diff --git a/kubernetes/client/rest.py b/kubernetes/client/rest.py

--- a/kubernetes/client/rest.py

+++ b/kubernetes/client/rest.py

@@ -223,4 +223,13 @@ class RESTClientObject:

content_type = headers.get('Content-Type')

+ # JSON Patch is a list of operations; object patches for built-in

+ # APIs use strategic merge:

+ # https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/using-api/api-concepts/#updates-to-existing-resources

+ if (

+ content_type == 'application/json-patch+json'

+ and not isinstance(body, list)

+ ):

+ headers['Content-Type'] = content_type = \

+ 'application/strategic-merge-patch+json'

is_json = (

not content_type

or re.search('json', content_type, re.IGNORECASE)