diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/scale.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/scale.go
index be722abc962..3b17fde688e 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/scale.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/scale.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func RunScale(f cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []strin
 
 	mapper, _ := f.Object()
 	r := f.NewBuilder().
-		Internal().
+		Unstructured().
 		ContinueOnError().
 		NamespaceParam(cmdNamespace).DefaultNamespace().
 		FilenameParam(enforceNamespace, options).
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func RunScale(f cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []strin
 				return err
 			}
 			mapping := info.ResourceMapping()
-			client, err := f.ClientForMapping(mapping)
+			client, err := f.UnstructuredClientForMapping(mapping)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}