diff --git a/kubernetes/client/rest.py b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
index e268beeb6..e25e4f59f 100644
--- a/kubernetes/client/rest.py
+++ b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
@@ -155,6 +155,10 @@ class RESTClientObject(object):
                 if query_params:
                     url += '?' + urlencode(query_params)
                 if re.search('json', headers['Content-Type'], re.IGNORECASE):
+                    if headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/json-patch+json':
+                        if not isinstance(body, list):
+                            headers['Content-Type'] = \
+                                'application/strategic-merge-patch+json'
                     request_body = None
                     if body is not None:
                         request_body = json.dumps(body)
diff --git a/scripts/rest_client_patch.diff b/scripts/rest_client_patch.diff
index 46fcf2014..5d514708f 100644
--- a/scripts/rest_client_patch.diff
+++ b/scripts/rest_client_patch.diff
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 diff --git a/kubernetes/client/rest.py b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
-index 13b16c2f..41c53429 100644
+index 0bb15d8..acf7b2b 100644
 --- a/kubernetes/client/rest.py
 +++ b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
 @@ -155,6 +155,10 @@ class RESTClientObject(object):