diff --git a/hack/test-cmd.sh b/hack/test-cmd.sh
index 442903d3e67..038a0eae70d 100755
--- a/hack/test-cmd.sh
+++ b/hack/test-cmd.sh
@@ -1291,6 +1291,17 @@ __EOF__
   kubectl delete all -l app=cassandra "${kube_flags[@]}"
 
 
+  ###########
+  # Explain #
+  ###########
+
+  kube::log::status "Testing kubectl(${version}:explain)"
+  kubectl explain pods
+  # shortcuts work
+  kubectl explain po
+  kubectl explain po.status.message
+
+
   ###########
   # Swagger #
   ###########
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/explain.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/explain.go
index 170275a9ff1..5ce13633a47 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/explain.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/explain.go
@@ -65,11 +65,6 @@ func RunExplain(f *cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []st
 		return cmdutil.UsageError(cmd, "We accept only this format: explain RESOURCE")
 	}
 
-	client, err := f.Client()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	recursive := cmdutil.GetFlagBool(cmd, "recursive")
 	apiVersionString := cmdutil.GetFlagString(cmd, "api-version")
 	apiVersion := unversioned.GroupVersion{}
@@ -103,10 +98,10 @@ func RunExplain(f *cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []st
 		}
 	}
 
-	swagSchema, err := kubectl.GetSwaggerSchema(apiVersion, client)
+	schema, err := f.SwaggerSchema(apiVersion)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return kubectl.PrintModelDescription(inModel, fieldsPath, out, swagSchema, recursive)
+	return kubectl.PrintModelDescription(inModel, fieldsPath, out, schema, recursive)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/factory.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/factory.go
index 41559304ccd..99f8501bc55 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/factory.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/factory.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/emicklei/go-restful/swagger"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 
@@ -88,6 +89,8 @@ type Factory struct {
 	LogsForObject func(object, options runtime.Object) (*client.Request, error)
 	// Returns a schema that can validate objects stored on disk.
 	Validator func(validate bool, cacheDir string) (validation.Schema, error)
+	// SwaggerSchema returns the schema declaration for the provided group version.
+	SwaggerSchema func(unversioned.GroupVersion) (*swagger.ApiDeclaration, error)
 	// Returns the default namespace to use in cases where no
 	// other namespace is specified and whether the namespace was
 	// overriden.
@@ -304,6 +307,13 @@ func NewFactory(optionalClientConfig clientcmd.ClientConfig) *Factory {
 			}
 			return validation.NullSchema{}, nil
 		},
+		SwaggerSchema: func(version unversioned.GroupVersion) (*swagger.ApiDeclaration, error) {
+			client, err := clients.ClientForVersion(&version)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			return client.SwaggerSchema(version)
+		},
 		DefaultNamespace: func() (string, bool, error) {
 			return clientConfig.Namespace()
 		},
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/explain.go b/pkg/kubectl/explain.go
index 57b072c9889..d8b9a147257 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/explain.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/explain.go
@@ -24,27 +24,16 @@ import (
 	"github.com/emicklei/go-restful/swagger"
 
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/meta"
-	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/unversioned"
 	apiutil "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/util"
-	client "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/client/unversioned"
 )
 
 var allModels = make(map[string]*swagger.NamedModel)
 var recursive = false // this is global for convenience, can become int for multiple levels
 
-// GetSwaggerSchema returns the swagger spec from master
-func GetSwaggerSchema(version unversioned.GroupVersion, kubeClient client.Interface) (*swagger.ApiDeclaration, error) {
-	swaggerSchema, err := kubeClient.SwaggerSchema(version)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("couldn't read swagger schema from server: %v", err)
-	}
-	return swaggerSchema, nil
-}
-
 // SplitAndParseResourceRequest separates the users input into a model and fields
 func SplitAndParseResourceRequest(inResource string, mapper meta.RESTMapper) (string, []string, error) {
 	inResource, fieldsPath := splitDotNotation(inResource)
-	inResource, _ = mapper.ResourceSingularizer(expandResourceShortcut(inResource))
+	inResource, _ = mapper.ResourceSingularizer(inResource)
 	return inResource, fieldsPath, nil
 }
 
@@ -63,7 +52,7 @@ func PrintModelDescription(inModel string, fieldsPath []string, w io.Writer, swa
 		}
 	}
 	if pointedModel == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Requested resource: %s doesn't exist", inModel)
+		return fmt.Errorf("requested resource %q is not defined", inModel)
 	}
 
 	if len(fieldsPath) == 0 {
@@ -80,7 +69,7 @@ func PrintModelDescription(inModel string, fieldsPath []string, w io.Writer, swa
 				return printPrimitive(w, prop)
 			}
 		} else {
-			return fmt.Errorf("field: %s doesn't exist", field)
+			return fmt.Errorf("field %q does not exist", field)
 		}
 	}
 	return printModelInfo(w, pointedModel, pointedModelAsProp)
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/kubectl.go b/pkg/kubectl/kubectl.go
index 6ecb4d278f6..e4d91d5288a 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/kubectl.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/kubectl.go
@@ -91,6 +91,11 @@ func (e ShortcutExpander) ResourceIsValid(resource string) bool {
 	return e.RESTMapper.ResourceIsValid(expandResourceShortcut(resource))
 }
 
+// ResourceSingularizer expands the named resource and then singularizes it.
+func (e ShortcutExpander) ResourceSingularizer(resource string) (string, error) {
+	return e.RESTMapper.ResourceSingularizer(expandResourceShortcut(resource))
+}
+
 // expandResourceShortcut will return the expanded version of resource
 // (something that a pkg/api/meta.RESTMapper can understand), if it is
 // indeed a shortcut. Otherwise, will return resource unmodified.