diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go
index dd42779f3a1..eb847cbca25 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ limitations under the License.
 package cmd
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"reflect"
@@ -26,8 +25,10 @@ import (
 	jsonpatch "github.com/evanphx/json-patch"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/json"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/yaml"
@@ -144,8 +145,11 @@ func RunPatch(f cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []strin
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to parse %q: %v", patch, err)
 	}
 
-	mapper, typer := f.Object()
-	r := resource.NewBuilder(mapper, typer, resource.ClientMapperFunc(f.ClientForMapping), f.Decoder(true)).
+	mapper, typer, err := f.UnstructuredObject()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	r := resource.NewBuilder(mapper, typer, resource.ClientMapperFunc(f.UnstructuredClientForMapping), unstructured.UnstructuredJSONScheme).
 		ContinueOnError().
 		NamespaceParam(cmdNamespace).DefaultNamespace().
 		FilenameParam(enforceNamespace, &options.FilenameOptions).
@@ -164,7 +168,7 @@ func RunPatch(f cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []strin
 		}
 		name, namespace := info.Name, info.Namespace
 		mapping := info.ResourceMapping()
-		client, err := f.ClientForMapping(mapping)
+		client, err := f.UnstructuredClientForMapping(mapping)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch_test.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch_test.go
index c7fc8ef82c4..401a6429905 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch_test.go
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ import (
 func TestPatchObject(t *testing.T) {
 	_, svc, _ := testData()
 
-	f, tf, codec, ns := cmdtesting.NewAPIFactory()
+	f, tf, codec, _ := cmdtesting.NewAPIFactory()
 	tf.Printer = &testPrinter{}
-	tf.Client = &fake.RESTClient{
+	tf.UnstructuredClient = &fake.RESTClient{
 		APIRegistry:          api.Registry,
-		NegotiatedSerializer: ns,
+		NegotiatedSerializer: unstructuredSerializer,
 		Client: fake.CreateHTTPClient(func(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
 			switch p, m := req.URL.Path, req.Method; {
 			case p == "/namespaces/test/services/frontend" && (m == "PATCH" || m == "GET"):
@@ -62,11 +62,11 @@ func TestPatchObject(t *testing.T) {
 func TestPatchObjectFromFile(t *testing.T) {
 	_, svc, _ := testData()
 
-	f, tf, codec, ns := cmdtesting.NewAPIFactory()
+	f, tf, codec, _ := cmdtesting.NewAPIFactory()
 	tf.Printer = &testPrinter{}
-	tf.Client = &fake.RESTClient{
+	tf.UnstructuredClient = &fake.RESTClient{
 		APIRegistry:          api.Registry,
-		NegotiatedSerializer: ns,
+		NegotiatedSerializer: unstructuredSerializer,
 		Client: fake.CreateHTTPClient(func(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
 			switch p, m := req.URL.Path, req.Method; {
 			case p == "/namespaces/test/services/frontend" && (m == "PATCH" || m == "GET"):