diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/annotate/annotate.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/annotate/annotate.go
index 860cc10050..fe8d15dc92 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/annotate/annotate.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/annotate/annotate.go
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ func (o AnnotateOptions) Validate() error {
 	if o.all && len(o.fieldSelector) > 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot set --all and --field-selector at the same time")
 	}
-	if len(o.resources) < 1 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames) {
+	if len(o.resources) < 1 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames, o.Kustomize) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("one or more resources must be specified as <resource> <name> or <resource>/<name>")
 	}
 	if len(o.newAnnotations) < 1 && len(o.removeAnnotations) < 1 {
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/apply/apply.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/apply/apply.go
index 11ed554822..99393101b1 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/apply/apply.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/apply/apply.go
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ var (
 		# Apply the configuration in pod.json to a pod.
 		kubectl apply -f ./pod.json
 
+		# Apply resources from a directory containing kustomization.yaml - e.g. dir/kustomization.yaml.
+		kubectl apply -k dir/
+
 		# Apply the JSON passed into stdin to a pod.
 		cat pod.json | kubectl apply -f -
 
@@ -152,7 +155,7 @@ func NewCmdApply(baseName string, f cmdutil.Factory, ioStreams genericclioptions
 	o.cmdBaseName = baseName
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:                   "apply -f FILENAME",
+		Use:                   "apply (-f FILENAME | -k DIRECTORY)",
 		DisableFlagsInUseLine: true,
 		Short:                 i18n.T("Apply a configuration to a resource by filename or stdin"),
 		Long:                  applyLong,
@@ -170,7 +173,6 @@ func NewCmdApply(baseName string, f cmdutil.Factory, ioStreams genericclioptions
 	o.RecordFlags.AddFlags(cmd)
 	o.PrintFlags.AddFlags(cmd)
 
-	cmd.MarkFlagRequired("filename")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&o.Overwrite, "overwrite", o.Overwrite, "Automatically resolve conflicts between the modified and live configuration by using values from the modified configuration")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&o.Prune, "prune", o.Prune, "Automatically delete resource objects, including the uninitialized ones, that do not appear in the configs and are created by either apply or create --save-config. Should be used with either -l or --all.")
 	cmdutil.AddValidateFlags(cmd)
@@ -237,6 +239,10 @@ func (o *ApplyOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	o.DeleteOptions = o.DeleteFlags.ToOptions(dynamicClient, o.IOStreams)
+	err = o.DeleteOptions.FilenameOptions.RequireFilenameOrKustomize()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	o.OpenAPISchema, _ = f.OpenAPISchema()
 	o.Validator, err = f.Validator(cmdutil.GetFlagBool(cmd, "validate"))
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/auth/reconcile.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/auth/reconcile.go
index 950192d8e9..b9de9d2efb 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/auth/reconcile.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/auth/reconcile.go
@@ -107,13 +107,16 @@ func NewCmdReconcile(f cmdutil.Factory, streams genericclioptions.IOStreams) *co
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&o.DryRun, "dry-run", o.DryRun, "If true, display results but do not submit changes")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&o.RemoveExtraPermissions, "remove-extra-permissions", o.RemoveExtraPermissions, "If true, removes extra permissions added to roles")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&o.RemoveExtraSubjects, "remove-extra-subjects", o.RemoveExtraSubjects, "If true, removes extra subjects added to rolebindings")
-	cmd.MarkFlagRequired("filename")
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
 // Complete completes all the required options
 func (o *ReconcileOptions) Complete(cmd *cobra.Command, f cmdutil.Factory, args []string) error {
+	if err := o.FilenameOptions.RequireFilenameOrKustomize(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	if len(args) > 0 {
 		return errors.New("no arguments are allowed")
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/certificates/certificates.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/certificates/certificates.go
index fb537f2dd6..bd8d370763 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/certificates/certificates.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/certificates/certificates.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (o *CertificateOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, arg
 }
 
 func (o *CertificateOptions) Validate() error {
-	if len(o.csrNames) < 1 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames) {
+	if len(o.csrNames) < 1 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames, o.Kustomize) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("one or more CSRs must be specified as <name> or -f <filename>")
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/convert/convert.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/convert/convert.go
index 506b736577..b34a4aff91 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/convert/convert.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/convert/convert.go
@@ -107,12 +107,15 @@ func NewCmdConvert(f cmdutil.Factory, ioStreams genericclioptions.IOStreams) *co
 
 	cmdutil.AddValidateFlags(cmd)
 	cmdutil.AddFilenameOptionFlags(cmd, &o.FilenameOptions, "to need to get converted.")
-	cmd.MarkFlagRequired("filename")
 	return cmd
 }
 
 // Complete collects information required to run Convert command from command line.
 func (o *ConvertOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command) (err error) {
+	err = o.FilenameOptions.RequireFilenameOrKustomize()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	o.builder = f.NewBuilder
 
 	o.Namespace, _, err = f.ToRawKubeConfigLoader().Namespace()
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/create/create.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/create/create.go
index 1a8f230bc2..f005ee37e2 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/create/create.go
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ func NewCmdCreate(f cmdutil.Factory, ioStreams genericclioptions.IOStreams) *cob
 		Long:                  createLong,
 		Example:               createExample,
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-			if cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.FilenameOptions.Filenames) {
+			if cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.FilenameOptions.Filenames, o.FilenameOptions.Kustomize) {
+				ioStreams.ErrOut.Write([]byte("Error: must specify one of -f and -k\n\n"))
 				defaultRunFunc := cmdutil.DefaultSubCommandRun(ioStreams.ErrOut)
 				defaultRunFunc(cmd, args)
 				return
@@ -119,7 +120,6 @@ func NewCmdCreate(f cmdutil.Factory, ioStreams genericclioptions.IOStreams) *cob
 
 	usage := "to use to create the resource"
 	cmdutil.AddFilenameOptionFlags(cmd, &o.FilenameOptions, usage)
-	cmd.MarkFlagRequired("filename")
 	cmdutil.AddValidateFlags(cmd)
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&o.EditBeforeCreate, "edit", o.EditBeforeCreate, "Edit the API resource before creating")
 	cmd.Flags().Bool("windows-line-endings", runtime.GOOS == "windows",
@@ -184,7 +184,6 @@ func (o *CreateOptions) ValidateArgs(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 // Complete completes all the required options
 func (o *CreateOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 	var err error
-
 	o.RecordFlags.Complete(cmd)
 	o.Recorder, err = o.RecordFlags.ToRecorder()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/delete/delete.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/delete/delete.go
index eabc6c6df0..0eedd20551 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/delete/delete.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/delete/delete.go
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ var (
 		# Delete a pod using the type and name specified in pod.json.
 		kubectl delete -f ./pod.json
 
+		# Delete resources from a directory containing kustomization.yaml - e.g. dir/kustomization.yaml.
+		kubectl delete -k dir
+
 		# Delete a pod based on the type and name in the JSON passed into stdin.
 		cat pod.json | kubectl delete -f -
 
@@ -119,7 +122,7 @@ func NewCmdDelete(f cmdutil.Factory, streams genericclioptions.IOStreams) *cobra
 	deleteFlags := NewDeleteCommandFlags("containing the resource to delete.")
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:                   "delete ([-f FILENAME] | TYPE [(NAME | -l label | --all)])",
+		Use:                   "delete ([-f FILENAME] | [-k DIRECTORY] | TYPE [(NAME | -l label | --all)])",
 		DisableFlagsInUseLine: true,
 		Short:                 i18n.T("Delete resources by filenames, stdin, resources and names, or by resources and label selector"),
 		Long:                  deleteLong,
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/describe/describe.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/describe/describe.go
index b0f9cb1d48..bd85780902 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/describe/describe.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/describe/describe.go
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func (o *DescribeOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args [
 		o.EnforceNamespace = false
 	}
 
-	if len(args) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.FilenameOptions.Filenames) {
+	if len(args) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.FilenameOptions.Filenames, o.FilenameOptions.Kustomize) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("You must specify the type of resource to describe. %s\n", cmdutil.SuggestAPIResources(o.CmdParent))
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/diff/diff.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/diff/diff.go
index e64e8a0990..5f68198767 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/diff/diff.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/diff/diff.go
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@ func NewCmdDiff(f cmdutil.Factory, streams genericclioptions.IOStreams) *cobra.C
 	usage := "contains the configuration to diff"
 	cmdutil.AddFilenameOptionFlags(cmd, &options.FilenameOptions, usage)
 	cmdutil.AddServerSideApplyFlags(cmd)
-	cmd.MarkFlagRequired("filename")
 
 	return cmd
 }
@@ -395,6 +394,11 @@ func isConflict(err error) bool {
 func (o *DiffOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 	var err error
 
+	err = o.FilenameOptions.RequireFilenameOrKustomize()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	o.ServerSideApply = cmdutil.GetServerSideApplyFlag(cmd)
 	o.ForceConflicts = cmdutil.GetForceConflictsFlag(cmd)
 	if o.ForceConflicts && !o.ServerSideApply {
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get.go
index 73a450d36f..b3fa41b3c5 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get.go
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ var (
 		# List a pod identified by type and name specified in "pod.yaml" in JSON output format.
 		kubectl get -f pod.yaml -o json
 
+		# List resources from a directory with kustomization.yaml - e.g. dir/kustomization.yaml.
+		kubectl get -k dir/
+
 		# Return only the phase value of the specified pod.
 		kubectl get -o template pod/web-pod-13je7 --template={{.status.phase}}
 
@@ -257,7 +260,7 @@ func (o *GetOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args []stri
 	switch {
 	case o.Watch || o.WatchOnly:
 	default:
-		if len(args) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames) {
+		if len(args) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames, o.Kustomize) {
 			fmt.Fprintf(o.ErrOut, "You must specify the type of resource to get. %s\n\n", cmdutil.SuggestAPIResources(o.CmdParent))
 			fullCmdName := cmd.Parent().CommandPath()
 			usageString := "Required resource not specified."
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label/label.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label/label.go
index 63781453f5..eca1fbbbed 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label/label.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label/label.go
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ func (o *LabelOptions) Validate() error {
 	if o.all && len(o.fieldSelector) > 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot set --all and --field-selector at the same time")
 	}
-	if len(o.resources) < 1 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.FilenameOptions.Filenames) {
+	if len(o.resources) < 1 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.FilenameOptions.Filenames, o.FilenameOptions.Kustomize) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("one or more resources must be specified as <resource> <name> or <resource>/<name>")
 	}
 	if len(o.newLabels) < 1 && len(o.removeLabels) < 1 && !o.list {
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/replace/replace.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/replace/replace.go
index dd329160e9..9c3456074b 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/replace/replace.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/replace/replace.go
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ func NewCmdReplace(f cmdutil.Factory, streams genericclioptions.IOStreams) *cobr
 	o.DeleteFlags.AddFlags(cmd)
 	o.RecordFlags.AddFlags(cmd)
 
-	cmd.MarkFlagRequired("filename")
 	cmdutil.AddValidateFlags(cmd)
 	cmdutil.AddApplyAnnotationFlags(cmd)
 
@@ -163,6 +162,11 @@ func (o *ReplaceOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args []
 	}
 	o.DeleteOptions = deleteOpts
 
+	err = o.DeleteOptions.FilenameOptions.RequireFilenameOrKustomize()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	schema, err := f.Validator(o.validate)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -189,7 +193,7 @@ func (o *ReplaceOptions) Validate(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("--timeout must have --force specified")
 	}
 
-	if cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.DeleteOptions.FilenameOptions.Filenames) {
+	if cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.DeleteOptions.FilenameOptions.Filenames, o.DeleteOptions.FilenameOptions.Kustomize) {
 		return cmdutil.UsageErrorf(cmd, "Must specify --filename to replace")
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_history.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_history.go
index d924550818..3661a62400 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_history.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_history.go
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func (o *RolloutHistoryOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command,
 
 // Validate makes sure all the provided values for command-line options are valid
 func (o *RolloutHistoryOptions) Validate() error {
-	if len(o.Resources) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames) {
+	if len(o.Resources) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames, o.Kustomize) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("required resource not specified")
 	}
 	if o.Revision < 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_pause.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_pause.go
index b29963d649..56dd4e1c8c 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_pause.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_pause.go
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func (o *PauseOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args []st
 }
 
 func (o *PauseOptions) Validate() error {
-	if len(o.Resources) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames) {
+	if len(o.Resources) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames, o.Kustomize) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("required resource not specified")
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_resume.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_resume.go
index f1f9e4e33d..d46e9a6ec8 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_resume.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_resume.go
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func (o *ResumeOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args []s
 }
 
 func (o *ResumeOptions) Validate() error {
-	if len(o.Resources) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames) {
+	if len(o.Resources) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames, o.Kustomize) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("required resource not specified")
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_status.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_status.go
index fde72df1d8..38a16af914 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_status.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_status.go
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func (o *RolloutStatusOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, args []string) error
 
 // Validate makes sure all the provided values for command-line options are valid
 func (o *RolloutStatusOptions) Validate() error {
-	if len(o.BuilderArgs) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.FilenameOptions.Filenames) {
+	if len(o.BuilderArgs) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.FilenameOptions.Filenames, o.FilenameOptions.Kustomize) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("required resource not specified")
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_undo.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_undo.go
index c4db88af20..a06e5c5fec 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_undo.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/rollout/rollout_undo.go
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ func (o *UndoOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args []str
 }
 
 func (o *UndoOptions) Validate() error {
-	if len(o.Resources) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames) {
+	if len(o.Resources) == 0 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames, o.Kustomize) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("required resource not specified")
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/set/set_image.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/set/set_image.go
index ef422879ba..7cf1b13f36 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/set/set_image.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/set/set_image.go
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ func (o *SetImageOptions) Validate() error {
 	if o.All && len(o.Selector) > 0 {
 		errors = append(errors, fmt.Errorf("cannot set --all and --selector at the same time"))
 	}
-	if len(o.Resources) < 1 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames) {
+	if len(o.Resources) < 1 && cmdutil.IsFilenameSliceEmpty(o.Filenames, o.Kustomize) {
 		errors = append(errors, fmt.Errorf("one or more resources must be specified as <resource> <name> or <resource>/<name>"))
 	}
 	if len(o.ContainerImages) < 1 {