diff --git a/cmd/helm/template.go b/cmd/helm/template.go
index c83779a31..aba3c3ffe 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/template.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/template.go
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ func (t *templateCmd) run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		}
 		caps.KubeVersion.Major = fmt.Sprint(kv.Major())
 		caps.KubeVersion.Minor = fmt.Sprint(kv.Minor())
+		caps.KubeVersion.GitVersion = fmt.Sprintf("v%d.%d.0", kv.Major(), kv.Minor())
 	}
 	vals, err := chartutil.ToRenderValuesCaps(c, config, options, caps)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/helm/template_test.go b/cmd/helm/template_test.go
index e3b85e97c..eefa46774 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/template_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/template_test.go
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func TestTemplateCmd(t *testing.T) {
 			desc:        "verify --kube-version overrides the kubernetes version",
 			args:        []string{chartPath, "--kube-version", "1.6"},
 			expectKey:   "subchart1/templates/service.yaml",
-			expectValue: "kube-version/major: \"1\"\n    kube-version/minor: \"6\"",
+			expectValue: "kube-version/major: \"1\"\n    kube-version/minor: \"6\"\n    kube-version/gitversion: \"v1.6.0\"",
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/capabilities.go b/pkg/chartutil/capabilities.go
index 82478e6ea..c87c0368e 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/capabilities.go
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/capabilities.go
@@ -29,11 +29,12 @@ var (
 
 	// DefaultKubeVersion is the default kubernetes version
 	DefaultKubeVersion = &version.Info{
-		Major:     "1",
-		Minor:     "9",
-		GoVersion: runtime.Version(),
-		Compiler:  runtime.Compiler,
-		Platform:  fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH),
+		Major:      "1",
+		Minor:      "9",
+		GitVersion: "v1.9.0",
+		GoVersion:  runtime.Version(),
+		Compiler:   runtime.Compiler,
+		Platform:   fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH),
 	}
 )
 
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/subpop/charts/subchart1/templates/service.yaml b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/subpop/charts/subchart1/templates/service.yaml
index 8b6bbaee7..3835a3d0b 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/subpop/charts/subchart1/templates/service.yaml
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/subpop/charts/subchart1/templates/service.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ metadata:
     release-name: "{{ .Release.Name }}"
     kube-version/major: "{{ .Capabilities.KubeVersion.Major }}"
     kube-version/minor: "{{ .Capabilities.KubeVersion.Minor }}"
+    kube-version/gitversion: "v{{ .Capabilities.KubeVersion.Major }}.{{ .Capabilities.KubeVersion.Minor }}.0"
 spec:
   type: {{ .Values.service.type }}
   ports: