diff --git a/tools/gce_setup/shared_startup_funcs.sh b/tools/gce_setup/shared_startup_funcs.sh
index ffa0875153593967b9a558d63ea72fdd04945b79..a0b45e94587c6301cf4e8a0df2228d34183911fe 100755
--- a/tools/gce_setup/shared_startup_funcs.sh
+++ b/tools/gce_setup/shared_startup_funcs.sh
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ grpc_dockerfile_install() {
   }
 
   # TODO(temiola): maybe make cache/no-cache a func option?
-  sudo docker build $cache_opt -t $image_label $dockerfile_dir || {
+  sudo docker build --force-rm=true $cache_opt -t $image_label $dockerfile_dir || {
     echo "$FUNCNAME:: build of $image_label <- $dockerfile_dir"
     return 1
   }