diff --git a/virtual-kubelet/commands/root/root.go b/virtual-kubelet/commands/root/root.go
index caacdf6..4ba7b9d 100644
--- a/virtual-kubelet/commands/root/root.go
+++ b/virtual-kubelet/commands/root/root.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package root
 import (
 	"context"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cpuguy83/strongerrors"
@@ -32,8 +33,11 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/fields"
 	kubeinformers "k8s.io/client-go/informers"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
+	corev1client "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/typed/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/rest"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/record"
 )
 
 // NewCommand creates a new top-level command.
@@ -88,7 +92,6 @@ func runRootCommand(ctx context.Context, c Opts) error {
 		kubeinformers.WithTweakListOptions(func(options *metav1.ListOptions) {
 			options.FieldSelector = fields.OneTermEqualSelector("spec.nodeName", c.NodeName).String()
 		}))
-	// Create a pod informer so we can pass its lister to the resource manager.
 	podInformer := podInformerFactory.Core().V1().Pods()
 
 	// Create another shared informer factory for Kubernetes secrets and configmaps (not subject to any selectors).
@@ -148,15 +151,20 @@ func runRootCommand(ctx context.Context, c Opts) error {
 		log.G(ctx).Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	vk := vkubelet.New(vkubelet.Config{
-		Client:          client,
-		Namespace:       c.KubeNamespace,
-		NodeName:        pNode.Name,
+	eb := record.NewBroadcaster()
+	eb.StartLogging(log.G(ctx).Infof)
+	eb.StartRecordingToSink(&corev1client.EventSinkImpl{Interface: client.CoreV1().Events(c.KubeNamespace)})
+
+	pc, err := vkubelet.NewPodController(vkubelet.PodControllerConfig{
+		PodClient:       client.CoreV1(),
+		PodInformer:     podInformer,
+		EventRecorder:   eb.NewRecorder(scheme.Scheme, corev1.EventSource{Component: path.Join(pNode.Name, "pod-controller")}),
 		Provider:        p,
 		ResourceManager: rm,
-		PodSyncWorkers:  c.PodSyncWorkers,
-		PodInformer:     podInformer,
 	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "error setting up pod controller")
+	}
 
 	cancelHTTP, err := setupHTTPServer(ctx, p, apiConfig)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -165,7 +173,7 @@ func runRootCommand(ctx context.Context, c Opts) error {
 	defer cancelHTTP()
 
 	go func() {
-		if err := vk.Run(ctx); err != nil && errors.Cause(err) != context.Canceled {
+		if err := pc.Run(ctx, c.PodSyncWorkers); err != nil && errors.Cause(err) != context.Canceled {
 			log.G(ctx).Fatal(err)
 		}
 	}()
@@ -174,7 +182,7 @@ func runRootCommand(ctx context.Context, c Opts) error {
 		// If there is a startup timeout, it does two things:
 		// 1. It causes the VK to shutdown if we haven't gotten into an operational state in a time period
 		// 2. It prevents node advertisement from happening until we're in an operational state
-		err = waitForVK(ctx, c.StartupTimeout, vk)
+		err = waitFor(ctx, c.StartupTimeout, pc.Ready())
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -192,7 +200,7 @@ func runRootCommand(ctx context.Context, c Opts) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func waitForVK(ctx context.Context, time time.Duration, vk *vkubelet.Server) error {
+func waitFor(ctx context.Context, time time.Duration, ready <-chan struct{}) error {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time)
 	defer cancel()
 
@@ -200,7 +208,7 @@ func waitForVK(ctx context.Context, time time.Duration, vk *vkubelet.Server) err
 	log.G(ctx).Info("Waiting for pod controller / VK to be ready")
 
 	select {
-	case <-vk.Ready():
+	case <-ready:
 		return nil
 	case <-ctx.Done():
 		return errors.Wrap(ctx.Err(), "Error while starting up VK")