diff --git a/cmd/helm/plugins.go b/cmd/helm/plugins.go
index af3848379..8ffeb788d 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/plugins.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/plugins.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func loadPlugins(baseCmd *cobra.Command, home helmpath.Home, out io.Writer) {
 			RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 				k, u := manuallyProcessArgs(args)
-				if err := cmd.ParseFlags(k); err != nil {
+				if err := cmd.Parent().ParseFlags(k); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
 
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func loadPlugins(baseCmd *cobra.Command, home helmpath.Home, out io.Writer) {
 func manuallyProcessArgs(args []string) ([]string, []string) {
 	known := []string{}
 	unknown := []string{}
-	kvargs := []string{"--host", "--kube-context", "--home"}
+	kvargs := []string{"--host", "--kube-context", "--home", "--tiller-namespace"}
 	knownArg := func(a string) bool {
 		for _, pre := range kvargs {
 			if strings.HasPrefix(a, pre+"=") {
@@ -175,7 +175,8 @@ func setupEnv(shortname, base, plugdirs string, home helmpath.Home) {
 		"HELM_PATH_LOCAL_REPOSITORY": home.LocalRepository(),
 		"HELM_PATH_STARTER":          home.Starters(),
 
-		"TILLER_HOST": tillerHost,
+		"TILLER_HOST":         tillerHost,
+		tillerNamespaceEnvVar: tillerNamespace,
 	} {
 		os.Setenv(key, val)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/helm/plugins_test.go b/cmd/helm/plugins_test.go
index 471f2370f..4d2eaa9a8 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/plugins_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/plugins_test.go
@@ -31,18 +31,16 @@ import (
 func TestManuallyProcessArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	input := []string{
 		"--debug",
-		"--foo",
-		"bar",
-		"--host",
-		"example.com",
-		"--kube-context",
-		"test1",
+		"--foo", "bar",
+		"--host", "example.com",
+		"--kube-context", "test1",
 		"--home=/tmp",
+		"--tiller-namespace=hello",
 		"command",
 	}
 
 	expectKnown := []string{
-		"--debug", "--host", "example.com", "--kube-context", "test1", "--home=/tmp",
+		"--debug", "--host", "example.com", "--kube-context", "test1", "--home=/tmp", "--tiller-namespace=hello",
 	}
 
 	expectUnknown := []string{
@@ -162,6 +160,7 @@ func TestSetupEnv(t *testing.T) {
 		{"HELM_PATH_LOCAL_REPOSITORY", hh.LocalRepository()},
 		{"HELM_PATH_STARTER", hh.Starters()},
 		{"TILLER_HOST", tillerHost},
+		{"TILLER_NAMESPACE", tillerNamespace},
 	} {
 		if got := os.Getenv(tt.name); got != tt.expect {
 			t.Errorf("Expected $%s=%q, got %q", tt.name, tt.expect, got)