diff --git a/contrib/completions/bash/kubectl b/contrib/completions/bash/kubectl
index 4132c1e6f75..130d349b5be 100644
--- a/contrib/completions/bash/kubectl
+++ b/contrib/completions/bash/kubectl
@@ -334,12 +334,10 @@ _kubectl_update()
     flags_completion+=("__handle_filename_extension_flag json|yaml|yml")
     flags+=("--help")
     flags+=("-h")
-    flags+=("--patch=")
 
     must_have_one_flag=()
     must_have_one_flag+=("--filename=")
     must_have_one_flag+=("-f")
-    must_have_one_flag+=("--patch=")
     must_have_one_noun=()
 }
 
diff --git a/docs/kubectl_update.md b/docs/kubectl_update.md
index 6029b2aee2e..84ce14f5f6b 100644
--- a/docs/kubectl_update.md
+++ b/docs/kubectl_update.md
@@ -21,9 +21,6 @@ $ kubectl update -f pod.json
 
 // Update a pod based on the JSON passed into stdin.
 $ cat pod.json | kubectl update -f -
-
-// Update a pod by downloading it, applying the patch, then updating. Requires apiVersion be specified.
-$ kubectl update pods my-pod --patch='{ "apiVersion": "v1beta1", "desiredState": { "manifest": [{ "cpu": 100 }]}}'
 ```
 
 ### Options
@@ -31,7 +28,6 @@ $ kubectl update pods my-pod --patch='{ "apiVersion": "v1beta1", "desiredState":
 ```
   -f, --filename=[]: Filename, directory, or URL to file to use to update the resource.
   -h, --help=false: help for update
-      --patch="": A JSON document to override the existing resource. The resource is downloaded, patched with the JSON, then updated.
 ```
 
 ### Options inherited from parent commands
@@ -66,6 +62,6 @@ $ kubectl update pods my-pod --patch='{ "apiVersion": "v1beta1", "desiredState":
 ### SEE ALSO
 * [kubectl](kubectl.md)	 - kubectl controls the Kubernetes cluster manager
 
-###### Auto generated by spf13/cobra at 2015-05-21 10:33:11.179469636 +0000 UTC
+###### Auto generated by spf13/cobra at 2015-05-29 01:11:24.431126385 +0000 UTC
 
 [![Analytics](https://kubernetes-site.appspot.com/UA-36037335-10/GitHub/docs/kubectl_update.md?pixel)]()
diff --git a/docs/man/man1/kubectl-update.1 b/docs/man/man1/kubectl-update.1
index 2740c025edd..3441a6e09e8 100644
--- a/docs/man/man1/kubectl-update.1
+++ b/docs/man/man1/kubectl-update.1
@@ -28,10 +28,6 @@ JSON and YAML formats are accepted.
 \fB\-h\fP, \fB\-\-help\fP=false
     help for update
 
-.PP
-\fB\-\-patch\fP=""
-    A JSON document to override the existing resource. The resource is downloaded, patched with the JSON, then updated.
-
 
 .SH OPTIONS INHERITED FROM PARENT COMMANDS
 .PP
@@ -142,9 +138,6 @@ $ kubectl update \-f pod.json
 // Update a pod based on the JSON passed into stdin.
 $ cat pod.json | kubectl update \-f \-
 
-// Update a pod by downloading it, applying the patch, then updating. Requires apiVersion be specified.
-$ kubectl update pods my\-pod \-\-patch='\{ "apiVersion": "v1beta1", "desiredState": \{ "manifest": [\{ "cpu": 100 \}]\}\}'
-
 .fi
 .RE
 
diff --git a/hack/test-cmd.sh b/hack/test-cmd.sh
index 6a81355a00e..77af07c5cc5 100755
--- a/hack/test-cmd.sh
+++ b/hack/test-cmd.sh
@@ -448,11 +448,6 @@ __EOF__
   # Post-condition:redis-master-service service is running
   kube::test::get_object_assert services "{{range.items}}{{$id_field}}:{{end}}" 'kubernetes:kubernetes-ro:redis-master:service-.*-test:'
 
-  # Command
-  kubectl update service "${kube_flags[@]}" service-${version}-test --patch="{\"spec\":{\"selector\":{\"my\":\"test-label\"}},\"apiVersion\":\"v1beta3\"}" --api-version=v1beta3
-  # Post-condition: selector has "test-label" label.
-  kube::test::get_object_assert "service service-${version}-test" "{{range$service_selector_field}}{{.}}{{end}}" "test-label"
-
   ### Identity
   kubectl get service "${kube_flags[@]}" service-${version}-test -o json | kubectl update "${kube_flags[@]}" -f -
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/update.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/update.go
index 7898ddce192..52d98baa62c 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/update.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/update.go
@@ -36,10 +36,7 @@ JSON and YAML formats are accepted.`
 $ kubectl update -f pod.json
 
 // Update a pod based on the JSON passed into stdin.
-$ cat pod.json | kubectl update -f -
-
-// Update a pod by downloading it, applying the patch, then updating. Requires apiVersion be specified.
-$ kubectl update pods my-pod --patch='{ "apiVersion": "v1beta1", "desiredState": { "manifest": [{ "cpu": 100 }]}}'`
+$ cat pod.json | kubectl update -f -`
 )
 
 func NewCmdUpdate(f *cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
@@ -57,8 +54,9 @@ func NewCmdUpdate(f *cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	usage := "Filename, directory, or URL to file to use to update the resource."
 	kubectl.AddJsonFilenameFlag(cmd, &filenames, usage)
 	cmd.MarkFlagRequired("filename")
-	cmd.Flags().String("patch", "", "A JSON document to override the existing resource. The resource is downloaded, patched with the JSON, then updated.")
-	cmd.MarkFlagRequired("patch")
+	// TODO: re-enable --patch and make it use strategic-merge-patch
+	// cmd.Flags().String("patch", "", "A JSON document to override the existing resource. The resource is downloaded, patched with the JSON, then updated.")
+	// cmd.MarkFlagRequired("patch")
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -73,7 +71,7 @@ func RunUpdate(f *cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []str
 		return err
 	}
 
-	patch := cmdutil.GetFlagString(cmd, "patch")
+	/* patch := cmdutil.GetFlagString(cmd, "patch")
 	if len(filenames) == 0 && len(patch) == 0 {
 		return cmdutil.UsageError(cmd, "Must specify --filename or --patch to update")
 	}
@@ -89,6 +87,9 @@ func RunUpdate(f *cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []str
 		}
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "%s\n", name)
 		return nil
+	} */
+	if len(filenames) == 0 {
+		return cmdutil.UsageError(cmd, "Must specify --filename to update")
 	}
 
 	mapper, typer := f.Object()
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers_test.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers_test.go
index 5f3f14b6e63..44b1e36c5c0 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers_test.go
@@ -54,6 +54,46 @@ func TestMerge(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		/* TODO: uncomment this test once Merge is updated to use
+		strategic-merge-patch. See #844.
+		{
+			kind: "Pod",
+			obj: &api.Pod{
+				ObjectMeta: api.ObjectMeta{
+					Name: "foo",
+				},
+				Spec: api.PodSpec{
+					Containers: []api.Container{
+						api.Container{
+							Name:  "c1",
+							Image: "red-image",
+						},
+						api.Container{
+							Name:  "c2",
+							Image: "blue-image",
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			fragment: `{ "apiVersion": "v1beta3", "spec": { "containers": [ { "name": "c1", "image": "green-image" } ] } }`,
+			expected: &api.Pod{
+				ObjectMeta: api.ObjectMeta{
+					Name: "foo",
+				},
+				Spec: api.PodSpec{
+					Containers: []api.Container{
+						api.Container{
+							Name:  "c1",
+							Image: "green-image",
+						},
+						api.Container{
+							Name:  "c2",
+							Image: "blue-image",
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}, */
 		{
 			kind: "Pod",
 			obj: &api.Pod{