diff --git a/cmd/helm/template_test.go b/cmd/helm/template_test.go
index 9e6a0c434..30ee2722b 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/template_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/template_test.go
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ func TestTemplateCmd(t *testing.T) {
 			cmd:    fmt.Sprintf("template '%s'", "testdata/testcharts/chart-with-template-lib-archive-dep"),
 			golden: "output/template-chart-with-template-lib-archive-dep.txt",
 		},
+		{
+			name:   "check kube version",
+			cmd:    fmt.Sprintf("template --kube-version 1.16.0 '%s'", chartPath),
+			golden: "output/template-with-kube-version.txt",
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "check kube api versions",
 			cmd:    fmt.Sprintf("template --api-versions helm.k8s.io/test '%s'", chartPath),
diff --git a/cmd/helm/testdata/output/template-with-kube-version.txt b/cmd/helm/testdata/output/template-with-kube-version.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..84397a15a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/helm/testdata/output/template-with-kube-version.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+---
+# Source: subchart/templates/subdir/serviceaccount.yaml
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: ServiceAccount
+metadata:
+  name: subchart-sa
+---
+# Source: subchart/templates/subdir/role.yaml
+apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
+kind: Role
+metadata:
+  name: subchart-role
+rules:
+- resources: ["*"]
+  verbs: ["get","list","watch"]
+---
+# Source: subchart/templates/subdir/rolebinding.yaml
+apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
+kind: RoleBinding
+metadata:
+  name: subchart-binding
+roleRef:
+  apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io
+  kind: Role
+  name: subchart-role
+subjects:
+- kind: ServiceAccount
+  name: subchart-sa
+  namespace: default
+---
+# Source: subchart/charts/subcharta/templates/service.yaml
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Service
+metadata:
+  name: subcharta
+  labels:
+    helm.sh/chart: "subcharta-0.1.0"
+spec:
+  type: ClusterIP
+  ports:
+  - port: 80
+    targetPort: 80
+    protocol: TCP
+    name: apache
+  selector:
+    app.kubernetes.io/name: subcharta
+---
+# Source: subchart/charts/subchartb/templates/service.yaml
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Service
+metadata:
+  name: subchartb
+  labels:
+    helm.sh/chart: "subchartb-0.1.0"
+spec:
+  type: ClusterIP
+  ports:
+  - port: 80
+    targetPort: 80
+    protocol: TCP
+    name: nginx
+  selector:
+    app.kubernetes.io/name: subchartb
+---
+# Source: subchart/templates/service.yaml
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Service
+metadata:
+  name: subchart
+  labels:
+    helm.sh/chart: "subchart-0.1.0"
+    app.kubernetes.io/instance: "RELEASE-NAME"
+    kube-version/major: "1"
+    kube-version/minor: "16"
+    kube-version/version: "v1.16.0"
+spec:
+  type: ClusterIP
+  ports:
+  - port: 80
+    targetPort: 80
+    protocol: TCP
+    name: nginx
+  selector:
+    app.kubernetes.io/name: subchart
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/capabilities.go b/pkg/chartutil/capabilities.go
index f9a454ad6..190744665 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/capabilities.go
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/capabilities.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func ParseKubeVersion(version string) (*KubeVersion, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	return &KubeVersion{
-		Version: sv.Original(),
+		Version: "v" + sv.String(),
 		Major:   strconv.FormatUint(sv.Major(), 10),
 		Minor:   strconv.FormatUint(sv.Minor(), 10),
 	}, nil
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/capabilities_test.go b/pkg/chartutil/capabilities_test.go
index 7134abfc5..a68d16b45 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/capabilities_test.go
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/capabilities_test.go
@@ -66,3 +66,19 @@ func TestDefaultCapabilitiesHelmVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected default HelmVersion to be v3.5, got %q", hv.Version)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestParseKubeVersion(t *testing.T) {
+	kv, err := ParseKubeVersion("v1.16.0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Expected v1.16.0 to parse successfully")
+	}
+	if kv.Version != "v1.16.0" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected parsed KubeVersion.Version to be v1.16.0, got %q", kv.String())
+	}
+	if kv.Major != "1" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected parsed KubeVersion.Major to be 1, got %q", kv.Major)
+	}
+	if kv.Minor != "16" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected parsed KubeVersion.Minor to be 16, got %q", kv.Minor)
+	}
+}