diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b0d372fd68..2fead9e18b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ TEST_RESULTS_DIR=testResults
 GOMETALINTER_OPTION=--tests --disable-all -E gofmt -E vet -E golint
 
 IMAGE_REGISTRY ?= local
-K8S_VERSION ?= v1.14.0
+K8S_VERSION ?= v1.15.0-rc.1
 AKSENGINE_VERSION ?= master
 HYPERKUBE_IMAGE ?= gcrio.azureedge.net/google_containers/hyperkube-amd64:$(K8S_VERSION)
 # manifest name under tests/e2e/k8s-azure/manifest
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ test-update: update-prepare update
 
 test-e2e:
 	hack/test_k8s_e2e.sh $(TEST_E2E_ARGS)
-	
+
 
 test-ccm-e2e:
 	go test ./tests/e2e/ -timeout 0 -v $(CCM_E2E_ARGS)
diff --git a/examples/aks-engine.json b/examples/aks-engine.json
index 68ce8389e9..c12943a5a0 100644
--- a/examples/aks-engine.json
+++ b/examples/aks-engine.json
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
     "properties": {
         "orchestratorProfile": {
             "orchestratorType": "Kubernetes",
-            "orchestratorRelease": "1.14",
+            "orchestratorRelease": "1.15",
             "kubernetesConfig": {
                 "useCloudControllerManager": true,
-                "customCcmImage": "gcrio.azureedge.net/google_containers/cloud-controller-manager-amd64:v1.14.0",
-                "customHyperkubeImage": "gcrio.azureedge.net/google_containers/hyperkube-amd64:v1.14.0",
+                "customCcmImage": "gcrio.azureedge.net/google_containers/cloud-controller-manager-amd64:v1.15.0-rc.1",
+                "customHyperkubeImage": "gcrio.azureedge.net/google_containers/hyperkube-amd64:v1.15.0-rc.1",
                 "networkPolicy": "none",
                 "cloudProviderRateLimitQPS": 6,
                 "cloudProviderRateLimitBucket": 20,
diff --git a/examples/az.json b/examples/az.json
index 8da17c6026..292efdb81a 100644
--- a/examples/az.json
+++ b/examples/az.json
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
     "properties": {
         "orchestratorProfile": {
             "orchestratorType": "Kubernetes",
-            "orchestratorRelease": "1.14",
+            "orchestratorRelease": "1.15",
             "kubernetesConfig": {
                 "useCloudControllerManager": true,
-                "customCcmImage": "gcrio.azureedge.net/google_containers/cloud-controller-manager-amd64:v1.14.0",
-                "customHyperkubeImage": "gcrio.azureedge.net/google_containers/hyperkube-amd64:v1.14.0",
+                "customCcmImage": "gcrio.azureedge.net/google_containers/cloud-controller-manager-amd64:v1.15.0-rc.1",
+                "customHyperkubeImage": "gcrio.azureedge.net/google_containers/hyperkube-amd64:v1.15.0-rc.1",
                 "networkPolicy": "none",
                 "cloudProviderRateLimitQPS": 6,
                 "cloudProviderRateLimitBucket": 20,
@@ -23,12 +23,11 @@
         "masterProfile": {
             "count": 1,
             "dnsPrefix": "k8s",
-            "vmSize": "Standard_D2_v3",     
-           "availabilityZones": [
+            "vmSize": "Standard_D2_v3",
+            "availabilityZones": [
                 "1",
                 "2"
             ]
-
         },
         "agentPoolProfiles": [
             {
@@ -38,10 +37,10 @@
                 "availabilityProfile": "VirtualMachineScaleSets",
                 "storageProfile": "ManagedDisks",
                 "availabilityZones": [
-                "1",
-                "2"
-            ]            
-}
+                    "1",
+                    "2"
+                ]
+            }
         ],
         "linuxProfile": {
             "adminUsername": "azureuser"
@@ -51,4 +50,4 @@
             "secret": "{servicePrincipalClientSecret}"
         }
     }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hack/deploy-cluster.sh b/hack/deploy-cluster.sh
index e091c4b1be..b4f986fabf 100755
--- a/hack/deploy-cluster.sh
+++ b/hack/deploy-cluster.sh
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ function cleanup() {
 }
 trap cleanup EXIT
 
-base_manifest_file=${REPO_ROOT}/examples/aks-engine.json
+base_manifest=${REPO_ROOT}/examples/aks-engine.json
 if [ ! -z "$ENABLE_AVAILABILITY_ZONE" ]; then
-    base_manifest_file=${REPO_ROOT}/examples/az.json
+    base_manifest=${REPO_ROOT}/examples/az.json
 fi
 
 # Configure the manifests for aks-engine
@@ -138,4 +138,3 @@ reclaimPolicy: Delete
 volumeBindingMode: Immediate
 EOF
 fi
-