diff --git a/api/openapi-spec/swagger.json b/api/openapi-spec/swagger.json
index f0a2f9bb33..2e41357b4a 100644
--- a/api/openapi-spec/swagger.json
+++ b/api/openapi-spec/swagger.json
@@ -77724,6 +77724,7 @@
      },
      "strategy": {
       "description": "The deployment strategy to use to replace existing pods with new ones.",
+      "x-kubernetes-patch-strategy": "retainKeys",
       "$ref": "#/definitions/io.k8s.api.apps.v1.DeploymentStrategy"
      },
      "template": {
@@ -78444,6 +78445,7 @@
      },
      "strategy": {
       "description": "The deployment strategy to use to replace existing pods with new ones.",
+      "x-kubernetes-patch-strategy": "retainKeys",
       "$ref": "#/definitions/io.k8s.api.apps.v1beta1.DeploymentStrategy"
      },
      "template": {
@@ -79229,6 +79231,7 @@
      },
      "strategy": {
       "description": "The deployment strategy to use to replace existing pods with new ones.",
+      "x-kubernetes-patch-strategy": "retainKeys",
       "$ref": "#/definitions/io.k8s.api.apps.v1beta2.DeploymentStrategy"
      },
      "template": {
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1/generated.proto b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1/generated.proto
index c8a957ac68..fea81922f3 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1/generated.proto
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1/generated.proto
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ message DeploymentSpec {
 
   // The deployment strategy to use to replace existing pods with new ones.
   // +optional
+  // +patchStrategy=retainKeys
   optional DeploymentStrategy strategy = 4;
 
   // Minimum number of seconds for which a newly created pod should be ready
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1/types.go
index 4431ca2c31..516067e0bf 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1/types.go
@@ -279,7 +279,8 @@ type DeploymentSpec struct {
 
 	// The deployment strategy to use to replace existing pods with new ones.
 	// +optional
-	Strategy DeploymentStrategy `json:"strategy,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=strategy"`
+	// +patchStrategy=retainKeys
+	Strategy DeploymentStrategy `json:"strategy,omitempty" patchStrategy:"retainKeys" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=strategy"`
 
 	// Minimum number of seconds for which a newly created pod should be ready
 	// without any of its container crashing, for it to be considered available.
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta1/generated.proto b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta1/generated.proto
index 6f41f06bcc..f87f39fe94 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta1/generated.proto
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta1/generated.proto
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ message DeploymentSpec {
 
   // The deployment strategy to use to replace existing pods with new ones.
   // +optional
+  // +patchStrategy=retainKeys
   optional DeploymentStrategy strategy = 4;
 
   // Minimum number of seconds for which a newly created pod should be ready
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta1/types.go
index d462604d79..121a083d3d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta1/types.go
@@ -323,7 +323,8 @@ type DeploymentSpec struct {
 
 	// The deployment strategy to use to replace existing pods with new ones.
 	// +optional
-	Strategy DeploymentStrategy `json:"strategy,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=strategy"`
+	// +patchStrategy=retainKeys
+	Strategy DeploymentStrategy `json:"strategy,omitempty" patchStrategy:"retainKeys" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=strategy"`
 
 	// Minimum number of seconds for which a newly created pod should be ready
 	// without any of its container crashing, for it to be considered available.
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta2/generated.proto b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta2/generated.proto
index cc3656d284..5d11cbe8d8 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta2/generated.proto
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta2/generated.proto
@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@ message DeploymentSpec {
 
   // The deployment strategy to use to replace existing pods with new ones.
   // +optional
+  // +patchStrategy=retainKeys
   optional DeploymentStrategy strategy = 4;
 
   // Minimum number of seconds for which a newly created pod should be ready
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta2/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta2/types.go
index e5525222a1..00b9071ee5 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta2/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/apps/v1beta2/types.go
@@ -331,7 +331,8 @@ type DeploymentSpec struct {
 
 	// The deployment strategy to use to replace existing pods with new ones.
 	// +optional
-	Strategy DeploymentStrategy `json:"strategy,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=strategy"`
+	// +patchStrategy=retainKeys
+	Strategy DeploymentStrategy `json:"strategy,omitempty" patchStrategy:"retainKeys" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=strategy"`
 
 	// Minimum number of seconds for which a newly created pod should be ready
 	// without any of its container crashing, for it to be considered available.