diff --git a/config/kube_config.py b/config/kube_config.py
index 68910841f..a1fc59c98 100644
--- a/config/kube_config.py
+++ b/config/kube_config.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import datetime
 import json
 import logging
 import os
+import io
 import platform
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
@@ -667,19 +668,31 @@ class KubeConfigMerger:
         self.paths = []
         self.config_files = {}
         self.config_merged = None
-
-        for path in paths.split(ENV_KUBECONFIG_PATH_SEPARATOR):
-            if path:
-                path = os.path.expanduser(path)
-                if os.path.exists(path):
-                    self.paths.append(path)
-                    self.load_config(path)
-        self.config_saved = copy.deepcopy(self.config_files)
+        if hasattr(paths, 'read'):
+            self.load_config_from_fileish(paths)
+        else:
+            for path in paths.split(ENV_KUBECONFIG_PATH_SEPARATOR):
+                if path:
+                    path = os.path.expanduser(path)
+                    if os.path.exists(path):
+                        self.paths.append(path)
+                        self.load_config(path)
+            self.config_saved = copy.deepcopy(self.config_files)
 
     @property
     def config(self):
         return self.config_merged
 
+    def load_config_from_fileish(self, string):
+        if hasattr(string, 'getvalue'):
+            config = yaml.safe_load(string.getvalue())
+        else:
+            config = yaml.safe_load(string.read())
+
+        if self.config_merged is None:
+            self.config_merged = copy.deepcopy(config)
+        # doesn't need to do any further merging
+
     def load_config(self, path):
         with open(path) as f:
             config = yaml.safe_load(f)
diff --git a/config/kube_config_test.py b/config/kube_config_test.py
index 4b406b34f..a666cff2f 100644
--- a/config/kube_config_test.py
+++ b/config/kube_config_test.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import base64
 import datetime
 import json
 import os
+import io
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 import unittest
@@ -1257,6 +1258,14 @@ class TestKubeConfigLoader(BaseTestCase):
                          client_configuration=actual)
         self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
 
+    def test_load_kube_config_from_stringio(self):
+        expected = FakeConfig(host=TEST_HOST,
+                              token=BEARER_TOKEN_FORMAT % TEST_DATA_BASE64)
+        kubeconfig = self._create_stringio_config()
+        actual = FakeConfig()
+        load_kube_config(config_file=kubeconfig, context="simple_token", client_configuration=actual)
+        self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
+
     def test_load_kube_config_from_dict(self):
         expected = FakeConfig(host=TEST_HOST,
                               token=BEARER_TOKEN_FORMAT % TEST_DATA_BASE64)
@@ -1633,6 +1642,11 @@ class TestKubeConfigMerger(BaseTestCase):
             files.append(self._create_temp_file(yaml.safe_dump(part)))
         return ENV_KUBECONFIG_PATH_SEPARATOR.join(files)
 
+    def _create_stringio_config(self):
+        obj = io.StringIO()
+        obj.write(self.TEST_KUBE_CONFIG_PART1)
+        return obj
+
     def test_list_kube_config_contexts(self):
         kubeconfigs = self._create_multi_config()
         expected_contexts = [
@@ -1660,6 +1674,7 @@ class TestKubeConfigMerger(BaseTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(BEARER_TOKEN_FORMAT % TEST_DATA_BASE64,
                          client.configuration.api_key['authorization'])
 
+
     def test_save_changes(self):
         kubeconfigs = self._create_multi_config()