diff --git a/test/cmd/explain.sh b/test/cmd/explain.sh
index cde26dad5726..003d6831d7f4 100755
--- a/test/cmd/explain.sh
+++ b/test/cmd/explain.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ os::cmd::expect_success 'oc explain bc'
 os::cmd::expect_success 'oc explain image'
 os::cmd::expect_success 'oc explain is'
 
+os::cmd::expect_success 'oc explain cronjob'
+
 echo "explain: ok"
 os::test::junit::declare_suite_end
 
diff --git a/vendor/k8s.io/kubernetes/hack/make-rules/test-cmd-util.sh b/vendor/k8s.io/kubernetes/hack/make-rules/test-cmd-util.sh
index d4027ad0a915..d947355c852b 100755
--- a/vendor/k8s.io/kubernetes/hack/make-rules/test-cmd-util.sh
+++ b/vendor/k8s.io/kubernetes/hack/make-rules/test-cmd-util.sh
@@ -4120,6 +4120,8 @@ run_kubectl_explain_tests() {
   # shortcuts work
   kubectl explain po
   kubectl explain po.status.message
+  # cronjob work
+  kubectl explain cronjob
 
   set +o nounset
   set +o errexit
diff --git a/vendor/k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubectl/cmd/explain.go b/vendor/k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubectl/cmd/explain.go
index a339df7c811f..535bc34707f9 100644
--- a/vendor/k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubectl/cmd/explain.go
+++ b/vendor/k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubectl/cmd/explain.go
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ import (
 var (
 	explainLong = templates.LongDesc(`
 		List the fields for supported resources
-		
+
 		This command describes the fields associated with each supported API resource.
-		Fields are identified via a simple JSONPath identifier: 
-		
+		Fields are identified via a simple JSONPath identifier:
+
 			<type>.<fieldName>[.<fieldName>]
-			
+
 		Add the --recursive flag to display all of the fields at once without descriptions.
 		Information about each field is retrieved from the server in OpenAPI format.`)
 
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ func RunExplain(f cmdutil.Factory, out, cmdErr io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, ar
 
 	recursive := cmdutil.GetFlagBool(cmd, "recursive")
 	apiVersionString := cmdutil.GetFlagString(cmd, "api-version")
-	apiVersion := schema.GroupVersion{}
 
 	mapper, _ := f.Object()
 	// TODO: After we figured out the new syntax to separate group and resource, allow
@@ -105,19 +104,20 @@ func RunExplain(f cmdutil.Factory, out, cmdErr io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, ar
 	}
 
 	if len(apiVersionString) == 0 {
-		groupMeta, err := scheme.Registry.Group(gvk.Group)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
+		if len(gvk.Version) == 0 {
+			groupMeta, err := scheme.Registry.Group(gvk.Group)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			gvk = groupMeta.GroupVersion.WithKind(gvk.Kind)
 		}
-		apiVersion = groupMeta.GroupVersion
-
 	} else {
-		apiVersion, err = schema.ParseGroupVersion(apiVersionString)
+		apiVersion, err := schema.ParseGroupVersion(apiVersionString)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		gvk = apiVersion.WithKind(gvk.Kind)
 	}
-	gvk = apiVersion.WithKind(gvk.Kind)
 
 	resources, err := f.OpenAPISchema()
 	if err != nil {