diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 52f7f0a..773839b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ See how to [set your own environment variables](#set-your-own-environment-variab
 
 - **KEEPALIVED_COMMAND_LINE_ARGUMENTS** Keepalived command line arguments; Defaults to `--log-detail --dump-conf`
 
+- **KEEPALIVED_STATE** The starting state of keepalived; it can either be MASTER or BACKUP.
+
 ### Set your own environment variables
 
 #### Use command line argument
diff --git a/image/environment/default.yaml b/image/environment/default.yaml
index 8d7f815..69d660c 100644
--- a/image/environment/default.yaml
+++ b/image/environment/default.yaml
@@ -18,3 +18,5 @@ KEEPALIVED_VIRTUAL_IPS:
 KEEPALIVED_NOTIFY: /container/service/keepalived/assets/notify.sh
 
 KEEPALIVED_ROUTER_ID: 51
+
+KEEPALIVED_STATE: BACKUP
diff --git a/image/service/keepalived/assets/keepalived.conf b/image/service/keepalived/assets/keepalived.conf
index 2731659..af51c0f 100644
--- a/image/service/keepalived/assets/keepalived.conf
+++ b/image/service/keepalived/assets/keepalived.conf
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ global_defs {
 vrrp_instance VI_1 {
   interface {{ KEEPALIVED_INTERFACE }}
 
-  state BACKUP
+  state {{ KEEPALIVED_STATE }}
   virtual_router_id {{ KEEPALIVED_ROUTER_ID }}
   priority {{ KEEPALIVED_PRIORITY }}
   nopreempt
diff --git a/image/service/keepalived/startup.sh b/image/service/keepalived/startup.sh
index cf2b08a..5c077ca 100755
--- a/image/service/keepalived/startup.sh
+++ b/image/service/keepalived/startup.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ if [ ! -e "$FIRST_START_DONE" ]; then
   #
   # bootstrap config
   #
+  sed -i "s|{{ KEEPALIVED_STATE }}|$KEEPALIVED_STATE|g" ${CONTAINER_SERVICE_DIR}/keepalived/assets/keepalived.conf
   sed -i "s|{{ KEEPALIVED_ROUTER_ID }}|$KEEPALIVED_ROUTER_ID|g" ${CONTAINER_SERVICE_DIR}/keepalived/assets/keepalived.conf
   sed -i "s|{{ KEEPALIVED_INTERFACE }}|$KEEPALIVED_INTERFACE|g" ${CONTAINER_SERVICE_DIR}/keepalived/assets/keepalived.conf
   sed -i "s|{{ KEEPALIVED_PRIORITY }}|$KEEPALIVED_PRIORITY|g" ${CONTAINER_SERVICE_DIR}/keepalived/assets/keepalived.conf