diff --git a/k8sclient/client/rest.py b/k8sclient/client/rest.py
index 14bb913..6783815 100644
--- a/k8sclient/client/rest.py
+++ b/k8sclient/client/rest.py
@@ -127,6 +127,11 @@ class RESTClientObject(object):
         if method in ['POST', 'PUT', 'PATCH']:
             if query_params:
                 url += '?' + urlencode(query_params)
+            if headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/json-patch+json':
+                headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/strategic-merge-patch+json'
+                r = self.agent(url).request(method, url,
+                                            body=json.dumps(body),
+                                            headers=headers)
             if headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/json':
                 r = self.agent(url).request(method, url,
                                             body=json.dumps(body),
diff --git a/k8sclient/tests/test_k8sclient.py b/k8sclient/tests/test_k8sclient.py
index 78d9c28..950387b 100644
--- a/k8sclient/tests/test_k8sclient.py
+++ b/k8sclient/tests/test_k8sclient.py
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ class TestK8sclient(base.TestCase):
                             'metadata': {'labels': {'name': 'frontend'},
                                          'name': 'frontend',
                                          'resourceversion': 'v1'},
-                            'spec': {'ports': [{'port': 80,
+                            'spec': {'ports': [{'name': 'port',
+                                                'port': 80,
                                                 'protocol': 'TCP',
                                                 'targetPort': 80}],
                                      'selector': {'name': 'frontend'}}}
@@ -107,6 +108,16 @@ class TestK8sclient(base.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual('frontend', resp.metadata.name)
         self.assertTrue(resp.status)
 
+        service_manifest['spec']['ports'] = [{'name': 'new',
+                                              'port': 8080,
+                                              'protocol': 'TCP',
+                                              'targetPort': 8080}]
+        resp = api.patch_namespaced_service(body=service_manifest,
+                                            name='frontend',
+                                            namespace='default')
+        self.assertEqual(2, len(resp.spec.ports))
+        self.assertTrue(resp.status)
+
         resp = api.delete_namespaced_service(name='frontend',
                                              namespace='default')
 
@@ -172,6 +183,10 @@ class TestK8sclient(base.TestCase):
             name='test-configmap', namespace='default')
         self.assertEqual('test-configmap', resp.metadata.name)
 
+        test_configmap['data']['config.json'] = "{}"
+        resp = api.patch_namespaced_config_map(
+            name='test-configmap', namespace='default', body=test_configmap)
+
         resp = api.delete_namespaced_config_map(
             name='test-configmap', body={}, namespace='default')
 
@@ -209,6 +224,12 @@ class TestK8sclientBeta(base.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual('test-deployment', resp.metadata.name)
         self.assertEqual(2, resp.spec.replicas)
 
+        deployment_manifest['spec']['replicas'] = 1
+        resp = api.patch_namespaced_deployment(
+            name='test-deployment', namespace='default',
+            body=deployment_manifest)
+        self.assertEqual(1, resp.spec.replicas)
+
         resp = api.delete_namespaced_deployment(
             name='test-deployment', body={}, namespace='default')