diff --git a/cmd/kubens/list.go b/cmd/kubens/list.go
index 2a3e01f..d6fb4e4 100644
--- a/cmd/kubens/list.go
+++ b/cmd/kubens/list.go
@@ -22,10 +22,6 @@ func (op ListOp) Run(stdout, stderr io.Writer) error {
 	kc := new(kubeconfig.Kubeconfig).WithLoader(cmdutil.DefaultLoader)
 	defer kc.Close()
 	if err := kc.Parse(); err != nil {
-		if cmdutil.IsNotFoundErr(err) {
-			printer.Warning(stderr, "kubeconfig file not found")
-			return nil
-		}
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "kubeconfig error")
 	}
 
@@ -38,13 +34,9 @@ func (op ListOp) Run(stdout, stderr io.Writer) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "cannot read current namespace")
 	}
 
-	kubectl, err := findKubectl()
+	ns, err := queryNamespaces()
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	ns, err := queryNamespaces(kubectl)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "could not list namespaces (is the cluster accessible?)")
 	}
 
 	currentColor := color.New(color.FgGreen, color.Bold)
@@ -68,7 +60,14 @@ func findKubectl() (string, error) {
 	return v, errors.Wrap(err, "kubectl not found, needed for kubens")
 }
 
-func queryNamespaces(kubectl string) ([]string, error) {
+func queryNamespaces() ([]string, error) {
+	kubectl ,err := findKubectl()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil ,err
+	}
+
+	// TODO add a log message to user if kubectl is taking >1s
+
 	var b bytes.Buffer
 	cmd := exec.Command(kubectl, "get", "namespaces", `-o=jsonpath={range .items[*].metadata.name}{@}{"\n"}{end}`)
 	cmd.Env = os.Environ()
diff --git a/cmd/kubens/statefile.go b/cmd/kubens/statefile.go
index 52befde..61bcbc5 100644
--- a/cmd/kubens/statefile.go
+++ b/cmd/kubens/statefile.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ahmetb/kubectx/internal/cmdutil"
 )
 
-var defaultDir = filepath.Join(cmdutil.HomeDir(), "kubens")
+var defaultDir = filepath.Join(cmdutil.HomeDir(), ".kube", "kubens")
 
 type NSFile struct {
 	dir string
diff --git a/cmd/kubens/switch.go b/cmd/kubens/switch.go
index 81f2401..76f2259 100644
--- a/cmd/kubens/switch.go
+++ b/cmd/kubens/switch.go
@@ -2,10 +2,81 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"io"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+
+	"github.com/ahmetb/kubectx/internal/cmdutil"
+	"github.com/ahmetb/kubectx/internal/kubeconfig"
+	"github.com/ahmetb/kubectx/internal/printer"
 )
 
-type SwitchOp struct{ Target string }
-
-func (s SwitchOp) Run(stdout, stderr io.Writer) error {
-	panic("implement me")
+type SwitchOp struct {
+	Target string // '-' for back and forth, or NAME
+}
+
+func (s SwitchOp) Run(_, stderr io.Writer) error {
+	kc := new(kubeconfig.Kubeconfig).WithLoader(cmdutil.DefaultLoader)
+	defer kc.Close()
+	if err := kc.Parse(); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "kubeconfig error")
+	}
+
+	ctx := kc.GetCurrentContext()
+	if ctx == "" {
+		return errors.New("current-context is not set")
+	}
+	curNS, err := kc.NamespaceOfContext(ctx)
+	if ctx == "" {
+		return errors.New("failed to get current namespace")
+	}
+
+	f := NewNSFile(ctx)
+	prev, err := f.Load()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to load previous namespace from file")
+	}
+
+	toNS := s.Target
+	if s.Target == "-" {
+		if prev == "" {
+			return errors.Errorf("No previous namespace found for current context (%s)", ctx)
+		}
+		toNS = prev
+	}
+
+	ok, err := namespaceExists(toNS)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to query if namespace exists (is cluster accessible?)")
+	}
+	if !ok {
+		return errors.Errorf("no namespace exists with name %q", toNS)
+	}
+
+	if err := kc.SetNamespace(ctx, toNS); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to change to namespace %q", toNS)
+	}
+	if err := kc.Save(); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to save kubeconfig file")
+	}
+	if curNS != toNS {
+		if err := f.Save(curNS); err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to save the previous namespace to file")
+		}
+	}
+
+	err = printer.Success(stderr, "Active namespace is %q", toNS)
+	return err
+}
+
+func namespaceExists(ns string) (bool, error) {
+	nses, err := queryNamespaces()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	for _, v := range nses {
+		if v == ns {
+			return true, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return false, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/kubeconfig/contextmodify.go b/internal/kubeconfig/contextmodify.go
index b3e31c2..4015468 100644
--- a/internal/kubeconfig/contextmodify.go
+++ b/internal/kubeconfig/contextmodify.go
@@ -6,12 +6,9 @@ import (
 )
 
 func (k *Kubeconfig) DeleteContextEntry(deleteName string) error {
-	contexts := valueOf(k.rootNode, "contexts")
-	if contexts == nil {
-		return errors.New("there are no contexts in kubeconfig")
-	}
-	if contexts.Kind != yaml.SequenceNode {
-		return errors.New("'contexts' key is not a sequence")
+	contexts, err := k.contextsNode()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	i := -1
@@ -51,11 +48,9 @@ func (k *Kubeconfig) ModifyCurrentContext(name string) error {
 }
 
 func (k *Kubeconfig) ModifyContextName(old, new string) error {
-	contexts := valueOf(k.rootNode, "contexts")
-	if contexts == nil {
-		return errors.New("\"contexts\" entry is nil")
-	} else if contexts.Kind != yaml.SequenceNode {
-		return errors.New("\"contexts\" is not a sequence node")
+	contexts, err := k.contextsNode()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	var changed bool
diff --git a/internal/kubeconfig/contexts.go b/internal/kubeconfig/contexts.go
index d0d3f4b..cfcb616 100644
--- a/internal/kubeconfig/contexts.go
+++ b/internal/kubeconfig/contexts.go
@@ -1,9 +1,35 @@
 package kubeconfig
 
 import (
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
 
+func (k *Kubeconfig) contextsNode() (*yaml.Node, error) {
+	contexts := valueOf(k.rootNode, "contexts")
+	if contexts == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("\"contexts\" entry is nil")
+	} else if contexts.Kind != yaml.SequenceNode {
+		return nil, errors.New("\"contexts\" is not a sequence node")
+	}
+	return contexts, nil
+}
+
+func (k *Kubeconfig) contextNode(name string) (*yaml.Node, error) {
+	contexts, err := k.contextsNode()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	for _, contextNode := range contexts.Content {
+		nameNode := valueOf(contextNode, "name")
+		if nameNode.Kind == yaml.ScalarNode && nameNode.Value == name {
+			return contextNode, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return nil, errors.Errorf("context with name %q not found", name)
+}
+
 func (k *Kubeconfig) ContextNames() []string {
 	contexts := valueOf(k.rootNode, "contexts")
 	if contexts == nil {
diff --git a/internal/kubeconfig/namespace.go b/internal/kubeconfig/namespace.go
index 35852fa..fa9921e 100644
--- a/internal/kubeconfig/namespace.go
+++ b/internal/kubeconfig/namespace.go
@@ -1,31 +1,11 @@
 package kubeconfig
 
-import (
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
-	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
-)
+import "gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 
 const (
 	defaultNamespace = "default"
 )
 
-func (k *Kubeconfig) contextNode(name string) (*yaml.Node, error) {
-	contexts := valueOf(k.rootNode, "contexts")
-	if contexts == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("\"contexts\" entry is nil")
-	} else if contexts.Kind != yaml.SequenceNode {
-		return nil, errors.New("\"contexts\" is not a sequence node")
-	}
-
-	for _, contextNode := range contexts.Content {
-		nameNode := valueOf(contextNode, "name")
-		if nameNode.Kind == yaml.ScalarNode && nameNode.Value == name {
-			return contextNode, nil
-		}
-	}
-	return nil, errors.Errorf("context with name %q not found", name)
-}
-
 func (k *Kubeconfig) NamespaceOfContext(contextName string) (string, error) {
 	ctx, err := k.contextNode(contextName)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -37,3 +17,26 @@ func (k *Kubeconfig) NamespaceOfContext(contextName string) (string, error) {
 	}
 	return ns.Value, nil
 }
+
+func (k *Kubeconfig) SetNamespace(ctxName string, ns string) error {
+	ctx, err := k.contextNode(ctxName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	nsNode := valueOf(ctx, "namespace")
+	if nsNode != nil {
+		nsNode.Value = ns
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	keyNode := &yaml.Node{
+		Kind:  yaml.ScalarNode,
+		Value: "namespace",
+		Tag:   "!!str"}
+	valueNode := &yaml.Node{
+		Kind:  yaml.ScalarNode,
+		Value: ns,
+		Tag:   "!!str"}
+	ctx.Content = append(ctx.Content, keyNode, valueNode)
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/kubeconfig/namespace_test.go b/internal/kubeconfig/namespace_test.go
index ff663bb..fadfafb 100644
--- a/internal/kubeconfig/namespace_test.go
+++ b/internal/kubeconfig/namespace_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package kubeconfig
 import (
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
+
 	"github.com/ahmetb/kubectx/internal/testutil"
 )
 
@@ -44,3 +46,35 @@ func TestKubeconfig_NamespaceOfContext(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("c2: expected=%q got=%q", expected, v2)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestKubeconfig_SetNamespace(t *testing.T) {
+	l := WithMockKubeconfigLoader(testutil.KC().
+		WithCtxs(
+			testutil.Ctx("c1"),
+			testutil.Ctx("c2").Ns("c2n1")).ToYAML(t))
+	kc := new(Kubeconfig).WithLoader(l)
+	if err := kc.Parse(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if err := kc.SetNamespace("c3", "foo"); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error for non-existing ctx")
+	}
+
+	if err := kc.SetNamespace("c1", "c1n1"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := kc.SetNamespace("c2", "c2n2"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := kc.Save(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	expected := testutil.KC().WithCtxs(
+		testutil.Ctx("c1").Ns("c1n1"),
+		testutil.Ctx("c2").Ns("c2n2")).ToYAML(t)
+	if diff := cmp.Diff(l.Output(), expected); diff != "" {
+		t.Fatal(diff)
+	}
+}