}" go install
-    popd > /dev/null
-  }
-  # Use to following if we ever need to pin godep to a specific version again
-  pin-godep 'v74'
-  "${GODEP}" version
+  kube::util::ensure_godep_version v79
 
   export GOPATH="${GOPATH}:${_kubetmp}/staging"
   # Fill out that nice clean place with the kube godeps
   echo "Starting to download all kubernetes godeps. This takes a while"
-  "${GODEP}" restore
+  godep restore
   echo "Download finished"
 
   # Destroy deps in the copy of the kube tree
@@ -132,7 +120,7 @@ pushd "${KUBE_ROOT}" 2>&1 > /dev/null
     ret=1
   fi
 
-  if ! _out="$(diff -Naupr -x 'BUILD' vendor ${_kubetmp}/vendor)"; then
+  if ! _out="$(diff -Naupr -x "BUILD" -x "AUTHORS*" -x "CONTRIBUTORS*" vendor ${_kubetmp}/vendor)"; then
     echo "Your vendored results are different:"
     echo "${_out}"
     echo "Godeps Verify failed."
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/Godeps/Godeps.json b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/Godeps/Godeps.json
index 37359166f0f02..a6facd337be17 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
 	"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apimachinery",
 	"GoVersion": "go1.7",
-	"GodepVersion": "v74",
+	"GodepVersion": "v79",
 	"Packages": [
 		"./..."
 	],
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
index 7c038278996fb..47c3f8a23523e 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 {
 	"ImportPath": "k8s.io/apiserver",
 	"GoVersion": "go1.7",
-	"GodepVersion": "v74",
+	"GodepVersion": "v79",
 	"Packages": [
 		"./..."
 	],
 	"Deps": [
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "bitbucket.org/ww/goautoneg",
-			"Rev": "'75cd24fc2f2c2a2088577d12123ddee5f54e0675'"
+			"Rev": "75cd24fc2f2c2a2088577d12123ddee5f54e0675"
 		},
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "github.com/PuerkitoBio/purell",
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/Godeps/Godeps.json b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/Godeps/Godeps.json
index 30890b49246db..f90af65f2c6b9 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
 	"ImportPath": "k8s.io/client-go",
 	"GoVersion": "go1.7",
-	"GodepVersion": "v74",
+	"GodepVersion": "v79",
 	"Packages": [
 		"./..."
 	],
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/Godeps/Godeps.json b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/Godeps/Godeps.json
index fdf3339fb7463..2552883b2379e 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kube-aggregator/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 {
 	"ImportPath": "k8s.io/kube-aggregator",
 	"GoVersion": "go1.7",
-	"GodepVersion": "v74",
+	"GodepVersion": "v79",
 	"Packages": [
 		"./..."
 	],
 	"Deps": [
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "bitbucket.org/ww/goautoneg",
-			"Rev": "'75cd24fc2f2c2a2088577d12123ddee5f54e0675'"
+			"Rev": "75cd24fc2f2c2a2088577d12123ddee5f54e0675"
 		},
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "github.com/PuerkitoBio/purell",
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
index f7a85ea4e0479..02c5655c9ec5e 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/sample-apiserver/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 {
 	"ImportPath": "k8s.io/sample-apiserver",
 	"GoVersion": "go1.7",
-	"GodepVersion": "v74",
+	"GodepVersion": "v79",
 	"Packages": [
 		"./..."
 	],
 	"Deps": [
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "bitbucket.org/ww/goautoneg",
-			"Rev": "'75cd24fc2f2c2a2088577d12123ddee5f54e0675'"
+			"Rev": "75cd24fc2f2c2a2088577d12123ddee5f54e0675"
 		},
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "github.com/PuerkitoBio/purell",