diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/api/helpers.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/api/helpers.go
index dd5f9180673..261dcacb5bf 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/api/helpers.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/api/helpers.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@ func ShortenConfig(config *Config) {
 // FlattenConfig changes the config object into a self-contained config (useful for making secrets)
 func FlattenConfig(config *Config) error {
 	for key, authInfo := range config.AuthInfos {
-		baseDir, err := MakeAbs(path.Dir(authInfo.LocationOfOrigin), "")
+		baseDir, err := MakeAbs(filepath.Dir(authInfo.LocationOfOrigin), "")
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -130,7 +129,7 @@ func FlattenConfig(config *Config) error {
 		config.AuthInfos[key] = authInfo
 	}
 	for key, cluster := range config.Clusters {
-		baseDir, err := MakeAbs(path.Dir(cluster.LocationOfOrigin), "")
+		baseDir, err := MakeAbs(filepath.Dir(cluster.LocationOfOrigin), "")
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/config.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/config.go
index 31f8963160e..2cd213ccb3e 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/config.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/config.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ package clientcmd
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"os"
-	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
 	"sort"
@@ -148,7 +147,7 @@ func NewDefaultPathOptions() *PathOptions {
 		EnvVar:           RecommendedConfigPathEnvVar,
 		ExplicitFileFlag: RecommendedConfigPathFlag,
 
-		GlobalFileSubpath: path.Join(RecommendedHomeDir, RecommendedFileName),
+		GlobalFileSubpath: filepath.Join(RecommendedHomeDir, RecommendedFileName),
 
 		LoadingRules: NewDefaultClientConfigLoadingRules(),
 	}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/loader_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/loader_test.go
index fbc45283891..778ef03ca6b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/loader_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd/loader_test.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
@@ -539,13 +538,13 @@ func TestResolveRelativePaths(t *testing.T) {
 
 	configDir1, _ := os.MkdirTemp("", "")
 	defer os.RemoveAll(configDir1)
-	configFile1 := path.Join(configDir1, ".kubeconfig")
+	configFile1 := filepath.Join(configDir1, ".kubeconfig")
 	configDir1, _ = filepath.Abs(configDir1)
 
 	configDir2, _ := os.MkdirTemp("", "")
 	defer os.RemoveAll(configDir2)
 	configDir2, _ = os.MkdirTemp(configDir2, "")
-	configFile2 := path.Join(configDir2, ".kubeconfig")
+	configFile2 := filepath.Join(configDir2, ".kubeconfig")
 	configDir2, _ = filepath.Abs(configDir2)
 
 	WriteToFile(pathResolutionConfig1, configFile1)
@@ -564,11 +563,11 @@ func TestResolveRelativePaths(t *testing.T) {
 	for key, cluster := range mergedConfig.Clusters {
 		if key == "relative-server-1" {
 			foundClusterCount++
-			matchStringArg(path.Join(configDir1, pathResolutionConfig1.Clusters["relative-server-1"].CertificateAuthority), cluster.CertificateAuthority, t)
+			matchStringArg(filepath.Join(configDir1, pathResolutionConfig1.Clusters["relative-server-1"].CertificateAuthority), cluster.CertificateAuthority, t)
 		}
 		if key == "relative-server-2" {
 			foundClusterCount++
-			matchStringArg(path.Join(configDir2, pathResolutionConfig2.Clusters["relative-server-2"].CertificateAuthority), cluster.CertificateAuthority, t)
+			matchStringArg(filepath.Join(configDir2, pathResolutionConfig2.Clusters["relative-server-2"].CertificateAuthority), cluster.CertificateAuthority, t)
 		}
 		if key == "absolute-server-1" {
 			foundClusterCount++
@@ -587,13 +586,13 @@ func TestResolveRelativePaths(t *testing.T) {
 	for key, authInfo := range mergedConfig.AuthInfos {
 		if key == "relative-user-1" {
 			foundAuthInfoCount++
-			matchStringArg(path.Join(configDir1, pathResolutionConfig1.AuthInfos["relative-user-1"].ClientCertificate), authInfo.ClientCertificate, t)
-			matchStringArg(path.Join(configDir1, pathResolutionConfig1.AuthInfos["relative-user-1"].ClientKey), authInfo.ClientKey, t)
+			matchStringArg(filepath.Join(configDir1, pathResolutionConfig1.AuthInfos["relative-user-1"].ClientCertificate), authInfo.ClientCertificate, t)
+			matchStringArg(filepath.Join(configDir1, pathResolutionConfig1.AuthInfos["relative-user-1"].ClientKey), authInfo.ClientKey, t)
 		}
 		if key == "relative-user-2" {
 			foundAuthInfoCount++
-			matchStringArg(path.Join(configDir2, pathResolutionConfig2.AuthInfos["relative-user-2"].ClientCertificate), authInfo.ClientCertificate, t)
-			matchStringArg(path.Join(configDir2, pathResolutionConfig2.AuthInfos["relative-user-2"].ClientKey), authInfo.ClientKey, t)
+			matchStringArg(filepath.Join(configDir2, pathResolutionConfig2.AuthInfos["relative-user-2"].ClientCertificate), authInfo.ClientCertificate, t)
+			matchStringArg(filepath.Join(configDir2, pathResolutionConfig2.AuthInfos["relative-user-2"].ClientKey), authInfo.ClientKey, t)
 		}
 		if key == "absolute-user-1" {
 			foundAuthInfoCount++
@@ -607,7 +606,7 @@ func TestResolveRelativePaths(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		if key == "relative-cmd-1" {
 			foundAuthInfoCount++
-			matchStringArg(path.Join(configDir1, pathResolutionConfig1.AuthInfos[key].Exec.Command), authInfo.Exec.Command, t)
+			matchStringArg(filepath.Join(configDir1, pathResolutionConfig1.AuthInfos[key].Exec.Command), authInfo.Exec.Command, t)
 		}
 		if key == "absolute-cmd-1" {
 			foundAuthInfoCount++
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/clusterinfo/clusterinfo_dump.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/clusterinfo/clusterinfo_dump.go
index 34fb617acb8..e67f849fd2f 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/clusterinfo/clusterinfo_dump.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/clusterinfo/clusterinfo_dump.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -118,8 +119,8 @@ func setupOutputWriter(dir string, defaultWriter io.Writer, filename string, fil
 	if len(dir) == 0 || dir == "-" {
 		return defaultWriter
 	}
-	fullFile := path.Join(dir, filename) + fileExtension
-	parent := path.Dir(fullFile)
+	fullFile := filepath.Join(dir, filename) + fileExtension
+	parent := filepath.Dir(fullFile)
 	cmdutil.CheckErr(os.MkdirAll(parent, 0755))
 
 	file, err := os.Create(fullFile)
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/clusterinfo/clusterinfo_dump_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/clusterinfo/clusterinfo_dump_test.go
index ed7406d9c85..8f178a4f386 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/clusterinfo/clusterinfo_dump_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/clusterinfo/clusterinfo_dump_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ package clusterinfo
 
 import (
 	"os"
-	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
 	"k8s.io/cli-runtime/pkg/genericiooptions"
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func TestSetupOutputWriterFile(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	fullPath := path.Join(dir, file) + extension
+	fullPath := filepath.Join(dir, file) + extension
 	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
 
 	_, _, buf, _ := genericiooptions.NewTestIOStreams()
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/config/config_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/config/config_test.go
index 28603f261e0..a4bac0fa21a 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/config/config_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/config/config_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ package config
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ func TestEmptyTokenAndCertAllowed(t *testing.T) {
 	defer utiltesting.CloseAndRemove(t, fakeCertFile)
 	expectedConfig := newRedFederalCowHammerConfig()
 	authInfo := clientcmdapi.NewAuthInfo()
-	authInfo.ClientCertificate = path.Base(fakeCertFile.Name())
+	authInfo.ClientCertificate = filepath.Base(fakeCertFile.Name())
 	expectedConfig.AuthInfos["another-user"] = authInfo
 
 	test := configCommandTest{
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ func TestCAClearsInsecure(t *testing.T) {
 	clusterInfoWithInsecure.InsecureSkipTLSVerify = true
 
 	clusterInfoWithCA := clientcmdapi.NewCluster()
-	clusterInfoWithCA.CertificateAuthority = path.Base(fakeCAFile.Name())
+	clusterInfoWithCA.CertificateAuthority = filepath.Base(fakeCAFile.Name())
 
 	startingConfig := newRedFederalCowHammerConfig()
 	startingConfig.Clusters["another-cluster"] = clusterInfoWithInsecure
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_configmap.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_configmap.go
index 988cbb1efc6..f43f91b0134 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_configmap.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_configmap.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"unicode/utf8"
 
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ func handleConfigMapFromFileSources(configMap *corev1.ConfigMap, fileSources []s
 				return fmt.Errorf("error listing files in %s: %v", filePath, err)
 			}
 			for _, item := range fileList {
-				itemPath := path.Join(filePath, item.Name())
+				itemPath := filepath.Join(filePath, item.Name())
 				if item.Type().IsRegular() {
 					keyName = item.Name()
 					err = addKeyFromFileToConfigMap(configMap, keyName, itemPath)
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_secret.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_secret.go
index b9bb191f9f5..4b4f394a97c 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_secret.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_secret.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ func handleSecretFromFileSources(secret *corev1.Secret, fileSources []string) er
 				return fmt.Errorf("error listing files in %s: %v", filePath, err)
 			}
 			for _, item := range fileList {
-				itemPath := path.Join(filePath, item.Name())
+				itemPath := filepath.Join(filePath, item.Name())
 				if item.Type().IsRegular() {
 					keyName = item.Name()
 					if err := addKeyFromFileToSecret(secret, keyName, itemPath); err != nil {
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_secret_tls_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_secret_tls_test.go
index 51f3a7730cd..900d0579763 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_secret_tls_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/create/create_secret_tls_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ package create
 
 import (
 	"os"
-	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
@@ -197,8 +197,8 @@ func write(path, contents string, t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func writeKeyPair(tmpDirPath, key, cert string, t *testing.T) (keyPath, certPath string) {
-	keyPath = path.Join(tmpDirPath, "tls.key")
-	certPath = path.Join(tmpDirPath, "tls.cert")
+	keyPath = filepath.Join(tmpDirPath, "tls.key")
+	certPath = filepath.Join(tmpDirPath, "tls.cert")
 	write(keyPath, key, t)
 	write(certPath, cert, t)
 	return
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/diff/diff_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/diff/diff_test.go
index 037858c5c22..391900418cb 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/diff/diff_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/cmd/diff/diff_test.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -130,7 +129,7 @@ func TestDiffVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	fcontent, err := os.ReadFile(path.Join(diff.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
+	fcontent, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(diff.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -201,7 +200,7 @@ func TestDiffer(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	fcontent, err := os.ReadFile(path.Join(diff.From.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
+	fcontent, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(diff.From.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -210,7 +209,7 @@ func TestDiffer(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("File has %q, expected %q", string(fcontent), econtent)
 	}
 
-	fcontent, err = os.ReadFile(path.Join(diff.To.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
+	fcontent, err = os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(diff.To.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -286,12 +285,12 @@ metadata:
 				t.Fatal(err)
 			}
 
-			actualFromContent, _ := os.ReadFile(path.Join(diff.From.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
+			actualFromContent, _ := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(diff.From.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
 			if string(actualFromContent) != tc.expectedFromContent {
 				t.Fatalf("File has %q, expected %q", string(actualFromContent), tc.expectedFromContent)
 			}
 
-			actualToContent, _ := os.ReadFile(path.Join(diff.To.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
+			actualToContent, _ := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(diff.To.Dir.Name, obj.Name()))
 			if string(actualToContent) != tc.expectedToContent {
 				t.Fatalf("File has %q, expected %q", string(actualToContent), tc.expectedToContent)
 			}