diff --git a/pkg/action/install.go b/pkg/action/install.go
index e368bcb28..292a7ec27 100644
--- a/pkg/action/install.go
+++ b/pkg/action/install.go
@@ -436,8 +436,20 @@ func (c *Configuration) renderResources(ch *chart.Chart, values chartutil.Values
 		}
 	}
 
-	files, err := engine.Render(ch, values)
-	if err != nil {
+	var files map[string]string
+	var err2 error
+
+	if c.RESTClientGetter != nil {
+		rest, err := c.RESTClientGetter.ToRESTConfig()
+		if err != nil {
+			return hs, b, "", err
+		}
+		files, err2 = engine.RenderWithClient(ch, values, rest)
+	} else {
+		files, err2 = engine.Render(ch, values)
+	}
+
+	if err2 != nil {
 		return hs, b, "", err
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/engine/engine.go b/pkg/engine/engine.go
index d0261dca2..1d98cd763 100644
--- a/pkg/engine/engine.go
+++ b/pkg/engine/engine.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"text/template"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/rest"
 
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chart"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chartutil"
@@ -39,6 +40,8 @@ type Engine struct {
 	Strict bool
 	// In LintMode, some 'required' template values may be missing, so don't fail
 	LintMode bool
+	// the rest config to connect to te kubernetes api
+	config *rest.Config
 }
 
 // Render takes a chart, optional values, and value overrides, and attempts to render the Go templates.
@@ -71,6 +74,15 @@ func Render(chrt *chart.Chart, values chartutil.Values) (map[string]string, erro
 	return new(Engine).Render(chrt, values)
 }
 
+// RenderWithClient takes a chart, optional values, and value overrides, and attempts to
+// render the Go templates using the default options. This engine is client aware and so can have template
+// functions that interact with the client
+func RenderWithClient(chrt *chart.Chart, values chartutil.Values, config *rest.Config) (map[string]string, error) {
+	return Engine{
+		config: config,
+	}.Render(chrt, values)
+}
+
 // renderable is an object that can be rendered.
 type renderable struct {
 	// tpl is the current template.
@@ -157,6 +169,9 @@ func (e Engine) initFunMap(t *template.Template, referenceTpls map[string]render
 		}
 		return val, nil
 	}
+	if e.config != nil {
+		funcMap["lookup"] = NewLookupFunction(e.config)
+	}
 
 	t.Funcs(funcMap)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/engine/lookup_func.go b/pkg/engine/lookup_func.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..14f2351b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/engine/lookup_func.go
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/*
+Copyright The Helm Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package engine
+
+import (
+	"log"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/discovery"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/dynamic"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/rest"
+)
+
+type lookupFunc = func(apiversion string, resource string, namespace string, name string) (map[string]interface{}, error)
+
+func NewLookupFunction(config *rest.Config) lookupFunc {
+	return func(apiversion string, resource string, namespace string, name string) (map[string]interface{}, error) {
+		var client dynamic.ResourceInterface
+		c, namespaced, err := getDynamicClientOnKind(apiversion, resource, config)
+		if err != nil {
+			return map[string]interface{}{}, err
+		}
+		if namespaced && namespace != "" {
+			client = c.Namespace(namespace)
+		} else {
+			client = c
+		}
+		if name != "" {
+			//this will return a single object
+			obj, err := client.Get(name, metav1.GetOptions{})
+			if err != nil {
+				return map[string]interface{}{}, err
+			}
+			return obj.UnstructuredContent(), nil
+		}
+		//this will return a list
+		obj, err := client.List(metav1.ListOptions{})
+		if err != nil {
+			return map[string]interface{}{}, err
+		}
+		return obj.UnstructuredContent(), nil
+	}
+}
+
+// getDynamicClientOnUnstructured returns a dynamic client on an Unstructured type. This client can be further namespaced.
+func getDynamicClientOnKind(apiversion string, kind string, config *rest.Config) (dynamic.NamespaceableResourceInterface, bool, error) {
+	gvk := schema.FromAPIVersionAndKind(apiversion, kind)
+	apiRes, err := getAPIReourceForGVK(gvk, config)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[ERROR] unable to get apiresource from unstructured: %s , error %s", gvk.String(), err)
+		return nil, false, errors.Wrapf(err, "unable to get apiresource from unstructured: %s", gvk.String())
+	}
+	gvr := schema.GroupVersionResource{
+		Group:    apiRes.Group,
+		Version:  apiRes.Version,
+		Resource: apiRes.Name,
+	}
+	intf, err := dynamic.NewForConfig(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[ERROR] unable to get dynamic client %s", err)
+		return nil, false, err
+	}
+	res := intf.Resource(gvr)
+	return res, apiRes.Namespaced, nil
+}
+
+func getAPIReourceForGVK(gvk schema.GroupVersionKind, config *rest.Config) (metav1.APIResource, error) {
+	res := metav1.APIResource{}
+	discoveryClient, err := discovery.NewDiscoveryClientForConfig(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[ERROR] unable to create discovery client %s", err)
+		return res, err
+	}
+	resList, err := discoveryClient.ServerResourcesForGroupVersion(gvk.GroupVersion().String())
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[ERROR] unable to retrieve resource list for: %s , error: %s", gvk.GroupVersion().String(), err)
+		return res, err
+	}
+	for _, resource := range resList.APIResources {
+		//if a resource contains a "/" it's referencing a subresource. we don't support suberesource for now.
+		if resource.Kind == gvk.Kind && !strings.Contains(resource.Name, "/") {
+			res = resource
+			res.Group = gvk.Group
+			res.Version = gvk.Version
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	return res, nil
+}