diff --git a/federation/pkg/kubefed/init/init.go b/federation/pkg/kubefed/init/init.go
index 04f3b537f33..67e3ae38e0e 100644
--- a/federation/pkg/kubefed/init/init.go
+++ b/federation/pkg/kubefed/init/init.go
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ func (i *initFederation) Run(cmdOut io.Writer, config util.AdminConfig) error {
 
 	// 8. Write the federation API server endpoint info, credentials
 	// and context to kubeconfig
-	err = updateKubeconfig(config, i.commonOptions.Name, endpoint, entKeyPairs, i.options.dryRun)
+	err = updateKubeconfig(config, i.commonOptions.Name, endpoint, i.commonOptions.Kubeconfig, entKeyPairs, i.options.dryRun)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -891,8 +891,9 @@ func printSuccess(cmdOut io.Writer, ips, hostnames []string, svc *api.Service) e
 	return err
 }
 
-func updateKubeconfig(config util.AdminConfig, name, endpoint string, entKeyPairs *entityKeyPairs, dryRun bool) error {
+func updateKubeconfig(config util.AdminConfig, name, endpoint, kubeConfigPath string, entKeyPairs *entityKeyPairs, dryRun bool) error {
 	po := config.PathOptions()
+	po.LoadingRules.ExplicitPath = kubeConfigPath
 	kubeconfig, err := po.GetStartingConfig()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/federation/pkg/kubefed/init/init_test.go b/federation/pkg/kubefed/init/init_test.go
index 6edaa91a969..52a1d4f4539 100644
--- a/federation/pkg/kubefed/init/init_test.go
+++ b/federation/pkg/kubefed/init/init_test.go
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ func TestInitFederation(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{
 			federation:           "union",
-			kubeconfigGlobal:     fakeKubeFiles[0],
-			kubeconfigExplicit:   "",
+			kubeconfigGlobal:     fakeKubeFiles[1],
+			kubeconfigExplicit:   fakeKubeFiles[2],
 			dnsZoneName:          "example.test.",
 			lbIP:                 lbIP,
 			apiserverServiceType: v1.ServiceTypeLoadBalancer,