diff --git a/cmd/helm/load_plugins.go b/cmd/helm/load_plugins.go
index a3e4299a8..62a48d728 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/load_plugins.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/load_plugins.go
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func loadPlugins(baseCmd *cobra.Command, out io.Writer) {
 func manuallyProcessArgs(args []string) ([]string, []string) {
 	known := []string{}
 	unknown := []string{}
-	kvargs := []string{"--host", "--kube-context", "--home", "--tiller-namespace"}
+	kvargs := []string{"--host", "--kube-context", "--home", "--tiller-namespace", "--kubeconfig"}
 	knownArg := func(a string) bool {
 		for _, pre := range kvargs {
 			if strings.HasPrefix(a, pre+"=") {
diff --git a/cmd/helm/plugin_test.go b/cmd/helm/plugin_test.go
index 2d06c3797..75e049d6b 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/plugin_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/plugin_test.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ func TestManuallyProcessArgs(t *testing.T) {
 		"--debug",
 		"--foo", "bar",
 		"--host", "example.com",
+		"--kubeconfig=/home/foo",
 		"--kube-context", "test1",
 		"--home=/tmp",
 		"--tiller-namespace=hello",
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ func TestManuallyProcessArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	expectKnown := []string{
-		"--debug", "--host", "example.com", "--kube-context", "test1", "--home=/tmp", "--tiller-namespace=hello",
+		"--debug", "--host", "example.com", "--kubeconfig=/home/foo", "--kube-context", "test1", "--home=/tmp", "--tiller-namespace=hello",
 	}
 
 	expectUnknown := []string{